Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Irish-born monumental mason, of London.   Thomas Gaffin, who was born in Swinford, Co. Mayo, in 1819, carried on the successful  monumental masonry business which had been founded by his father, Edward Gaffin (1780-1855), in London and which was continued in turn by his son Edward (1843ca-1871).  It remained in existence as Gaffin & Co. until the early years of the twentieth century.  According to Gunnis, the firm produced 'an apparently unceasing flood of tame, dull and uninteresting monuments and memorial tablets' which 'become duller and plainer as the years go on'.(2)  'T. Gaffin' signed a memorial to Charlotte Angerstein (d. 1863) in the nave of Castleblayney Church of Ireland Church, Co. Monaghan,(2) while there is a cruciform plaque in memory of Captain Alexander Duke Simpson (d. 1874) by Gaffin & Co. in Armagh Church of Ireland cathedral.(3)

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References

Information on the Gaffins is taken from Mapping the practice and profession of sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, http://sculpture.gla.ac.uk (last visited, Mar 2014) and A Biographical Dictionary of Sculptors in Britain, 1660-1851, http://217.204.55.158/henrymoore/sculptor/browserecord.php?-action=browse&-recid=1013 (last visited, Mar 2014). 


(1) Rupert Gunnis, Dictionary of British Sculptors 1660-1851 (revised edition, [1968]), 160.
(2) Kevin V. Mulligan, The Buildings of Ireland: South Ulster (2013), 231.
(3) Mulligan, op. cit., 105.


2 work entries listed in chronological order for GAFFIN, THOMAS *#


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Building: CO. MONAGHAN, CASTLEBLAYNEY, CHURCH STREET, CHURCH OF ST MAELDOID (CI, MUCKNO PARISH)
Date: 1863p
Nature: Memorial to Charlotte Angerstein (d. 1863) in S wall of nave.
Refs: Kevin V. Mulligan, The Buildings of Ireland: South Ulster (2013), 231.

Building: CO. ARMAGH, ARMAGH, CATHEDRAL CLOSE, CATHEDRAL OF ST PATRICK (CI)
Date: 1874p
Nature: Cruciform gothic plaque in memory of  Captain Alexander Duke Simpson (d. 1874) by Gaffin & Co.
Refs: Kevin V. Mulligan, The Buildings of Ireland: South Ulster (2013), 105.