Newcomen Bank
{{Short description|Georgian neo-classical building in Dublin, Ireland}}
{{Infobox building
| name = Newcomen Bank
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| native_name_lang = ga
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| image = File:20130807 dublin033.JPG
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| status = Office
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| building_type = House
| architectural_style = Georgian
Neoclassical
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|location_town = Dublin
| location_country = Ireland
| coordinates = {{coord|53.3438702|N|6.2677291|W|display=inline,title}}
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| est_completion = 1781
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| owner = Dublin City Council
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| material = Portland stone
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| floor_count = 5 over basement
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| architect = Thomas Ivory and James Hoban (1781)
William Caldbeck (1856-62)
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| developer = Sir William Gleadowe-Newcomen, 1st Baronet
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Newcomen Bank is a former Georgian bank building and private residence on the junction of Cork Hill, Lord Edward Street and Castle Street, designed by architect Thomas Ivory in 1781 with the assistance of James Hoban.{{cite web |title=CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, CASTLE STREET, NO. 016 (NEWCOMEN'S BANK) Dictionary of Irish Architects - |url=https://www.dia.ie/works/view/33693/building/CO.+DUBLIN%2C+DUBLIN%2C+CASTLE+STREET%2C+NO.+016+%28NEWCOMEN%27S+BANK%29 |website=www.dia.ie |access-date=27 September 2023}}{{cite web |title=Dublin City Council, 16 Cork Hill, Castle Street/Lord Edward Street, Dublin 2, DUBLIN |url=https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/50910004/dublin-city-council-16-cork-hill-castle-street-lord-edward-street-dublin-2-dublin |website=Buildings of Ireland |access-date=19 October 2023}}
The bank itself was usually referred to as Newcomen's bank, Newcomen bank or Gleadowe-Newcomen's bank.
The building was constructed and named for the Newcomen family.
History
The banking business originated as Swift's bank at 17 Eustace Street (then number 22 Eustace Street), founded around 1722 by the merchant James Swift.{{cite web |title=Irish Theatre Institute, 17 Eustace Street, Dublin 2, DUBLIN |url=https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/50020106/irish-theatre-institute-17-eustace-street-dublin-2-dublin |website=Buildings of Ireland |access-date=27 October 2023}}{{cite web |title=17 Eustace Street: A History |url=https://www.irishtheatreinstitute.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/17-Eustace-Street-A-History-1-1.pdf |website=irishtheatreinstitute.ie |access-date=27 October 2023}}
In 1742 the bank moved to Castle Street and by 1745 James Swift had died and the business was taken over by the new firm of Thomas Gleadowe & Company. In 1767, Thomas was succeeded by his son William Gleadowe. Five years later William had married an heiress, Charlotte Gleadowe-Newcomen, 1st Viscountess Newcomen and assumed the Newcomen name.{{cite web |title=Goldsmith banker |url=https://oldcurrencyexchange.com/category/goldsmith-banker/ |website=The Old Currency Exchange is a specialist dealer and valuer of Irish & GB coins, tokens and banknotes |access-date=27 October 2023 |language=en}}
After the business collapsed in 1825, the building was later acquired by the Hibernian bank out of bankruptcy. The Hibernian bank had been founded in April 1825 as a response to anti catholic discrimination by the Bank of Ireland and had its first premises at 81 Marlborough Street before moving to the old Newcomen bank building in 1831. The Hibernian bank was itself later taken over by the Bank of Ireland in 1958.{{cite web |title=CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, CASTLE STREET, NO. 016 (HIBERNIAN BANK, FORMERLY NEWCOMEN'S BANK) Dictionary of Irish Architects - |url=https://www.dia.ie/works/view/33694/CO.+DUBLIN%2C+DUBLIN%2C+CASTLE+STREET%2C+NO.+016+%28HIBERNIAN+BANK%2C+FORMERLY+NEWCOMEN%27S+BANK%29 |website=www.dia.ie |access-date=27 September 2023}}{{cite web |title=Dublin City Architects Blog — THE FORMER NEWCOMEN BANK (Dublin City Council Rates Office) |url=http://www.dublincityarchitects.ie/the-former-newcomen-bank-dublin-city-council-rates-office/ |access-date=27 September 2023}}{{cite web |title=JOURNAL ARTICLE Wildcat bankers or political failure? The Irish financial pantomime, 1797–1826 |url=https://academic.oup.com/ereh/article/24/3/522/5669868 |website=academic.oup.com |access-date=27 September 2023}}{{cite journal |last1=Barrow |first1=G. L. |title=Some Dublin Private Banks |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/30104373 |journal=Dublin Historical Record |access-date=24 October 2023 |pages=38–53 |date=1972|volume=25 |issue=2 |jstor=30104373 }}
Following the collapse of Newcomen bank and several other banks in the city in the 1820s, the Newcomen family and several other prominent families were financially ruined leading to Thomas Gleadowe-Newcomen, 2nd Viscount Newcomen shooting himself in his office either at the bank or at his residence at Killester House on 15 January 1825.{{cite web |last1=Dungan |first1=Myles |title=On This Day – Drivetime – 15.1.1825 Suicide of banker Thomas Newcomen |url=https://mylesdungan.com/2016/01/15/on-this-day-drivetime-15-1-1825-suicide-of-banker-thomas-newcomen/ |website=Myles Dungan |access-date=24 October 2023 |language=en |date=15 January 2016}}{{cite web |title=The lonely Thomas Gleadowe-Newcomen |url=https://comeheretome.com/2012/11/19/the-lonely-thomas-gleadowe-newcomen/ |website=Come Here To Me! |access-date=24 October 2023 |language=en |date=19 November 2012}}
Building
The building was constructed as a private residence in a neo-classical Georgian style in 1781 and faced in white portland stone. It was located opposite some of Dublin's most notable buildings including the Royal Exchange, Dublin Castle, La Touche Bank and Benjamin Burton's Bank (1700-33) in what was then a prestigious location.{{cite web |title=Dublin City Architects Blog — THE FORMER NEWCOMEN BANK (Dublin City Council Rates Office) |url=http://www.dublincityarchitects.ie/the-former-newcomen-bank-dublin-city-council-rates-office/ |access-date=19 October 2023}}{{cite web |title=1730s – La Touche Bank, Cork Hill, Dublin {{!}} Archiseek - Irish Architecture |url=https://www.archiseek.com/2012/la-touche-bank-cork-hill-dublin/ |access-date=19 October 2023 |date=9 June 2012}}{{cite web |title=Burton, Benjamin {{!}} Dictionary of Irish Biography |url=https://www.dib.ie/biography/burton-benjamin-a1214 |website=www.dib.ie |access-date=27 October 2023 |language=en}}
Some of the interior stucco work was carried out by Vincent Waldré while the sculptor Simon Vierpyl was also involved in completing elements of the friezes throughout the building.
Further works were later carried out by William Caldbeck at the bank between 1856-62 doubling the Cork Hill bowed frontage and adding an Ionic portico also in matching portland stone.{{cite web |title=Dublin City Council, 16 Cork Hill, Castle Street/Lord Edward Street, Dublin 2, DUBLIN |url=https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/50910004/dublin-city-council-16-cork-hill-castle-street-lord-edward-street-dublin-2-dublin |website=Buildings of Ireland |access-date=24 October 2023}}
The northern end gable was added by Dublin Corporation architect Daniel J Freeman in 1884.
The bank was acquired by Dublin Corporation in 1886 and was later usually referred to as the rates office.{{cite web |title=Plans for €9m redevelopment of historic Newcomen Bank in Dublin |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/dublin/dublin-news/plans-for-9m-redevelopment-of-historic-newcomen-bank-in-dublin/a562881622.html |website=Independent.ie |access-date=27 September 2023 |language=en |date=18 August 2023}} It remained in use as the rates office until the early 2000s.
As of 2023, it is planned to restore the building for use as a multipurpose events and conferencing space.{{cite web |title=Newcomen Bank {{!}} Dublin City Council |url=https://www.dublincity.ie/news/newcomen-bank |website=www.dublincity.ie |access-date=24 October 2023 |language=en |date=17 August 2023}}{{cite web |title=Howley Hayes Cooney |url=https://www.hhcarchitecture.ie/journal/newcomen-bank |website=www.hhcarchitecture.ie |access-date=24 October 2023}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [https://digital.ucd.ie/view/ivrla:31357 UCD Library image]
- [http://onlinecollection.nationalgallery.ie/objects/2229/castle-street-dublin-with-the-la-touche-bank-and-newcomen-b National Gallery image of La Touche Bank and Newcomen Bank]
- [https://www.whitehousehistory.org/photos/the-former-glendower-newcomen-company-bank-building Image of the Glendower, Newcomen & Company bank from the White House Historical Association]
- [https://www.ribapix.com/Newcomen-Bank-Castle-Street-Dublin_RIBA91348# Image from the Royal Institute of British Architects]
- [https://www.europeana.eu/en/item/2020741/object_DP_28265200 Image from the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland collection]
References
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{{Banks of Ireland|state=collapsed}}
Category:Georgian architecture in Dublin (city)
Category:Financial services companies based in Dublin (city)
Category:Defunct banks of Ireland