Creshams of Main Street, Castlebar, in the 1890s recalled

By Tom Gillespie

AN article in The Connaught Telegraph on December 8, 1956, took a look back to some of the journals of the 1890 vintage and located a large advertisement featuring a prominent Castlebar family that had vanished from the scene - the Cresham’s, Main Street.

In addition to a ‘well-selected stock’ of groceries, wines, brandies, whiskeys, ales, stouts and liquors, the proprietor, Mr. Michael Cresham, specialised in ‘ornamental’ confectionery as well as in plain cakes; his Currant, Seed, Madeira, Sedan, Balmoral, Danube, Victoria, Lemon and Almond cakes were priced at one shilling each.

Mr. Cresham was one of the leading merchants of Castlebar in those distant days, and carried on a progressive high-class trade in his shop, which was now (1956) the property of Mr. Tom Cahill, the well-known chemist (today Nuggies Ice Cream).

On the death of Mr. Cresham, his widow continued the business until her demise when it was taken over by her eldest son, who bore the same Christian name as his late father.

However, after some years in commercial life he disposed of the premises and left for the United States to which his younger brother, popularly known as Rufus, had emigrated a few years previously.

The Mayo Examiner of November 8, 1890, contained the following: Mr. Thomas F. Faulkner, B.A., Royal University, was called to the Bar, his proposer being The MacDermot, Queen’s Counsel.

Mr. Faulkner, the article said, had the best wishes of a wide circle of friends and added: his brilliant college course justifies the hope that his professional career will be marked with high honours and dictions.

He was the second son of Mr. James Faulkner, the estimable and respected chairman of Castlebar Town Commissioners.

Later that month the Mayo Examiner wrote that building had been progressing in Castlebar very actively since the accession of the new Earl of Lucan to his estate.

Fr. Patrick Lyons, P.P., was completing the building of a new Monastery for the De La Salle Community, and another fine house in Ellison Street.

Mr. Malachy Kelly, Crown Solicitor, was building a splendid mansion at Maryland, near the railway station.

Mr. Malachy Thornton had extended his large premises in Castle Street. Mr. Heverin was about erecting a splendid warehouse near one of his fine concerns in Ellison Street.

Mr. Michael McDonagh was about raising a large business premises near the market places and facing the entrance to the Fairgreen.

Mr. Bathgate has raised his house and there were other new buildings spoken of.

The town was after a general cleaning and painting from end-to-end. Quite a battalion of Dublin painters were engaged here for some time.

The Asylum (mental hospital) extension had engaged many hands.

Mr. Charles McDonagh was engaged in structural alternations and additions to the Cavalry Barracks, and Mr. Richardson was engaged in the County Courthouse.

Meanwhile, the newspaper reported on December 4, 1890, that the South Mayo Stag Hounds Meet in Castlebar was well attended.

Among those present were Mr. Lindsay Fitzpatrick (Master) and Mrs. Fitzpatrick, Hollymount House; Dr. Hacthell, RMS, Mental Hospital, Castlebar, Dr. M. O’Malley Knott, county surgeon, Castlebar; Mr. P.J. Touchy, Ballintubber; Mr. and Mrs. Fitzgerald, Turlough House; Miss Robinson, Windsor House; Miss Fitzgerald Kenney, Clogher House; Miss Blake, Towerhill House; Mr. Acton, Ballinafad; Mr. Moroney, Fortlawn House; Mrs. Lynch. Partry; Mr. Thomas O’Donel, Newport House; Mr. Browne, Breaffy House; Miss Persse, Galway, and Mr. Rutledge, Cornfield House.

The stag ‘Retreat’ gave fine sport and much hard riding. He was engaged near Windsor House and, after some manoeuvring, he crossed over the Pontoon Road and boldly faced across the open country toward the mountain.

Great interest was taken in the hunt and many people from Castlebar took up points of advantage from which the sport could be viewed in comfort.

In The Connaught Telegraph of May 7, 1910, reported on the annual meeting of the Castlebar Total Absence Association for the purposes of electing a committee and officers for the following year.

Prior to the election, the president, Rev. P.J. Madden, submitted the audited accounts for the preceding year, which showed a very handsome balance to the credit of the association, and balances to the credit of the brass band fund and burial fund.

In their reports, the auditors, Rev. John O’Malley, C.C., Rev. Bro. Joseph, and Mr. Patrick Tumlin, UDC, paid a high compliment to the secretary, Mr. P. Poland, for the care and attention he had devoted to the business and the satisfactory manner in which he presented the accounts for audit.

The election, which was held by ballot, took place. Thirteen names had been proposed for nine vacancies and the following were elected: Messers. P. Poland, T.H. Gillespie, P. Sweeney, J. Comber, J.P. McCormack, T.J. Loftus, A. Lavelle and Thomas Durcan.

At the election of officers, which subsequently took place, Messers. P. Poland, T.J. Loftus, and A. Lavelle were reelected secretary, vice-president and treasurer respectively.

Meanwhile, on January 6, 1917, The Connaught Telegraph reported that a fire which occurred in the early hours completely destroyed the steam oven and incidental machinery recently erected at great cost by Gavin Brothers, bakers and confectioners, Castlebar. When the fires was noticed at seven o’clock the volunteer fire bridge was summoned, and Mr. Peter A. Horkan and his staff were quickly on the scene with the extinguishing appliances and soon got the fire under control and prevented it spreading to the adjoining premises.

The whole machinery was destroyed and also the premises where it was housed and a large quantity of flour.

Great sympathy is felt for the owners, whose great enterprise in erecting this oven was recently referred to in these columns.