DOOLING, JOHN *

Clerk of works for GEORGE EDMUND STREET' GEORGE EDMUND STREET' s restoration of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, from 1871 until 1876. His conscientiousness received favourable comment in the Irish Builder in November 1871: 'The care with which Mr. Dooling is preserving examples of the artwork of our forefathers, and which are being turned up in excavating, is worthy of all praise. Already he has collected specimens of encaustic tiles of various patterns and in all colours. He has had rubbings and sketches taken from many of them; their inspection will, no doubt, prove interesting to the antiquarian.'(1) The journal draws attention to Dooling's 'fidelity and care' again in April 1873.(2) By the beginning of 1876, however, Dooling had fallen into financial difficulties; soon afterwards he went bankrupt and left the country.(3) He died in January 1878 in Holyhead, where he had gone to work on the restoration of a church under the direction of Sir GEORGE GILBERT SCOTT GEORGE GILBERT SCOTT ,(4) who himself died only two months later. Dooling was a member of Dublin Masonic Lodge No. 100, and the predicament of his wife and son, whom he had left entirely unprovided for, was subsequently brought to the attention of the Irish Grand Lodge of Freemasons.(5)

AAI: at inaugural meeting, 3 October 1872;(6) proposed for membership, 9 January 1873.(7)

Addresses:(8) 16 Leeson Park Avenue, 1874; 21 Ranelagh Road, 1875.

(1) IB 13, 15 Nov 1871, 299.
(2) IB 15, 15 Apr 1873, 106.
(3) Memorial of J. McCallum, 17 Oct 1877, GLFI archives (Lodge 730A).
(4) St Cybi? See list of Scott's works in B 36, 6 Apr 1878, 360.
(5) Letter from J.W. Blake, Clapham Junction, 1 Dec 1878, to Secretary of GLFI, GLFI archives (Lodge 100).
(6) IB 14, 15 Oct 1872, 280.
(7) IB 15, 15 Jan 1873, 25.
(8) From Post Office Directory for 1874 and 1875.