Gleeson of Dun Emer
Edward Moloney Gleeson married Harriet Simpson
born circa 1816 19 Apr 1854 born circa 1835
Tipperary Manchester Bolton, Lancashire
died 26 Aug 1895 died 4 Dec 1895
Athlone London
Edward Moloney Gleeson born circa 1816 in Tipperary son of Michael and Margaret Gleeson of
Kilcolman, Co Tipperary. Edward was a member of The Royal College of Surgeons London and
a Licentiate of the Apothecaries Hall London. He dissolved his practice with Thomas Wright at
Nether Knutsford in Cheshire in 1853. He married Harriet Simpson on 19 Apr 1854 at
Manchester Cathedral. Harriette was the elder daughter of James Simpson of Bury. Edward
established a small woollen mill in Athlone in 1859 with his brother in law James Simpson and
the Gleeson family moved to Athlone. In 1864 the partnership Edward & James, fulling millers
and woollen manufacturers at Shannon Mill and Burn Brook Mill was dissolved. In 1869
together with William Smith, an engineer of Devinish, Athlone, they set up Gleeson Smith and
Co, Woollen Manufactures at Athlone and traded as Athlone Woollen Mills. The mills which
employed 300 people caught fire in 1882 which caused a shut down for a number of months.
Edward was appointed a commissioner of peace in 1884. Two of his daughters married on the
same day in different churches. Edward’s sister Anne, died at Kilcolman, Nenagh in July 1895.
Edward died 26 Aug 1895 at Benown, Athlone Co Westmeath and left 108K in personal estate.
His brother Patrick Michael Gleeson of Glenageary and 28 Thomas Street, a grocer and wine
merchant was one of his executors. Harriette died 4 Dec 1895 at 30 Albert Hall Mansion,
Kensington Gore, London. Harold Smith, son of William Smith took over the running of the
mills after the death of his father. The mills carried on winning prizes and medal for their
designs and cloth. The mills closed in November 1940 after a fire devastated the building. They
had a big contract to supply military uniforms and up to 700 people were employed. Buildings
and homes were dynamited in the surrounding streets in an effort to protect the gasworks, and 50
family were rendered homeless. Further buildings had to be demolished because of structural
damage, and the Athlone economy was decimated. The mills never reopened.
1 Evelyn Gertrude Mary Gleeson born 15 May 1855 at Knutsford, Altrincham, Cheshire.
Evelyn was educated in England and then attended an atelier for women run by
Albert Ludovici, a member of the Royal Society of British Artists. She was a member of
the suffrage movement and served as chairwoman of the London women's club, the
Pioneer Club from 1893. She was living at 143, High Street, Kensington, London in 1901.
By 1902 she had purchased Runnymede in Dundrum, renamed it Dun Emer and set up
Dun Emer Guild Ltd with herself as company secretary. Some of the investment capital
came from her friend and plant collector, Augustine Henry. She invited the Yeats sisters
to join her on staff. Her objective was to revive Irish industries and to provide work for
Irish girls. She ran the weaving section (tapestries and carpets), Lily Yeats ran the
embroidery section and Elizabeth Yeats the printing section. Local girls were employed
and trained. These small industries sought to use the best of Irish materials to make
‘beautiful, high-quality, lasting products of original design’. Church patronage accounted
for most of their orders. In 1904 it was decided to split the guild; Dun Emer Guild Ltd
under Eleanor and Dun Emer Industries Ltd under the Yeats sisters. Relations must have
been strained as Evelyn wrote off the monies the Yeats sisters owned her and gave them
the printing press. In 1908 the Yeats sister moved the press to Churchtown and opened
Cuala Press. Evelyn employed many staff to teach local girls these crafts included Emily
McCarthy to teach enamelling and art metal work, and Nora Fitzpatrick to teach book-
binding. In 1908 she went to Boston to take part in The Irish Industrial Expo at Madison
Square Gardens. On that same trip she also went to Boston and visited some of the
bigger stores who promised her that they would take some of the crafts made in
Dundrum. These crafted products were expensive and Evelyn needed to attract American
buyers. Evelyn was very aware of the meagre wages that most women in Ireland were
receiving and that widows were forced to work in dreadful conditions to support their
families and she was very outspoken about it, but felt that the power of changing these
conditions was in the power of women. Evelyn became one of the founding members of
the Guild of Irish Art Workers, becoming a master in 1917. One of her aims was to revive
the carpet-making industry and she toured the county giving talks and workshops on the
subject. She received a commission from the Honan Hostel Chapel at University College
for tapestries, carpet and embroideries and these went on display in Merrion Row before
being delivered. These were designed by Evelyn and her niece Kitty. Evelyn died
20 Feb 1944 at Dun Emer and was buried at Deansgrange. Kitty made the funeral
arrangements.
2 Edward James Harry Ormond Gleeson born Knutsford Cheshire in June 1857. He
graduated BA from London University in 1880 and the same year he was appointed to
the Bombay Civil Service. He was appointed to the Chindwin District and killed on
27 Oct 1886 and his body lost.
3 Agnes Geraldine Hindle Heaton Gleeson, second daughter born 1859 in Cheshire.
Agnes married Robert Wolfe Smyth on 1 July 1891 at St Mary’s Church of Ireland Dublin.
Robert was the son of Arthur Wolfe Smyth. Agnes, a widow died on 2 Feb 1938 at
Portlick Castle, Glasson, Athlone. They honeymooned in Wales.
1 Harriett L Smyth married Mr Simpson and was living at Belsize London in 1938.
4 Constance Alice Helen Gleeson born 1862 in Cheshire married Francis Joseph
MacCormack on 27 Apr 1887 at Athlone. Frances was a solicitor and the son of Charles
MacCormack, a farmer. Francis died circa 1902 and Constance was a widow living with
her sister in Dundrum in 1911. She died 22 Aug 1921 and was buried at Deansgrange.
1 Katherine (Kittie) MacCormack born 19 Feb 1892 at Beech House, Tuam, Galway
was living with her aunt Evelyn at Dun Emer in 1911. She designed for the Guild
and carried on the Guild after the death of her aunt. She was given a commission
by the Irish Free State to design and make a carpet for the Irish Free State. This
was to be presented to the Pope for his sacerdotal jubilee. The carpet went on
show in Clery’s before being presented to the Pope in 1931.
2 Grace Gleeson MacCormack born 3 Feb 1895 at Beech House, Tuam, Galway.
3 Edward Harvey MacCormack born 24 Feb 1889 at Benown, Athlone. He was a
legal student and died 10 Nov 1906 at Dun Emer. He was buried at Deansgrange.
5 Harriett Ethel Marguerite Marion Gleeson fourth daughter born 3 Aug 1865 at Hill House
Athlone. She married Patrick Robert Kelly on 1 July 1891 at St Andrew’s Roman Catholic
Church on Westland Row. Patrick was a solicitor and the son of James Kelly, a farmer
and JP of Johnstown, Co Roscommon. Later he was crown solicitor of Westmeath.
1 Phyliss Ethyl Violet Kelly born 1 Jun 1892 at Athlone. Her sweetheart Eric Appleby
died of wounds after being seriously wounded at Morval on 27 Oct 1916. She
went to London and had great success on the London stage. She sang frequently
with the Royal Opera at Covent Garden and the Albert Hall. She was a lyrical
soprano with great range and purity. She appeared at the Albert Hall in 1928 in
the role of Minnehaha in Hiawatha.
2 Dorothy Hilda Harriette Kelly born 10 Sep 1893 at Newtown, Athlone worked as a
VAD during WW1.
3 Edward James Kelly born 26 Oct 1894 at King Street Athlone married Pauline
Sophia Gill at Kingstown on 4 Oct 1920.
6 Gerald William Moloney Gleeson born 28 Sep 1866 at Hill House Athlone. He was left
his father’s share in the Woollen company. He was a medical student and married
Florence Annie Manders on 16 Jul 1895 at Christchurch, Leeson Park. Florence was the
daughter of Herbert Manders, a brewer. Gerald of Tinarara, Killaloe, Clare and formerly
of Gurthalougha, Borrisokane died 28 Oct 1906 and left 80K in personal estate. Florence
a widow was living at Ogonnelloen in 1911. She lived at Brooklawn, Stradbrook from 1922
to 1926. Florence died at Killaloe on 28 Apr 1960.
1 Edward James Herbert Gerald Gleeson born 16 Jun 1896 at 75 Upper Leeson Street.
2 Cyril Robert William Gleeson born 1 Mar 1901 at 59 Leeson Street.
3 Beryl Lylah Mai Gleeson born 3 May 1905 at Herberton, Ballsbridge living with her
mother at Brooklawn in 1925.
7 Geoffrey Herbert Gleeson born 29 Sep 1870 at Mardyke Street, Athlone died 2 Jul 1877 at
Hill House.
8 Grace Marguerite Gleeson youngest daughter born 1878 at Hill House, Athlone died
11 Feb 1894 at Benown House.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - February 2023
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