Portlock Family of Lota, Blackrock
Joseph Ellison Portlock Julia Browne Frances Turner
born 30.09.1794 married 24.02.1831 married 11.12.1849
at Gosport, Hampshire at Kilmaine, Mayo St Luke’s Church, Cork
died 14.02.1864 (68) died circa 29.12.1831
at his residence Mountjoy Square
Lota, Blackrock
Joseph Ellison Portlock son of Captain Nathaniel Portlock and Elizabeth Gilmour educated at
Blundell's School and the Royal Military Academy joined the Royal Engineers in 1813. He
was a military engineer and geologist.
In 1824 Thomas Colby suggested that Ireland should be mapped and set up a committee
headed by Thomas Spring Rice; They decided to map Ireland and an Ordnance Survey Office was
established similar to the Ordnance Survey in Great Britain, to provide a highly detailed (1:10560,
6 inches to 1 mile) survey of the whole of the island of Ireland. From 1825 - 46, teams of surveyors
led by officers of the Royal Engineers traversed Ireland, creating a record of Ireland's landscape.
With Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Colby in overall charge, Joseph was assigned to the Ordnance
Survey Office based in the Phoenix Park and compiled information on agricultural produce, natural
history and geology. He was joined by George Petrie in 1833 and George Victor Du Noyer in 1835.
Following the death of Edward O'Reilly in August 1830, John O'Donovan was recruited to the
Topographical Department on place-name researches until 1842 He was tasked with unearthing
and preserving many manuscripts and to establish the correct origin of as many of Ireland's 63,000
townland names as possible.
Joseph married Julia Browne 2nd daughter of Arthur Browne of Glencorrib, Mayo on 24.02.1831
at Kilmaine. Julia died circa 29.12.1831 at Mountjoy Square.
Joseph then married Fanny Turner daughter of Major General Charles Turner on 11.12.1849 at
St Luke’s Church, Cork. There was no issue of either marriage. He was president of the Zoological
Gardens in 1858 and that same year was appointed to the council of Military Education. The following
year he was elected a fellow of the Geological Society. He retired on full pay in 1862. Major General
Portlock of the Royal Engineers died on 4.02.1864 at Lota leaving just £600 and his wife presented
his collection of books and papers on geology to The Geological Survey of Ireland.
©June Bow & Karen Poff – March 2020
Joseph Ellison Portlock Julia Browne Frances Turner
born 30.09.1794 married 24.02.1831 married 11.12.1849
at Gosport, Hampshire at Kilmaine, Mayo St Luke’s Church, Cork
died 14.02.1864 (68) died circa 29.12.1831
at his residence Mountjoy Square
Lota, Blackrock
Joseph Ellison Portlock son of Captain Nathaniel Portlock and Elizabeth Gilmour educated at
Blundell's School and the Royal Military Academy joined the Royal Engineers in 1813. He
was a military engineer and geologist.
In 1824 Thomas Colby suggested that Ireland should be mapped and set up a committee
headed by Thomas Spring Rice; They decided to map Ireland and an Ordnance Survey Office was
established similar to the Ordnance Survey in Great Britain, to provide a highly detailed (1:10560,
6 inches to 1 mile) survey of the whole of the island of Ireland. From 1825 - 46, teams of surveyors
led by officers of the Royal Engineers traversed Ireland, creating a record of Ireland's landscape.
With Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Colby in overall charge, Joseph was assigned to the Ordnance
Survey Office based in the Phoenix Park and compiled information on agricultural produce, natural
history and geology. He was joined by George Petrie in 1833 and George Victor Du Noyer in 1835.
Following the death of Edward O'Reilly in August 1830, John O'Donovan was recruited to the
Topographical Department on place-name researches until 1842 He was tasked with unearthing
and preserving many manuscripts and to establish the correct origin of as many of Ireland's 63,000
townland names as possible.
Joseph married Julia Browne 2nd daughter of Arthur Browne of Glencorrib, Mayo on 24.02.1831
at Kilmaine. Julia died circa 29.12.1831 at Mountjoy Square.
Joseph then married Fanny Turner daughter of Major General Charles Turner on 11.12.1849 at
St Luke’s Church, Cork. There was no issue of either marriage. He was president of the Zoological
Gardens in 1858 and that same year was appointed to the council of Military Education. The following
year he was elected a fellow of the Geological Society. He retired on full pay in 1862. Major General
Portlock of the Royal Engineers died on 4.02.1864 at Lota leaving just £600 and his wife presented
his collection of books and papers on geology to The Geological Survey of Ireland.
©June Bow & Karen Poff – March 2020