14th March - George Papworth

#OnThisDay, 14th March 1855 George Papworth died.

George Papworth was born in London and was the son of English stuccoist John Papworth (1750-1799).  At barely fifteen, he exhibited a design at the Royal Academy. Following his father’s death, he became the pupil of his elder brother, the architect John Buonarotti Papworth.

In 1806, George moved to Dublin to take charge of the Circular Stone Manufacturers of North Strand.  He also started to build up his architectural practise.  He was Professor of Architecture at the Royal Hibernian Academy. Among his designs are the King’s Bridge (now Sean Heuston Bridge) which was built to commemorate the visit of George IV to Ireland two hundred years ago in 1821. Other works include the Carmelite Church on Whitefriar Street, the Baptist Chapel on Lower Abbey Street, the Royal Bank in Foster Place, the Drogheda Railway Station and Balbriggan Railway Station among others.

George Papworth lived from 1830 until his death in 1855 in a house on Watermill Road called Hinchogue.   This house was previously known as Bettyville Cottage and was described by John D’Alton in his History of the County of Dublin as a ‘cottage ornée’.  George Papworth is buried in Mount Jerome Cemetery.

You can read more about George Papworth in the Raheny Heritage Society’s publication ‘Raheny Footprints’.

You can see a photography of his grave on the IGP website - http://www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/dublin/photos/tombstones/1mj/mt-jerome-200/target22.html