Blanchard Family of Belmont Villa, Dundrum
Thomas Blanchard married Eliza Mitchell Romney
born 1815 17.10.1844 born circa 1821
died 28.12.1884 (70) St Mark’s Church, Dublin died 27.12.1895
at Belmont Villa at 26 Leinster Road West
Dundrum Rathmines
Thomas Blanchard born in 1815. He was a choir boy at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, also of Trinity
College and the Chapel Royal. After his voice broke he went to London where his father lived,
and later to Bristol. He was the organist at Painswick, Worcester for a number of years. He
returned to Ireland on the instigation of Joseph Robinson and the position of organist at
Sandford Church was procured for him. Joseph Robinson was the founder Irish (later Royal
Irish) Academy of Music and of the Antient’s Society and also the owner of the Antient Concert
Rooms.
Thomas was an accomplished musician and a professor of music and later organist at Delgany.
He married Eliza Mitchell Romney on 17.10.1844 at St Mark’s Church, Dublin. Eliza was the
daughter of the late Dr William Romney of Foregate Street, Worcester and his wife Frances
Mitchell.
Thomas worked in Dundalk for a time before returning to Dublin, he was a conductor and a
popular composer. He published the “Whole World of Singing’ and was teacher to the famous
Miss Julia and Miss Frances Cruise, sopranos with the Madrigal Company and principal
sopranos of the Theatre Royal in the 1850’s. In the 1860’s another of his pupils was their
younger sister Kate Cruise. Thomas presided at the pianoforte for numerous concerts at the
Antient Rooms on Brunswick Street and at command performances at Dublin Castle. He
taught in various places around Dublin, including Kingstown, Blackrock and Mount Street.
Eliza’s father had died aged 60 at Worcester in 1833 and after her sister Fanny died in 1837,
her mother moved to Dublin where she died on 14.01.1857 and was buried at Mount Jerome.
The Blanchards lived at Herbert Cottage, Dundrum and were at Belmont Villa, Sydenham
Road by 1872. Thomas died 28.12.1884 and was buried with his mother in law. Eliza died on
27.12.1895 at Rathmines and was buried at Mount Jerome with her husband. Her Will
mentions Emma Blanchard, sister-in-law to her late husband and Charles Blanchard nephew
of her late husband living at 38a South Street, Brooklyn USA. Also brother-in-law George
William Taylor of Twickenham who was married to her sister Mary Mitchell Romney.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - May 2023
Thomas Blanchard married Eliza Mitchell Romney
born 1815 17.10.1844 born circa 1821
died 28.12.1884 (70) St Mark’s Church, Dublin died 27.12.1895
at Belmont Villa at 26 Leinster Road West
Dundrum Rathmines
Thomas Blanchard born in 1815. He was a choir boy at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, also of Trinity
College and the Chapel Royal. After his voice broke he went to London where his father lived,
and later to Bristol. He was the organist at Painswick, Worcester for a number of years. He
returned to Ireland on the instigation of Joseph Robinson and the position of organist at
Sandford Church was procured for him. Joseph Robinson was the founder Irish (later Royal
Irish) Academy of Music and of the Antient’s Society and also the owner of the Antient Concert
Rooms.
Thomas was an accomplished musician and a professor of music and later organist at Delgany.
He married Eliza Mitchell Romney on 17.10.1844 at St Mark’s Church, Dublin. Eliza was the
daughter of the late Dr William Romney of Foregate Street, Worcester and his wife Frances
Mitchell.
Thomas worked in Dundalk for a time before returning to Dublin, he was a conductor and a
popular composer. He published the “Whole World of Singing’ and was teacher to the famous
Miss Julia and Miss Frances Cruise, sopranos with the Madrigal Company and principal
sopranos of the Theatre Royal in the 1850’s. In the 1860’s another of his pupils was their
younger sister Kate Cruise. Thomas presided at the pianoforte for numerous concerts at the
Antient Rooms on Brunswick Street and at command performances at Dublin Castle. He
taught in various places around Dublin, including Kingstown, Blackrock and Mount Street.
Eliza’s father had died aged 60 at Worcester in 1833 and after her sister Fanny died in 1837,
her mother moved to Dublin where she died on 14.01.1857 and was buried at Mount Jerome.
The Blanchards lived at Herbert Cottage, Dundrum and were at Belmont Villa, Sydenham
Road by 1872. Thomas died 28.12.1884 and was buried with his mother in law. Eliza died on
27.12.1895 at Rathmines and was buried at Mount Jerome with her husband. Her Will
mentions Emma Blanchard, sister-in-law to her late husband and Charles Blanchard nephew
of her late husband living at 38a South Street, Brooklyn USA. Also brother-in-law George
William Taylor of Twickenham who was married to her sister Mary Mitchell Romney.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - May 2023