Lombard Street – Legg’s Lane, the Curiosity Shop & Gutta-percha
Today’s Lombard Street, running from Rosemary Street to Castle Place-High Street junction, is a relatively new construction, being built in the 1870’s. However, this area was part of the earliest development of Belfast. The streets and lanes close to the River Farset (see link below to the post “The Farset – Belfast’s Hidden River“), were the centre of the commercial district that led to the city’s economic success and trading prowess.
Caddell’s Entry and Legg’s Lane.
Prior to Lombard Street, the site was the location of two smaller thoroughfares – Caddell’s Entry and Legg’s Lane.
“…and quite recently Leggs Lane, Caddell’s Entry and Hercules Street have made way for Lombard Street and the Royal Avenue”
Thomas Gaffikin, Belfast Fifty Years Ago, 1875
In a map dated 1660 Belfast consists of five completed streets – High Street, Skipper Street, Bridge Street, Waring Street and North Street. However, there were a number of other streets partially completed or in the course of erection.
“…a few streets or lanes are shown with houses on one side only – Church Lane, William Street South, Corn Market, Caddell’s Entry, Rosemary Street and Hercules Street”
D J Owen, History of Belfast, 1921
We know that leases of land in the area were ‘granted’ by Englishman Arthur Chichester from the early 17th century. For example, George Theaker was given a grant of a fee farm at the junction of Rosemary Street and today’s Lombard Street in 1619.
Legg’s Lane
Legg’s Lane acquired its name from the Legg family who were important and influential business folk in 18th century Belfast. Benjamin Legg owned a sugar house nearby.
“At the time of his death in 1760 it was observed that it was chiefly owing to his skill and activity that the refining of sugar had been brought to such a great state of perfection”
D J Owen, History of Belfast, 1921
The importing of sugar was an important and profitable business at this time (see link to post “Sugarhouse Entry – Belfast’s Forgotten Lane“). Sugar refining was first introduced into Ireland in 1668 and sovereign (mayor) George MacCartney established the earliest sugar house in Belfast. In 1683 over 60 tons of sugar were shipped to the town.
The origin of the Legg family is a tad obscure. They may possibly have had Italian ancestry but settled in England in the 12th century. William Legg was an officer in the Williamite army and came to Ireland in 1690, serving under Schomberg. He was rewarded with a tract of land at Malone. It was his son Benjamin, who leased land from the Earl of Donegall in the town. The sugar house was in Rosemary Street and the stores and warehouses were close by in what became known as Legg’s Lane.
Previously the street had been known as Clugston Entry, after John Clugston who was sovereign of Belfast four times. He died in 1736. It was here David Manson had his famous and progressive school in 1755 (see post David Manson – Belfast’s Enlightened Schoolmaster). At this time businessmen and merchants usually lived close to their commercial premises, Benjamin Legg may have resided at nearby Bridge Street.
“His place of business was, it may be conjectured, at Legg’s Lane, where Lombard Street is now; and the Sugar House which was in Rosemary Street, near the corner of North Street, was probably that in which these improvements were effected”.
George Benn, A History of the Town of Belfast, Vol 2 1880
Caddell’s Entry
Caddell’s Entry is originally recorded on a map of 1715 as Martan’s Lean (Lane) and later as Addet’s Entry. It was then named Caddell’s Entry after Edward Caddell, an attorney who was born in Rathfriland but came to Belfast for work. He subsequently diversified into property development.
“Caddell’s Entry was known till a few years ago. This is the announcement of its origin – ‘April 1756. Edward Caddell intends to make a new street from High Street to Rosemary Lane’. It has thus an existence of more than a century, and how great the contrast between it and the magnificent Lombard Street, which is on the same ground, it is quite needless to mention”
George Benn, A History of the Town of Belfast, Vol 1 1877
Growth and Decline
In the 18th and early 19th centuries both Caddell’s Entry and Legg’s Lane seem to be busy streets, both commercial and residential. In 1822 Caddell’s Entry consisted of 28 houses, the homes of 91 men and 79 women. Legg’s Lane was smaller, containing only 9 houses with 18 male and 16 female residents. Historian Thomas Gaffikin describes one of the local characters, a Mr P Brennan
“…the latter kept a public house in Caddle’s Entry. He was extremely peculiar in his habits, so much so that if he had only to go to Mr Stewart’s, in Legg’s Lane – the next entry – he must dress in his best for the occasion, from shining castor hat to polished top boots; while, full of self complacency, he must salute every person he met”
Thomas Gaffikin, Belfast Fifty Years Ago, 1875
By the 1860’s however, both streets seem to be on a downward trend. In 1861 Caddell’s Entry had a number of vacant properties. The street consisted mostly of dealers and lodging houses catering mainly for the poor. A dealer sold second-hand clothes. Legg’s Lane was in a similar situation. Neither street is mentioned in the 1868 Street Directory. By the latter part of the 19th century Legg’s Lane and Caddell’s Entry were described as “two old tumble-down entries”.
Residents of the two streets are often found mentioned in police court reports.
Indeed, in 1849, their unsavoury reputation must have been well known as a mention of “Caddel Street loungers” caused much hilarity during a court case.
Lombard Street
Following ‘The Belfast Award Act, 1864’ demolition and rebuilding progressed rapidly in the town with thoroughfares such as Victoria Street and Lombard Street being born. Indeed, the Northern Whig in August 1906 deplored the fact that the two lanes “were allowed to remain so long a disgrace to the place”.
“Lombard Street, as the new street is called, which was made a few years ago on the site of the worst ‘rookeries’ off High Street”
Irish Builder, 1st November 1878
“Legg’s Lane and the savoury Hercules Lane have been swept away and replaced by Lombard Street and Royal Avenue, as more suited to the requirements of an advancing and progressive community”
S Shannon Millin, Additional Sidelights on Belfast History, 1938
Construction of Lombard Street
In 1874 the architectural firm of Thomas Jackson & Son, of 5 Plough Buildings Corn Market, designed a grand 3-storey building at Nos 5-11 Lombard Street for the English and Scottish Law Life Assurance Association. The ground floor offered shop accommodation while the offices were accessed by tall doors with Dalbeattie granite surrounds, at either end.
The following year the same architects constructed the adjoining 4-storey building. It was composed of cream sandstone with a ground floor of grey granite.
Lombard Street Businesses
At No17 on the corner with Winecellar Entry (see link to post “Winecellar Entry and its Historic Tavern“) was Boucher & Thompson, Select Family Grocers, Italian Warehousemen, Wine and Spirit merchants.
“The premises are contained within a four-storey building with a commanding elevation, the front portion – about fifty feet square – forming the grocery and the Italian warehouse, and comprehending everything in domestic comestibles of a superior class drawn from the best markets at home and abroad”.
Industries of the North 1888-91
This company was also famous for selling Mourne whiskey “one of the oldest and richest of those pure products with which Irish trade has long been identified”, Beach’s whole fruit preserves, Mazawatte Ceylon tea and Gregor Carlowitz liquor “which, through their agency, has become very popular in this district”
By the turn of the century these premises had become the Monico Public House, still a popular ‘watering hole’ today. The Lombard Café (see link to post “Belfast Restaurant Memories – The Carleton and The Lombard“) was another favourite with Belfast locals over the years.
The Gutta-percha Shop
In 1874, Waterford-born Thomas Jackson was also responsible for “a splendid new gutta-percha shop at the corner of Lombard Street” (C E B Brett, Buildings of Belfast, 1966). It was constructed for the business of Mr Patick McGuiness and cost £3,200.
Gutta-percha is derived from the sap of the Palaquium-gutta tree of southeast Asia. When heated the substance is malleable but it solidifies when cooled. Hence it was useful for a wide range of products. Gutta-percha was first introduced to the west in 1656 by Englishman John Tradescant for medical use, but its potential was not fully exploited till Victorian times, when Dr William Montgomerie while in Singapore, recognised its varied applications. Gutta-percha was employed to insulate the underwater telegraphic cables between England and France in 1851 as it was resistant to saltwater. It was also used for a variety of more household items – walking sticks, knife handles, inside golf balls, mourning jewellery and rubber soles (remember indoor shoes ‘gutties’ in school?).
Today Gutta-percha has mostly been replaced by synthetic plastics but it still plays an important role in dentistry – used to fill a tooth after a root canal procedure.
Other Businesses
Another thriving shop on early Lombard Street, was Branagh & Co, Butchers. This firm had previously been established in 1844 on Hercules Street, the ‘street of fleshers’ (see link to post “From Hercules Lane to Royal Avenue“). An indicator of their success was that they supplied meat to army and naval stations throughout the north of the island.
“The building which now forms the centre of the firm’s transactions possess all the favourable advantages of good position, convenience and first-class appointment. It presents a frontage to Lombard Street of fifty feet, and a large frontage also to Rosemary Street, and altogether the external character of the house is commanding and appropriate”
Industries of the North 1888-91
On the opposite side of the street was the Warehouse for Robb & Co. It was designed by William Hastings in 1874. He also designed the main Robb’s Store on Castle Place (see link to post “Castle Place – The Inn, The Jailhouse and Robb’s Store“).
“Quirky, four-storey building of unpainted stucco with exposed cast- iron columns supporting an arcade of roundheaded windows at the first floor”
Marcus Patton, Central Belfast, A Historical Gazetteer 1993
The warehouse was further enhanced with ‘wreathed’ porthole windows and alternating male and female sculpted heads on the keystones.
In later years the building also housed the offices of the architect John Lanyon and the Belfast Stock Exchange.
The New Curiosity Shop
The was also the premises of the well-known Thomas Edens Osborne ‘Cycle, Safe, Stove, Mangle and Hardware Depot’.
“This remarkable and noteworthy depot for novelties of almost every description in hardware has been appropriately christened the ‘New Curiosity Shop’ by Belfast people generally, and its popular and enterprising proprietor, Mr Osborne, is widely known throughout Ulster….”
Industries of the North 1888-91
Mr Osborne, who took over the business when senior partner Mr Jennings emigrated to Melbourne, Australia, seems to have been a progressive and innovative proprietor. He is credited with importing the latest products from England, the Continent and America. These included the ‘world-renowned’ scouring soap Sapolio, the ‘Easy Lawnmower’, the chimneyless ‘Hitchcock’ and ‘Wanzer’ oil lamps and the ‘Grand Rapids’ carpet sweeper.
“…housewives owe him much gratitude for his timely introduction of the unbreakable ‘Safety Mangle’ from Accrington, as well as for Rippingille’s celebrated Oil Cooking-stoves, the ’Self-pouring Teapot’ etc etc”
In the mid twentieth century, Lombard Street was noted for its peculiar appearance
Lombard Street Today
Today Lombard Street continues the blend of commercial and business, with shops at ground level and offices above.
A pedestrian street now, it is usually busy with shoppers and city-centre workers continuing the legacy of commerce-driven Belfast. Unfortunately not many of the old buildings remain, but if we only look up, a glimpse shows us an elegance that has all but disappeared from our modern city.
Frederick Douglass
Gracing Lombard Street today is the bronze statue of American slave abolitionist and social reformer Frederick Douglass. As an escaped slave himself, Frederick devoted his life as a writer, orator and statesman to the abolition of slavery. He has been described as ‘the most important leader of the movement for African-American civil right in the nineteenth century’.
In 1845 Douglass was invited by the Belfast Anti-Slavery Society to visit the city. He spoke to large crowds in the town centre and to packed churches. His speeches and experiences inspired many to join the abolitionist cause.
Belfast, although a maritime town, has a proud history of rejecting the slave trade (see link to post “Thomas McCabe – Champion of the Poor and Enslaved“). That Frederick himself felt welcome in the city is attested by his own words
“Wherever else I feel myself a stranger, I remember I have a home in Belfast”
Related Posts
The Farset – Belfast’s Hidden River
Sugarhouse Entry – Belfast’s Forgotten Lane
Winecellar Entry and its Historic Tavern
Belfast Restaurant Memories – The Carleton and The Lombard
From Hercules Lane to Royal Avenue
Castle Place – The Inn, The Jailhouse and Robb’s Store
Thomas McCabe – Champion of the Poor and Enslaved
Help Us Find New Readers
Belfast Entries is hobby website produced entirely by a retired husband & wife featuring articles on our shared history, memories and entertaining stories of our past. The stories are free to all. If you like our posts please help us to grow our readership by sharing the posts. A growing readership would be very much appreciated.
If you enjoy Belfast Entries please consider a small donation
If you wish to To help us meet website creation/ maintenance costs please click the coffee cup below to learn how to make a small donation. Please note that every contribution is valued and that we will acknowledge your contribution below (forename only or “Anonymous” if you prefer).
Donations this month 3
Thank you Damian
Thank you Sinead
Thank you R. Meharg
We had 2 donation last month.
Copyright Notice
Belfast Entries posts & photos are our intellectual property and copyrighted to us. Where we use photos that do not belong to us, it is because we believe them to be in the public domain or shared under a Creative Commons licence with appropriate attribution. None of our content or images can be used without our consent. Note that a link to our Copyright & Takedown notice is included in the website footer on all pages.
0 Comments