Old IMCO building on Merrion Road circa 1932
IMCO building 1969 courtesy of John Traynor
Spiro family of Priory Lodge
Barnett Spiro married Sophie Goldstone
born circa 1877 1897 born circa 1877
Russia Liverpool Russia
died 25 Nov 1947 died 20 Apr 1916
Antrim Cork
Barnett Spiro born circa 1877 in Russia, son of Harris and Lea Spiro married Sophie
Goldstone at Liverpool in 1897. He travelled around America for two years after his
marriage selling jewellery. Barnett was an auctioneer and furniture dealer of Birkenhead
with auction rooms at Chester Street in 1902 and was bankrupt in 1906. The family were
living in Liverpool in 1901 and Sophie was living with her children at 116 Chatham Street,
Liverpool in 1911. Sophie, wife of an auctioneer died at the Erinville Lying-in Hospital,
Cork on 20 April 1916 late of South Terrace, Cork. Barnett died on 25 Nov 1947 in Antrim,
his son Louis his administrator.
1 Louis Spiro born 23 Apr 1898 in Liverpool. Louis and his brothers opened an
invisible mending company at Grafton Street in the 1920’s. Louis married Ivy G S
Grahame in July 1933 in London. In 1934 they had 18 branches in Ireland and
Louis and his brother Joseph opened a branch of IMCO in Liverpool in partnership
with their uncle Joe Spiro and his wife Tilly Landau. Louis was a keen yachtsman
and his boat was called Innishfallen. Louis was a director of IMCO (Invisible
Mending Company) and managing director by 1949. They lived at Priory Lodge
from 1940 to 1955.
By 1929 IMCO (Invisible Mending Co) moved their dye works to a defunct cinema
on the Merrion Road and over the next 10 years added extensions and eventually
a new tower designed by Oliver Percy Bernard in 1938. They ran a hosier firm
manufacturing silk stockings by 1837 from the premises. In 1941 they were offering
LSF members the chance to purchase ex - LSF surplus great coats that had been
dyed and restored. By 1949 IMCO had 360 employees and a new welfare building
was built on the site which housed a reading room, a ballroom, medical room and a
sun roof for use by staff. The building was formally opened by Liam Cosgrove
(Parliamentary Secretary to the Taoiseach). It was from this building that the social
club operated which included a dramatic society. The drive-in part of the building was
added in 1955. A weekly sponsored programme on Radio Éireann featuring owner
Louis Spiro made IMCO a household name in the 1950’s. In 1960 they installed a
carpet dying facility at the plant. In 1965 IMCO made a decision to decentralise its
cleaning process and create ‘on the spot cleaning’ solutions in their various stores.
The 40,000 square foot building was put up for sale on 5 acres in 1965 for 175K and in
1966 it was announced that Brown Thomas (BT) had acquired IMC0 and its 60
branches, and that John F Maguire, director of BT was to bee chairman of IMCO.
In 1967 Bryan S Ryan (Business Machines and Equipment Company) rented the IMCO
building from BT, although BT held on to the drive-in part of the building adjacent to
the main building and this was rented out to the Cantec Group. The building was sold
in 1974 and was demolished shortly thereafter. It only had a lifespan of only 35 years
and yet during its brief existence it was a major landmark on Dublin's south coast.
The new building on the site is called Merrion House and is the Irish headquarters of
Jacobs Engineering along with the derelict Swift Call building beside it. Jacobs
Engineering are due to vacate the building and cease its Irish operations at Merrion
House in January 2024 and the property, on a three acre site is currently on the
market with a guide price of €19.75 million.
2 Joseph born July 1900 in Liverpool. Joseph married Mabel Fridberg on 29 Jun 1927
at the Adelaide Road Synagogue. Joseph was resident at Westfield Road,
Haroldscross. Joseph was a director of IMCO and a member of the Manufacturers
Federation in 1939. He was a keen yachtsman and a member of the RAYC; his boat
was called Tailte. They lived at Wingfield, Kilamcanogue in the 1940’s. Joseph died
in December 1945 at Liverpool late of Wingfield and left 42K in personal estate.
3 Ethel Spiro born circa 1905 in Birkenhead, Cheshire.
4 Harold Spiro born April 1906 in Runcorn, Cheshire was a company director and
married Elvina Wickinskey on 1 Jan 1943 at the Dublin Registrar’s Office. Elvina
was a widow, and the daughter of Harry Shaw. She was an international Bridge
player in later life. Harold was managing director of IMCO in 1962 and the Spiro
family donated 10K to Hume Street Hospital, the new Spiro Wing was added and
Harold attended the dedication ceremony.
5 Campbell Spiro born Liverpool in July 1910 was a director of IMCO and also a
director of Ladies Wear Manufacturing Company with his brother Harold. Campbell
lived at 18 Harcourt Road in 1932.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - December 2023
Return to Priory Lodge page
Barnett Spiro married Sophie Goldstone
born circa 1877 1897 born circa 1877
Russia Liverpool Russia
died 25 Nov 1947 died 20 Apr 1916
Antrim Cork
Barnett Spiro born circa 1877 in Russia, son of Harris and Lea Spiro married Sophie
Goldstone at Liverpool in 1897. He travelled around America for two years after his
marriage selling jewellery. Barnett was an auctioneer and furniture dealer of Birkenhead
with auction rooms at Chester Street in 1902 and was bankrupt in 1906. The family were
living in Liverpool in 1901 and Sophie was living with her children at 116 Chatham Street,
Liverpool in 1911. Sophie, wife of an auctioneer died at the Erinville Lying-in Hospital,
Cork on 20 April 1916 late of South Terrace, Cork. Barnett died on 25 Nov 1947 in Antrim,
his son Louis his administrator.
1 Louis Spiro born 23 Apr 1898 in Liverpool. Louis and his brothers opened an
invisible mending company at Grafton Street in the 1920’s. Louis married Ivy G S
Grahame in July 1933 in London. In 1934 they had 18 branches in Ireland and
Louis and his brother Joseph opened a branch of IMCO in Liverpool in partnership
with their uncle Joe Spiro and his wife Tilly Landau. Louis was a keen yachtsman
and his boat was called Innishfallen. Louis was a director of IMCO (Invisible
Mending Company) and managing director by 1949. They lived at Priory Lodge
from 1940 to 1955.
By 1929 IMCO (Invisible Mending Co) moved their dye works to a defunct cinema
on the Merrion Road and over the next 10 years added extensions and eventually
a new tower designed by Oliver Percy Bernard in 1938. They ran a hosier firm
manufacturing silk stockings by 1837 from the premises. In 1941 they were offering
LSF members the chance to purchase ex - LSF surplus great coats that had been
dyed and restored. By 1949 IMCO had 360 employees and a new welfare building
was built on the site which housed a reading room, a ballroom, medical room and a
sun roof for use by staff. The building was formally opened by Liam Cosgrove
(Parliamentary Secretary to the Taoiseach). It was from this building that the social
club operated which included a dramatic society. The drive-in part of the building was
added in 1955. A weekly sponsored programme on Radio Éireann featuring owner
Louis Spiro made IMCO a household name in the 1950’s. In 1960 they installed a
carpet dying facility at the plant. In 1965 IMCO made a decision to decentralise its
cleaning process and create ‘on the spot cleaning’ solutions in their various stores.
The 40,000 square foot building was put up for sale on 5 acres in 1965 for 175K and in
1966 it was announced that Brown Thomas (BT) had acquired IMC0 and its 60
branches, and that John F Maguire, director of BT was to bee chairman of IMCO.
In 1967 Bryan S Ryan (Business Machines and Equipment Company) rented the IMCO
building from BT, although BT held on to the drive-in part of the building adjacent to
the main building and this was rented out to the Cantec Group. The building was sold
in 1974 and was demolished shortly thereafter. It only had a lifespan of only 35 years
and yet during its brief existence it was a major landmark on Dublin's south coast.
The new building on the site is called Merrion House and is the Irish headquarters of
Jacobs Engineering along with the derelict Swift Call building beside it. Jacobs
Engineering are due to vacate the building and cease its Irish operations at Merrion
House in January 2024 and the property, on a three acre site is currently on the
market with a guide price of €19.75 million.
2 Joseph born July 1900 in Liverpool. Joseph married Mabel Fridberg on 29 Jun 1927
at the Adelaide Road Synagogue. Joseph was resident at Westfield Road,
Haroldscross. Joseph was a director of IMCO and a member of the Manufacturers
Federation in 1939. He was a keen yachtsman and a member of the RAYC; his boat
was called Tailte. They lived at Wingfield, Kilamcanogue in the 1940’s. Joseph died
in December 1945 at Liverpool late of Wingfield and left 42K in personal estate.
3 Ethel Spiro born circa 1905 in Birkenhead, Cheshire.
4 Harold Spiro born April 1906 in Runcorn, Cheshire was a company director and
married Elvina Wickinskey on 1 Jan 1943 at the Dublin Registrar’s Office. Elvina
was a widow, and the daughter of Harry Shaw. She was an international Bridge
player in later life. Harold was managing director of IMCO in 1962 and the Spiro
family donated 10K to Hume Street Hospital, the new Spiro Wing was added and
Harold attended the dedication ceremony.
5 Campbell Spiro born Liverpool in July 1910 was a director of IMCO and also a
director of Ladies Wear Manufacturing Company with his brother Harold. Campbell
lived at 18 Harcourt Road in 1932.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - December 2023
Return to Priory Lodge page