RootsChat.Com
Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Laois (Queens) => Topic started by: Gone. on Wednesday 27 December 17 20:58 GMT (UK)
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Hello, everyone.
I’ve spent a lot of frustrating time on the internet, unsuccessfully trying to find out more about two places in Abbeyleix which have an ancestry connection for my family.
Could anyone help with the following?
Glen Ban School in Abbeyleix.
I have a postcard of the school - image attached.
1. Does anyone know exactly where it was located?
2. Does the building still exist?
3. Does anyone know if there is any kind of written history of the school?
Heath House in Abbeyleix.
I've a photograph of Heath House - attached.
I can locate a Heath House, Abbeyleix on Google maps, but the satellite view is poor and it is not possible to see the building from the main road on street view. Here is the link, courtesy of the shrink link tool on rootschat: http://www.rootschat.com/links/01l7a/
4. Does anyone know if my photograph of Heath House is the same place as on Google maps?
Thanks for any help.
Ramsin
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http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/search.jsp?type=record&county=LA®no=12801308
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There is a building in Abbeyleix called Glenban
I need to change over to laptop to post a link.
Give us a sec
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Thanks to Hallmark for your reply.
I've actually already looked at the link and part rejected it because it wasn't in Abbeyleix and the style of building is very different - and much bigger by the looks of it!
As always, though, on family history matters, I am keeping an open mind until proved right or wrong!
The back of the photograph has this on it:
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Glenban in Abbeyliex
http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V2,644628,684899,11,9
The Heath House in Heathlodge
http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V2,653174,701139,10,9
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That's brilliant!
I've used your map of the location of the school side-by-side with a Google map of the area (I've the extravagance of two screens attached to my pc!) and I can see that buildings still exist.
I am still not certain that the Heath House that I am looking for is the same as the one in Portlaoise. But, having said that, I used your map of Abbeyleix to trace the Heath House that I found in Abbeyleix on Google and this matches:
http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V2,642929,684484,12,9
This jogged my memory that the house in Abbeyleix was referred to on a letter as 'The Heath', although all other photos, etc. call the place 'Heath House'.
I am very grateful for your help - it has helped my research tremendously.
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Davidson taught drawing at her studio at 1 Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin. Her pupils included Bea Orpen, Anne Yeats, and Mo Irwin.[5] She also was a teacher at a number of Dublin schools, such as Belgrave school, Rathmines, Wesley College, St Stephen's Green, and Castle Park School, Dalkey.
She travelled to Abbeyleix, County Laois, once a week to teach at Glenbawn boarding school
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilian_Davidson
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Little snippets of information can be so useful! I did wonder if the school was for boarders - good to have the confirmation.
I've got about 10 photos of the staff at the school from about 1936 to 1940, most with names.As one of those tangents I go off on, I checked to see if Davidson featured, but she doesn't. It would have been nice if she had.
Thanks, Hallmark and Sinann for the information. As always, I appreciate the time taken to help me out.
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Maybe contact http://laoispartnership.ie/portfolio/abbeyleix-heritage-centre/
see if they can help??
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Number 11 Elizabeth McGuinness ?
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai003169832/
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Queen_s_Co_/Ballycarroll/Greatheath/791462/
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Number 11 Elizabeth McGuinness ?
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai003169832/
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Queen_s_Co_/Ballycarroll/Greatheath/791462/
In case of any confusion this is the area near Portlaoise.
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Same house ? 1901 29 rooms
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai003825019/
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Queen_s_Co_/Ballycarroll/Heathlodge/1648757/
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A somewhat late 'thank you' for the further contributions which gives me plenty to work with.
A Happy New Year to all!
Regards
Ramsin
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Hello,feno here,Glenban house is situated just out of Abbeyleix on the Carlow/Ballinakill road,just past filling station and opposite main entrance to hospital,about 1/4 mile up driveway to house,, family named Sherman lives there now,,Heath house is located south of Abbeyleix on the Ballacolla rd.,in 'Sweetview'just past old railway station by approx 200mtrs.a dr.White lived there.best of luck,Tom.
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Thanks for the directions!
I think Glen Ban School is now well and truly located!
I'm still not certain about Heath House (or simply The Heath). I had decided that it was north of Ballacolla Road as I've marked on the first image below.
Is 'your' Heathhouse in the group of buildings south of station house in the second image below?
(Google satellite view is not good for this area, so I used Bing maps.)
Regards
Ramsin
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hi Ramsin,yes,this is exact spot of your heath house,,i was born and raised in Abbeyleix but i live in Dublin now,'The Heath'is an area 5miles north of Portlaoise where there is an 18 hole golf course located,your Heath house is located in an area called Sweetview.if you need help on anything do not hesitate to contact me,kind regards,Tom Fennelly.
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Many thanks, Tom. Your local knowledge has been really useful!
Regards. Ramsin
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I've got about 10 photos of the staff at the school from about 1936 to 1940, most with names
I seek photo of Angela Wilson (formerly Rainsford) who taught there. Is she featured? Thanks.
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Sometimes things do work out!
I do have a photograph of Angela Wilson.
Additionally I have an autograph book with a page signed by staff in 1939 and her signature is there also.
I can post scans here, if you are happy for me to do that.
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Sometimes things do work out!
I do have a photograph of Angela Wilson. I can post scans here, if you are happy for me to do that.
That would be wonderful, or you can email me at colm at spelman dot edu. Many thanks!
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Hello Ramsin,
I have only just viewed your post. I am interested in Heath House, Ballacolla Rd, Abbeyleix as I believe it may have been Mrs Suffield's and Miss Cramer's Boarding School for Young Ladies between the years 1824-1830. I have a record of a Tithe record in the name of Mrs Suffield of the Heath, Abbeyleix in 1826.
I am interested to know if you have confirmed your photo is actually Heath House on Ballacolla Rd?
Regards
JaniceS
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Hi JaniceS
Sorry about the delay in replying – I didn’t get a roots chat email saying that there was an addition to the thread so have just recently seen your message.
I’ve looked at all the contributed information again and I keep coming back to the location as being on Ballacolla Rd.
I have a few other photographs of the house and, compared to the plan below (from a map with the year range 1883-1913 as on page 2 of this thread) there are a number of matches, such the position of the porch (more or less), the shape and length of the driveway and so on.
It appears on the photographs I have that there are no buildings to the left of the building with the porch way. Maybe these were demolished by the time the photographs were taken around 1935-1947.
At this stage, I feel reasonably confident that ‘my’ Heath House is the one on Ballacolla Road, but certainly I am not 100% certain … However, I am sure at some point there will be a definitive answer.
Interesting to know of its earlier history.
Regards
Ramsin
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Hi Ramsin,
Thank you for you reply, Ramsin. My ancestors, the Suffields and the Cramers, closed their school (maybe Heath House) at the beginning of 1831. From a For Sale advertisement for Rose Lodge, Abbeyleix in 1830, the school was adjoining Rose Lodge.
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Sorry hit 'post' before I had finished.
I don't know if Rose Lodge still exists but it was situated within half a mile of Abbeyleix and within a quarter of a mile of the Rev Matthew Eaton's Academy for boys. This Academy was at Bellview (the current name being BlackHills Yoga School. As you can see from google maps BlackHills is very close to 'your Heath House'.
Mrs Suffield's and Miss Cramer's school was under the patronage of Viscountess DeVesci of DeVesci House, Abbeyleix and was bounded by the road leading from Abbeyleix to Mountrath and the demense of Lord DeVesci.
Hopefully one day our theory on Heath House will be solved. Thank you again for your posts.
Janices