Conyngham family of Brookfield, Mount Merrion Avenue
Henry Conyngham married Mary Frances Boulton
born 1844 1873 born circa 1847
Derry Stafford Stafford
died 4 Apr 1931 died 2 Mar 1913
Waterloo Road Pembroke Road
Henry Conyngham born 1844 in Derry son of Thomas Lecky Cunningham and Jane Crawford
emigrated as a young man to New Zealand and Australia where some of his family settled.
He returned to Ireland and entered the drug business. He married Mary France Boulton in
1873 at Stafford. Mary was the daughter of William Boulton, an architect and surveyor of
Stafford and his wife Elizabeth. He moved to Dublin where he carried on business at St
Stephen’s Green and Kingstown. He qualified as a pharmaceutical chemist in 1876. He
acquired the Medical Hall owned by the late Dr R W Harley in upper Baggot Street and in
1897 he amalgamated his business with that of William Hayes and Sir Thomas W Robinson
and their concerns became known as Hayes Conyngham & Robinson Ltd* and by 1903 had
a number of branches around Dublin. He was a council member of the Pharmaceutical
Society, a member of the Irish International Exhibition of 1907 and a governor of the Old
Men’s Home in Northbrook Road. He was a member of the Plymouth Brethren from 1880.
He did not identify with any political organisation and refused to be nominated for any
municipal honours. They lived at Brookfield on Mount Merrion Avenue from 1900 to 1909 and
from there moved to Waterloo Road. Mary died 2 Mar 1913 at Pembroke Street and was
buried at Mt Jerome. By 1919 they had fourteen branches** although 12 Grafton Street would
remain the flagship. Henry died at 40 Waterloo Road on 4 Apr 1931. Both are buried at
Mount Jerome.
1 Henry Francis Conyngham born 13 Jan 1875 at 30 York Road, Kingstown. He
graduated from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. He was engaged to Eleanor
Margaret Wynn his cousin in 1897. The engagement was broken off and he left for
Borneo, where he practiced as a doctor and obtained rubber and tobacco plantations.
He returned to visit his parents for a few months at Brookfield from British North
Borneo in 1902. He was cited at the co-respondent in the divorce suit of his cousin
Eleanor Margaret Watson nee Wynn in 1911. Eleanor had married the Rev William
Watson in 1902 and they had three children. Her husband sued for divorce on the
grounds of misconduct, was awarded £1000 in damages and a Decree Nisi was issued.
Eleanor had to pay costs. Henry was living in Kudat, North Borneo in 1913 and was still
in Borneo in 1931. In 1939 he is listed as married and living at Bon Grange, Ipplepen,
Newtown Abbot. Henry died on 16 Apr 1946. His widow Eleanor Margaret
Conyngham and daughter Frances Betty Rae were his executors. He left 17K in
personal estate. Eleanor died 19 Feb 1950 at Norwich aged 77.
1 Frances B Conyngham/Frances B Watson born January 1910 in Teignmouth,
Newtown Abbot, Devon and registered under both names. Frances married
Donald Edgar Rae in 1940 at Hove. Donald was the curate of St John's, Bathwick
and later incumbent of St Giles’, Norwich.
2 William Boulton Conyngham born 4 Sep 1876 at Baggot Street. He was eventually
admitted to the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland in 1901 after a 3 year court battle.
They had declined to issue him as certificate as his four year apprenticeship had been
completed for a time at a limited company, the court case led to a change in the
rules of the society. He was an expert swimmer and a member of the Dublin
Swimming Club, frequently winning medals at Blackrock Baths. He was presented with
a diamond ring and gold watch and chain when he departed in 1908 to work for Messrs
Benger of Manchester and was working in New York by 1909. He married Mary Audriah
(Maisie) Biggs on 11 Aug 1909 at The Mariners Church in Kingstown and they had a
reception at the Royal Mail Hotel to which about ninety people attended. Mary was the
daughter of George W Biggs, a merchant from Bantry. They honeymooned in Scotland
and left for New York two weeks later. They returned to Ireland in 1914 and William
was a director of HCR Ltd. In 1929 he was on the committee of The Old Men’s Home.
He was a member of the General Synod of the Church of Ireland, churchwarden of
Monkstown in 1937 and was living at 26 Belgrave Square in Monkstown. William died
7 Mar 1949 at his home Reendesert in Stradbrook. A prayer desk was installed in
Monkstown Church in his memory. Maisie died on 14 Mar 1953 at Mounttown.
1 Peggy Conyngham fl 1953.
2 Mary Audriah (Audrey) Conyngham was a medical doctor. She married Henry
Richard Tarleton Devlin on 17 July 1949 at Monkstown Parish Church. Henry
was a medical doctor resident in Cornwall and the son of the Rev William Devlin
of Akmoritia Rectory, Mullingar.
3 John Crawford Conyngham born 27 Nov 1879 at 11 Upper Baggot Street died
12 Mar 1881 same place.
4 Ernest Knox Conyngham born 8 Jul 1881 at 11 Upper Baggot Street. He was a Royal
Naval Volunteer Reserve and a second lieutenant with the Royal Engineers Corps. He
received the Silver War Badge and was in receipt on an army pension in 1919. He was
working as a consultant engineer for Messrs Whiting Ltd, Motor Engineers at 77 Great
Portland St, London in 1921. He married Dorothy Louisa Bartlett Chancellor in 1923.
He was architect and engineer to the Mount Merrion Park estate in 1925 based at 34
Merrion Square. They were living in Harrow in 1939 and Ernest died in Harrow on
23 Jul 1951.
4 Cecil Allen Taylour Conyngham born 11 May 1883 at 11 Upper Baggot Street was
educated at St Andrew’s College and graduated MB from Trinity in 1906. He was an
expert swimmer, water polo player and member of Dublin Wanderers Football Club.
He was on the rugby team that won the Leinster cup in 1906. He was living at
Brookfield Mount Merrion avenue in 1901, joined the army in 1907 and attained the
rank of captain in 1911. He was in Bangalore when the war broke out and applied to
be sent to the front. He was sent as medical officer to the Loyal North Lancashire
Regiment in East Africa. He was killed in action on 4 Nov 1914 in Tanga (modern
Tanzania) while attending the wounded under fire. It is believed the Germans buried
the dead close to where they fell.
5 Robert Stafford Conyngham born 17 Jul 1885 at Woodville, Sandford Road. He was
educated at St Andrews and played for Wanderers Football Club. He graduated Trinity
MB and was a Licentiate of the College of Physicians. He was living at 40 Waterloo
Road and married Edith Paul on 14 Aug 1916 at Adelaide Road Presbyterian Church.
Edith was resident at Iona, Ballsbridge was the daughter of Robert Paul of Bangor.
Robert practiced at Snaith, Yorkshire. He died at Bangor at the home of his father-in-
law while on holidays on 8 Dec 1932 leaving a widow and two children. He was buried
at Mount Jerome and left 11K in personal estate. Edythe died 4 Oct 1964.
1 Robert Henry Cecil (Cecil) Conyngham born 16 Nov 1917 at Waterloo Road. He
graduated Trinity College Dublin and married. He died 27 Jul 1968 and his ashes
were scattered at sea near Llandudno which was his home for 23 years. He left
21K in personal estate.
2 Sybil Margaret Conyngham only daughter born 1922 at Goole, Yorkshire married
Major Robert Derek Shiell in 1947 at St John’s Church, Malone. Robert was the
son of Derek Pirie Shiell of Norwood, Middlesex and the reception was held at the
Grand Central Hotel in Belfast. The bride wore a dress of silver lame and her train
bearer was her niece Jennifer Anne Conyngham. Sybil later became a director of
HCR.
* The firm was in financial difficulties in 1972 and granddaughter of Henry Conyngham -
Sybil Shiell was a director owning 11% of the shares. She bought out the remaining shareholders
and turned the firm around. Modernising and selling off some of the branches to raise money.
Sybil died in 1986 and her sons took over the running of the business as joint managing directors.
Her sons sold to Boots in 1998 for £13m.
** 12 Grafton Street, 51 Henry Street, 22 Upper Baggot Street, 54 Clanbrasil Street, Rathmines,
Rathgar, Inchicore, Clontarf, Fairview, Ballsbridge, Blackrock and 3 stores on George's Street in
Kingstown.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - January 2023
Return to Brookfield, Mount Merrion Avenue page
Henry Conyngham married Mary Frances Boulton
born 1844 1873 born circa 1847
Derry Stafford Stafford
died 4 Apr 1931 died 2 Mar 1913
Waterloo Road Pembroke Road
Henry Conyngham born 1844 in Derry son of Thomas Lecky Cunningham and Jane Crawford
emigrated as a young man to New Zealand and Australia where some of his family settled.
He returned to Ireland and entered the drug business. He married Mary France Boulton in
1873 at Stafford. Mary was the daughter of William Boulton, an architect and surveyor of
Stafford and his wife Elizabeth. He moved to Dublin where he carried on business at St
Stephen’s Green and Kingstown. He qualified as a pharmaceutical chemist in 1876. He
acquired the Medical Hall owned by the late Dr R W Harley in upper Baggot Street and in
1897 he amalgamated his business with that of William Hayes and Sir Thomas W Robinson
and their concerns became known as Hayes Conyngham & Robinson Ltd* and by 1903 had
a number of branches around Dublin. He was a council member of the Pharmaceutical
Society, a member of the Irish International Exhibition of 1907 and a governor of the Old
Men’s Home in Northbrook Road. He was a member of the Plymouth Brethren from 1880.
He did not identify with any political organisation and refused to be nominated for any
municipal honours. They lived at Brookfield on Mount Merrion Avenue from 1900 to 1909 and
from there moved to Waterloo Road. Mary died 2 Mar 1913 at Pembroke Street and was
buried at Mt Jerome. By 1919 they had fourteen branches** although 12 Grafton Street would
remain the flagship. Henry died at 40 Waterloo Road on 4 Apr 1931. Both are buried at
Mount Jerome.
1 Henry Francis Conyngham born 13 Jan 1875 at 30 York Road, Kingstown. He
graduated from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. He was engaged to Eleanor
Margaret Wynn his cousin in 1897. The engagement was broken off and he left for
Borneo, where he practiced as a doctor and obtained rubber and tobacco plantations.
He returned to visit his parents for a few months at Brookfield from British North
Borneo in 1902. He was cited at the co-respondent in the divorce suit of his cousin
Eleanor Margaret Watson nee Wynn in 1911. Eleanor had married the Rev William
Watson in 1902 and they had three children. Her husband sued for divorce on the
grounds of misconduct, was awarded £1000 in damages and a Decree Nisi was issued.
Eleanor had to pay costs. Henry was living in Kudat, North Borneo in 1913 and was still
in Borneo in 1931. In 1939 he is listed as married and living at Bon Grange, Ipplepen,
Newtown Abbot. Henry died on 16 Apr 1946. His widow Eleanor Margaret
Conyngham and daughter Frances Betty Rae were his executors. He left 17K in
personal estate. Eleanor died 19 Feb 1950 at Norwich aged 77.
1 Frances B Conyngham/Frances B Watson born January 1910 in Teignmouth,
Newtown Abbot, Devon and registered under both names. Frances married
Donald Edgar Rae in 1940 at Hove. Donald was the curate of St John's, Bathwick
and later incumbent of St Giles’, Norwich.
2 William Boulton Conyngham born 4 Sep 1876 at Baggot Street. He was eventually
admitted to the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland in 1901 after a 3 year court battle.
They had declined to issue him as certificate as his four year apprenticeship had been
completed for a time at a limited company, the court case led to a change in the
rules of the society. He was an expert swimmer and a member of the Dublin
Swimming Club, frequently winning medals at Blackrock Baths. He was presented with
a diamond ring and gold watch and chain when he departed in 1908 to work for Messrs
Benger of Manchester and was working in New York by 1909. He married Mary Audriah
(Maisie) Biggs on 11 Aug 1909 at The Mariners Church in Kingstown and they had a
reception at the Royal Mail Hotel to which about ninety people attended. Mary was the
daughter of George W Biggs, a merchant from Bantry. They honeymooned in Scotland
and left for New York two weeks later. They returned to Ireland in 1914 and William
was a director of HCR Ltd. In 1929 he was on the committee of The Old Men’s Home.
He was a member of the General Synod of the Church of Ireland, churchwarden of
Monkstown in 1937 and was living at 26 Belgrave Square in Monkstown. William died
7 Mar 1949 at his home Reendesert in Stradbrook. A prayer desk was installed in
Monkstown Church in his memory. Maisie died on 14 Mar 1953 at Mounttown.
1 Peggy Conyngham fl 1953.
2 Mary Audriah (Audrey) Conyngham was a medical doctor. She married Henry
Richard Tarleton Devlin on 17 July 1949 at Monkstown Parish Church. Henry
was a medical doctor resident in Cornwall and the son of the Rev William Devlin
of Akmoritia Rectory, Mullingar.
3 John Crawford Conyngham born 27 Nov 1879 at 11 Upper Baggot Street died
12 Mar 1881 same place.
4 Ernest Knox Conyngham born 8 Jul 1881 at 11 Upper Baggot Street. He was a Royal
Naval Volunteer Reserve and a second lieutenant with the Royal Engineers Corps. He
received the Silver War Badge and was in receipt on an army pension in 1919. He was
working as a consultant engineer for Messrs Whiting Ltd, Motor Engineers at 77 Great
Portland St, London in 1921. He married Dorothy Louisa Bartlett Chancellor in 1923.
He was architect and engineer to the Mount Merrion Park estate in 1925 based at 34
Merrion Square. They were living in Harrow in 1939 and Ernest died in Harrow on
23 Jul 1951.
4 Cecil Allen Taylour Conyngham born 11 May 1883 at 11 Upper Baggot Street was
educated at St Andrew’s College and graduated MB from Trinity in 1906. He was an
expert swimmer, water polo player and member of Dublin Wanderers Football Club.
He was on the rugby team that won the Leinster cup in 1906. He was living at
Brookfield Mount Merrion avenue in 1901, joined the army in 1907 and attained the
rank of captain in 1911. He was in Bangalore when the war broke out and applied to
be sent to the front. He was sent as medical officer to the Loyal North Lancashire
Regiment in East Africa. He was killed in action on 4 Nov 1914 in Tanga (modern
Tanzania) while attending the wounded under fire. It is believed the Germans buried
the dead close to where they fell.
5 Robert Stafford Conyngham born 17 Jul 1885 at Woodville, Sandford Road. He was
educated at St Andrews and played for Wanderers Football Club. He graduated Trinity
MB and was a Licentiate of the College of Physicians. He was living at 40 Waterloo
Road and married Edith Paul on 14 Aug 1916 at Adelaide Road Presbyterian Church.
Edith was resident at Iona, Ballsbridge was the daughter of Robert Paul of Bangor.
Robert practiced at Snaith, Yorkshire. He died at Bangor at the home of his father-in-
law while on holidays on 8 Dec 1932 leaving a widow and two children. He was buried
at Mount Jerome and left 11K in personal estate. Edythe died 4 Oct 1964.
1 Robert Henry Cecil (Cecil) Conyngham born 16 Nov 1917 at Waterloo Road. He
graduated Trinity College Dublin and married. He died 27 Jul 1968 and his ashes
were scattered at sea near Llandudno which was his home for 23 years. He left
21K in personal estate.
2 Sybil Margaret Conyngham only daughter born 1922 at Goole, Yorkshire married
Major Robert Derek Shiell in 1947 at St John’s Church, Malone. Robert was the
son of Derek Pirie Shiell of Norwood, Middlesex and the reception was held at the
Grand Central Hotel in Belfast. The bride wore a dress of silver lame and her train
bearer was her niece Jennifer Anne Conyngham. Sybil later became a director of
HCR.
* The firm was in financial difficulties in 1972 and granddaughter of Henry Conyngham -
Sybil Shiell was a director owning 11% of the shares. She bought out the remaining shareholders
and turned the firm around. Modernising and selling off some of the branches to raise money.
Sybil died in 1986 and her sons took over the running of the business as joint managing directors.
Her sons sold to Boots in 1998 for £13m.
** 12 Grafton Street, 51 Henry Street, 22 Upper Baggot Street, 54 Clanbrasil Street, Rathmines,
Rathgar, Inchicore, Clontarf, Fairview, Ballsbridge, Blackrock and 3 stores on George's Street in
Kingstown.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - January 2023
Return to Brookfield, Mount Merrion Avenue page