Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Canal engineer. Thomas Omer is believed to have come originally from Holland and to have worked on river navigation in England before being invited to Ireland in 1755 by the Commissioners of Inland Navigation to act as their engineer.(1) A satirical account of various engineers in Ireland in the Freeman's Journal for 31 May to 2 June 1770 includes an attack on 'T[homa]s O[me]r, Esq. A Gentleman recommended as deserving the Countenance and Encouragement of every Member of the [Navigation] B[oar]d (which he has great Reason to boast of enjoying for many Years) having been employed as Carpenter, in framing two Flood-gates, and driving sume dovetail Piles, at the Breast of a Lock on the River Kennet in Berkshire; and tho' he had never seen a navigable Canal, and was unacquainted with the four common Rules of Arithmetick; yet from his great Practice above mentioned, he was recommended by Lord [Boy?]ne, and received by the B[oar]d, as perfectly acquainted with every Branch of the Profession of an Engineer.'

Soon after his arrival in Ireland, Omer published Mr Omer's letter to the public comptroller of the inland navigation (Dublin 1755). During the second half of the 1750s and the 1760s he was involved in the planning and construction of the Grand Canal, the Newry ship canal, and of the Lagan, Boyne, Shannon, Nore and Barrow navigations. According to Delany, Omer's work often 'displayed a lack of understanding of the problems of river navigations'.(2) He was still described as 'principal engineer of the navigation board' in April 1766, when he was directed by the pipe water committee of the common council of Dublin to prepare plans and estimates for bridges over the Grand Canal in Dublin.(3) Delany states that he had 'disappeared from the scene' by 1768,(4) though the lampoon in the Freeman's Journal suggests that he was still in Ireland in 1770. A son, Daniel Omer, assisted his father in making surveys for the Grand Canal.(5) ROWLAND OMER  ROWLAND OMER was probably another son.

See WORKS and BIBLIOGRAPHY. BIBLIOGRAPHY.



References

All information in this entry not otherwise accounted for is from Ruth Delany, Ireland's Inland Waterways (1988), 22-23,28-29,33-34,41-3,48-9,54,65,68,74-9,84,86, which see for further details of Omer's activities on behalf of the Commissioners of Inland Navigation.

(1) Delany, op. cit., above, 22-23.
(2) Delany, op. cit., above, 41.
(3) CARD XI, 321.
(4) Delany, op. cit., above, 34.
(5) V.T.H. & D.R. Delany, The Canals of the South of Ireland (1966), 35.


5 work entries listed in chronological order for OMER, THOMAS


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Building: CO. WESTMEATH, ATHLONE, CONNAUGHT STREET, BRIDGE OVER CANAL
Date: 1757
Nature: Believed by N.W. English to have been designed by Thomas Omer.
Refs: Notes sent to E.McP, 27 Jul 1973, by N.W. English, who cites Faulkner's Dublin Journal, 23 Jul 1757

Building: CO. DUBLIN, LUCAN HOUSE
Date: 1762
Nature: Mr Omer to decide fair price for digging Mr Vesey's canal, Lucan.
Refs: NA/PRO 1A/41/34 (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc.2008/44)

Building: CO. DOWN, BALLYSKEAGH, LOCK-KEEPER'S HOUSE & BRIDGE
Date: 1763a
Nature: Lock-keepers houses, built between 1759 and 1763, also presumably bridge.
Refs: Down Survey, Pl. 186 (B. of I.); E.R.R. Green, The Industrial Archaeology of Co. Down (1963), 74 (B. of I.)

Building: CO. ANTRIM, LISBURN, CANAL STREET, NO. 029 (LOCK-KEEPER'S HOUSE)
Date: 1764?
Nature: -
Refs: C.E.B. Brett, D. Dunleath, Historic Buildingsā€¦in the borough of Lisburn (UAHS, 1969), 16 (no. 69)

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, GRAND CANAL, BRIDGES
Date: 1766
Nature: Directed by pipe water committee of common council of Dublin to prepare plans and estimates for bridges over the Grand Canal, Dublin, Apr 1766..
Refs: CARD XI, 321; Faulkner's Dublin Journal, 7-10Jun 1766

Author Title Date Details
Omer, Thomas Mr Omer's letter to the public comptroller of the inland navigation 1755 Dublin: William Smith, 1755.