- Selected:
THOMSON, MORTIMER H.
- Born: - Died: 1894
Architect, of Belfast. Mortimer Thomson was probably a son of Mortimer Thomson (1811-1862)(1) of Killyleagh, Co. Down.(2) Details of his architectural training are not known. His earliest recorded work, the Catholic church of St Mary Star of the Sea (1861) was built in Killyleagh.(3) Later in the 1860s he designed another Catholic church, at Crossgar, Co. Down, which was begun in 1867.(4) This was favorably mentioned in the Irish Builder in April 1869 as a building which 'so far exhibiting quiet elegance and good taste, does credit to an architect whose name we meet with for the first time, Mr. M. Thompson'.(5) In 1874 or 1875 Thomson formed a partnership with TIMOTHY HEVEY which was cut short by Hevey's untimely death in December 1878. Thomson continued to practice on his own. Although most of his recorded work was for the Catholic church, he designed at least two Presbyterian manses. An article on his religious buildings appeared in the Newtownards Chronicle of 14 July 1883.(6)
Thomson appears to have been a man of some means. In 1863 he leased Ballyboley House (also known as Mourne View) near Greyabbey, Co. Down, from Lord Dufferin with eighty-one acres of land.(7) On 28 January 1888 the Newtownards Chronicle gave a report of horse racing which had taken place on his property.(8) He died at Ballyboley House on 17 May 1894.(9)
Address: Home: Ballyboley House, Greyabbey, Co. Down, 1863 until death.
See WORKS.
References
This entry was compiled with the help of Ros Davies's Co. Down website http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~rosdavies/ (2008) .
(1) www.familysearch.org .
(2) He is listed in Slater's National Commercial Directory (1846), 472, where he is described as clerk to the petty sessions, with an address in Shore Street, Killyleagh. His name appears on a railway prospectus of 26 May 1861 as one of the promoters of a line to Killyleagh (Davies, loc. cit., above).
(3) C.E.B. Brett, Historic Buildings…in…East Down (UAHS, 1973), 38(illus.), 39.
(4) IB 9, 1 Mar 1867, 68; 11, 1 Apr 1869, 80; C.E.B. Brett, Historic Buildings…in…East Down (UAHS, 1973), 47 (citing J. O'Laverty, Diocese of Down and Connor (1878), I, 336).
(5) IB 11, 1 Apr 1869, 80.
(6) Davies, loc. cit., above.
(7) Information from Griffith's Valuation (Davis, loc. cit.).
(8) Information from Newtownards Chronicle (Davis, loc. cit.).
(9) Information from Down Recorder (Davis, loc. cit., who gives year wrongly as 1884).
28 work entries listed in chronological order for THOMSON, MORTIMER H.
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| Building: | CO. DOWN, KILLYLEAGH, IRISH STREET, CHURCH OF S. MARY STAR OF THE SEA (RC) |
| Date: | 1859-1861 |
| Nature: | Small Gothic church, replacing one of 1832, with lancet windows and bellcote. Opened Oct 1861; 'said to be an edifice of great architectural beauty'(DB) |
| Refs: | DB 3, 1 Nov 1861, 666; C.E.B. Brett, Historic Buildings…in…East Down (UAHS, 1973), 38(illus.),39 (citing J. O'Laverty, Diocese of Down and Connor (1878), I, 338) |
| Building: | CO. DOWN, CROSSGAR, CHURCH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION & S. JOSEPH (RC) |
| Date: | 1867-1876 |
| Nature: | New church in Kilmore parish, replacing one of 1800. Gothic, with octagonal tower, in local blue stone with white Glasgow stone dressings. FS laid by Dr Dorrian 21 Feb 1867. Builder: James Gracey, Downpatrick. Stonework by Samuel Hastings. Consecrated 10 Sep 1876. |
| Refs: | IB 9, 1 Mar 1867, 68; 11, 1 Apr 1869, 80; Belfast Morning News, 3 Jan 1870; C.E.B. Brett, Historic Buildings…in…East Down (UAHS, 1973), 47 (citing J. O'Laverty, Diocese of Down and Connor (1878), I, 336) |
| Building: | CO. DOWN, COMBER, CHURCH (RC) |
| Date: | 1868 |
| Nature: | - |
| Refs: |
Belfast Morning News, 26 Oct 1868. |
| Building: | CO. DOWN, KILMORE, CHURCH (RC) |
| Date: | 1869 |
| Nature: | New church approaching completion. |
| Refs: | IB 11, 1 Apr 1869, 80 |
| Building: | CO. ANTRIM, MONEYGLASS, PAROCHIAL HOUSE |
| Date: | 1870 |
| Nature: | - |
| Refs: |
Examiner, 4 Jul 1872. |
| Building: | CO. DOWN, DOWNPATRICK, IRISH STREET, ST PATRICK'S CONVENT OF MERCY |
| Date: | 1872-74 |
| Nature: | New convent completed at cost of over £5,000..Gothic style. Local blue stone faced with Belfast red bricks. Dressings of white Scrabo stone and black brick. Contractor: John Murphy, Belfast. Clerk of Works: S. McMullan. |
| Refs: | IB 17, 1 Jan 1875, 9; 19, 1 Feb 1877, 34,38(illus.); J. O'Laverty, Diocese of Down & Connor (1878), ? |
| Building: | CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, DONEGALL STREET, ST PATRICK'S CHURCH (RC) |
| Date: | 1873-77 |
| Nature: | New cruciform church, to seat 2000, with tower and spire. Apsidal end. With Timothy Hevey. Opened 12 Aug 1877. Builder: Collen Bros., Portadown & Dublin. Decorative carving by Neill & Pearse, Dublin. |
| Refs: | IB 16, 15 Dec 1874, 343; 17, 1 Jan 1875,3,6-7(illus.); 19, 15 Aug 1877, 245; J. O'Laverty, Diocese of Down & Connor (1878), ?; Sean O'Reilly, 'Timothy Hevey (1846-1878): an episode in Irish High Victorian architecture', Ph.D. thesis, submitted to the National University of Ireland, June 1994, 186-7 |
| Building: | CO. ARMAGH, LURGAN, DERRYMACASHED ROAD, CONVENT |
| Date: | 1874 |
| Nature: | Adds., with Timothy Hevey. (possibly unexecuted) for Rev. James McKenna. |
| Refs: | IB 16, 15 Dec 1874, 343; Sean O'Reilly, 'Timothy Hevey (1846-1878): an episode in Irish High Victorian architecture', Ph.D. thesis, submitted to the National University of Ireland, June 1994, 243 |
| Building: | CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, ?, ST PAUL'S ORPHANAGE |
| Date: | 1874 |
| Nature: | Additions. |
| Refs: | IB 16, 15 Dec 1874, 343 |
| Building: | CO. ARMAGH, LURGAN, DERRYMACASHED ROAD, PAROCHIAL HOUSE |
| Date: | 1874 |
| Nature: | With Timothy Hevey, for Rev. James McKenna. Unexecuted? (Existing house not built until 1881) |
| Refs: | IB 16, 15 Dec 1874, 343; Sean O'Reilly, 'Timothy Hevey (1846-1878): an episode in Irish High Victorian architecture', Ph.D. thesis, submitted to the National University of Ireland, June 1994, 223-4 |
| Building: | CO. ARMAGH, LURGAN, DERRYMACASHED ROAD, ST PATRICK'S SCHOOLS |
| Date: | 1874 |
| Nature: | With Timothy Hevey, for Rev. James McKenna. Unexecuted. (Existing school not built until 1881) |
| Refs: | IB 16, 15 Dec 1874, 343; Sean O'Reilly, 'Timothy Hevey (1846-1878): an episode in Irish High Victorian architecture', Ph.D. thesis, submitted to the National University of Ireland, June 1994, 223-4 |
| Building: | CO. DOWN, KILLYLEAGH, PAROCHIAL H;OUSE |
| Date: | 1874 |
| Nature: | - |
| Refs: |
Belfast Morning News, 25 Feb 1874. |
| Building: | CO. DOWN, KILLYLEAGH, PAROCHIAL HOUSE (CROSSGAR PARISH) |
| Date: | 1874 |
| Nature: | New? |
| Refs: |
Belfast Morning News, 25 Feb 1874. |
| Building: | CO. DOWN, CARROWDORE, PRESBYTERIAN MANSE |
| Date: | 1875 |
| Nature: | New manse costing nearly £1,000.. Contractor: Moore, Holywood. |
| Refs: | IB 17, 1 Jan 1875, 9 |
| Building: | CO. DOWN, DOWNPATRICK, ST PATRICK'S CONVENT OF MERCY SCHOOL |
| Date: | 1875p |
| Nature: | New school for Sisters of Mercy. Contractor: P. & M. Nolan, Belfast.. Estimated cost about £1000. Clerk of Works: S. McMullan. |
| Refs: | IB 17, 1 Jan 1875, 9; 19, 1 Feb 1877, 34 |
| Building: | CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, PRINCE'S DOCK STREET, ST JOSEPH'S CHURCH (RC) |
| Date: | 1877-79 |
| Nature: | Executed by Mortimer Thomson, based on Hevey's proposal. Builder: Henry Fulton, Belfast. Clerk of Works: Robert Flanagan. |
| Refs: | J. O'Laverty, Diocese of Down & Connor (1878), ?; Sean O'Reilly, 'Timothy Hevey (1846-1878): an episode in Irish High Victorian architecture', Ph.D. thesis, submitted to the National University of Ireland, June 1994, 190-91; Paul Larmour, Belfast: an illustrated architectural guide (1987), 46 (no. 100, illus.) |
| Building: | CO. TYRONE, ROCK (COOKSTOWN), CHURCH OF THE SACRED HEART (RC) |
| Date: | 1878 |
| Nature: | Renovations. |
| Refs: |
Examiner, 9 Jul 1878. |
| Building: | CO. DOWN, CASTLEWELLAN, CHURCH OF ST MALACHY (RC) |
| Date: | 1880-1884 |
| Nature: | New Gothic church with Tower and spire, for Fr. McWilliams. FS laid by Bishop Dorrian, Jul 1880. Dedicated 7 Sep 1884 by Very Rev. V.P. Hood. Cost £15,000. |
| Refs: |
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| Building: | CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, ANTRIM ROAD, ST MALACHY'S DIOCESAN SEMINARY |
| Date: | 1881-82 |
| Nature: | Adds. |
| Refs: | Paul Larmour, Belfast: an illustrated architectural guide (1987), 38 (no. 76) |
| Building: | CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, DERBY STREET, ST PETER'S PRO-CATHEDRAL (RC) |
| Date: | 1886 |
| Nature: | Addition of spires at cost of £500.. Contractor: Henry Fulton, Belfast. |
| Refs: | ? Rogers, St Peter's Pro-Cathedral 1866-1966; C.E.B. Brett, Buildings of Belfast (2nd ed., 1985), 44; Paul Larmour, Belfast: an illustrated architectural guide (1987), 23 (no. 41, illus.) |
| Building: | CO. DOWN, BANGOR, BRUNSWICK ROAD, CHURCH OF ST COMGALL (RC) |
| Date: | 1886-1890 |
| Nature: | New Gothic Revival church with square tower, on site of chapel of 1851, for Rev. Patrick McConvey. |
| Refs: | Marcus Patton, Bangor: an historical gazetteer (UAHS, 1999), 29 |
| Building: | CO. DOWN, HOLYWOOD, CHURCH OF ST COLUMBKILLE (RC) |
| Date: | 1888 |
| Nature: | New tower and spire to be added to church built to designs by T. Hevey 'about fifteen years ago'. For Very Rev. P. O'Laverty, PP. |
| Refs: | Architect 40, 7 Sep 1888, suppl. p.1; IB 30, 15 Sep 1888, 242 |
| Building: | CO. ANTRIM, BALLIVOY, HOUSE |
| Date: | 1888 |
| Nature: | New house. |
| Refs: | Architect 39, 22 Jun 1888, suppl. p.1 |
| Building: | CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, TOBERGILL STREET, HOUSE |
| Date: | 1889ca |
| Nature: | New house to be built. |
| Refs: | Architect 41, 14 Jun 1889, suppl. p.1 |
| Building: | CO. DOWN, KILLINCHY, MANSE |
| Date: | 1892 |
| Nature: | Adds. |
| Refs: | Architect 47, 26 Feb 1892, suppl. p.9 |
| Building: | CO. ARMAGH, PORTADOWN, QUEEN'S HOTEL |
| Date: | 1892 |
| Nature: | Livery stables and covered yard to be built. |
| Refs: | Architect 47, 14 May 1892, suppl p.14 |
| Building: | CO. DOWN, DOWNPATRICK, CHURCH OF ST PATRICK (RC) |
| Date: | 1892 |
| Nature: | Addition of tower and spire. |
| Refs: | Architect 47, 6 May 1892, suppl. p.13 |
| Building: | CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, ORMEAU ROAD (BALLYNAFEIGH), NAZARETH HOUSE |
| Date: | 1893-1895 |
| Nature: | Chapel block. |
| Refs: | Paul Larmour, Belfast: an illustrated architectural guide (1987), 76 (no. 171.) |