Tramway Cottages, Highfield Road

chughes

I wonder if someone could help me here. I see on the 1911 census that I had relations living in Tramway Cottages which were somewhere in the Highfield Road area. As the name Tramway Cottages doesn't exist any more, I was wondering if the cottages are long gone or has the area been renamed.

Victor

Trams used to run up Upper Rathmines Road on to Dartry Road to the depot (now offices) here: http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=swjcdcggbggp&style=b&lvl=2&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&scene=29510167&encType=1

I wonder if Tramway Cottages are now called Highfield Grove. Alternatively, they might have been where one of the apartment blocks are now. You best bet is to find a map from that era - try the public library on Pearse Street.

LeoDaniels

My Grandfather (James Rochford) lived at 1 Tramway Cottages which was located off Phibsborough Road.
I will try to find out a location. I remember recently a cousin saying he knew where it was so I will find out.
I have not used this site before and am unaware how we correspond on this matter except by this thread.

dudara

Victor wrote: »

Trams used to run up Upper Rathmines Road on to Dartry Road to the depot (now offices) here: http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=swjcdcggbggp&style=b&lvl=2&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&scene=29510167&encType=1

Cool - I live nearby and often wondered what that building had been.

The 1911 census lists Tramway Cottages as being in Pembroke East - link.

Looking at the list of locations in Pembroke East in 1911 - it doesn't seem as if Tramway Cottages were near Highfield at all - more like Donnybrook to Sandymount direction.

It would appear that there were cottages for tram workers near Gilford Road in Sandymount. Don't know if that helps.

Victor

There was another "Tramway Cottages" in Rathmines & Rathgar West.

Highfield Road would appear to be in "Rathmines West C" ward. http://www.dublincity.ie/Press/DublinCityNews/Documents/LocalElectAreaDubCity.pdf

Rathmines & Rathgar and Pembroke were independent towns until about 1931.

dudara

The 1911 website actually lists a lot of Tramway Cottages (including some in Rathmines & Rathgar West - spot on Victor).

Here's the list of inhabitants inhabitants.

That website is just amazing.

Red_Marauder

Does anyone know when other counties will be added to that online census? Pity there aren't more years available, but it must be such a lengthy process.

chughes

dudara wrote: »

The 1911 website actually lists a lot of Tramway Cottages (including some in Rathmines & Rathgar West - spot on Victor).

Here's the list of inhabitants inhabitants.

That website is just amazing.

The one I'm interested in is the one in Rathmines & Rathgar West. My grandparents lived in number 1 and this is where my father was born in 1914. These houses were owned by the tram company and my grandfather worked for them. Grandfather died when my father was very young so the family had to move out. My father never talked about his early life and I only found out about his birth place after he died. I have a feeling that Tramway Cottages is now called Highfield Grove but I just wanted to see if someone with local historical knowledge could confirm this for me.

dudara

There is a Rathmines, Ranelagh & Rathgar Historical Society who meet every so often in Rathmines Town Hall. I can't find contact information for them, but maybe someone in the Town Hall can get you contact information.

chughes

Thanks, Dudara. I'll follow up on that.

ollaetta

Red_Marauder wrote: »

Does anyone know when other counties will be added to that online census? Pity there aren't more years available, but it must be such a lengthy process.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/about/futureplans.html

Castlegate1

chughes wrote: »

I wonder if someone could help me here. I see on the 1911 census that I had relations living in Tramway Cottages which were somewhere in the Highfield Road area. As the name Tramway Cottages doesn't exist any more, I was wondering if the cottages are long gone or has the area been renamed.

Hi

I was doing the same thing yesterday- and found my grandmothers birthplace place - No 17. Yiou drive through Rathgar Road, through Terenure Road, and take a left at the lights onto rathfarnham Road.
Its is called Cormac terrace now, and it is on left hand side of the road. My Grandmother and Great Garndmother were also kicked out of theo house when my Great Grandfather died...
Susan

chughes

Castlegate1 wrote: »

Hi

I was doing the same thing yesterday- and found my grandmothers birthplace place - No 17. Yiou drive through Rathgar Road, through Terenure Road, and take a left at the lights onto rathfarnham Road.
Its is called Cormac terrace now, and it is on left hand side of the road. My Grandmother and Great Garndmother were also kicked out of theo house when my Great Grandfather died...
Susan

I'm a bit puzzled by this, Castlegate1. The birth details I have for my father and his siblings describe their addresses as Tramway Terrace, Highfield Road. I visited the library in Pearse Street and they have old maps of Dublin on a PC. Tramway Terrace is shown on an early 20th century map and the corresponding location now seems to be called Highfield Grove. Cormac Terrace seems to be a bit away from Highfield Road. Can I ask where you got the information about Cormac Terrace ?

Victor

As indicated above, there was more than one Tramway Terrace.

Castlegate1

chughes wrote: »

I'm a bit puzzled by this, Castlegate1. The birth details I have for my father and his siblings describe their addresses as Tramway Terrace, Highfield Road. I visited the library in Pearse Street and they have old maps of Dublin on a PC. Tramway Terrace is shown on an early 20th century map and the corresponding location now seems to be called Highfield Grove. Cormac Terrace seems to be a bit away from Highfield Road. Can I ask where you got the information about Cormac Terrace ?

Hi
I am 100% sure that the place I visited are the only tramway cottages in this area...I googled the map for tramway cottages, and it was off Rat Farnham road. This is a bit strange , as Cormac terrace has been the new name since the 1950's. I also assumed at first, it was off the Highfield Road, and asked someone from the area, and they said there were no cottages of that description near there.
Also, the depot for the trams was a few hundred metres from the place I visited, so I am sure I have the right place I also spoke to the neighbours there who have validated this
Please note the United Tramway Company who built these cottages, have locations all around Dublin...however if the area is Rathgar/Rathmines- then Cormac Terrace is the correct area. There are round 25 cottages still there, with 4 larger houses which were the inspectors houses...

dudara

I think that Victor said earlier that there was also a depot or Tram building on Dartry road - Highfield Grove would be close to that location.

If you look at the previous link I listed (here), it shows that there were Tramway Cottages in Rathgar/Rathmines and in Terenure.

So it's entirely possible that there were two sets of Tramway Cottages ion relatively close proximity to each other.

chughes

Thanks Dudara. The one I'm interested in has the Hughes family and an Archbold in number 1 Tramway Cottages. I've sometimes seen family documentation where it's also called Tramway Terrace. I'm pretty sure from looking at the map in Pearse Street library that this is now called Highfield Grove.

Ms. Ka

Hi,
I have been following this thread as my family home is on Dartry road near the old tram sheds (now called Tramway House). We use old maps in my work and according to those maps Tramway terrace was where Highfield grove is now. I looked at the map for the other tramway cottages over at Cormac Terrace but its where 2 maps meet and it isnt clear if there is a name on the road.

Try looking at the Dublin city council planning website (its currently down at the moment otherwise I would check), if its like the Galway and Cork sites then they will use a mixture of aerial photos and the old maps which might clarify the issue for you.

Happy hunting.:P

dudara

This is really interesting. I often go for walks at night around Dartry, Rathgar, Terenure etc, and I often come across old interesting buildings, sections of walls etc. It's great to be able to put some of the history together.

I must go for a walk around Cormac Terrace and Highfield Grove tonight.

chughes

I drove into Highfield Grove a few weeks ago to have a look as I'd never been there before. There is a triangle of terraced houses facing a triangular green space. The houses look very similar to the artisan dwellings you'd see in the Liberties although many of them have been extended and renovated. A couple of the houses look bigger than the rest and I'm guessing that if you got promoted in DUTC, you got a bigger house.

Ms. Ka

dudara wrote: »

This is really interesting. I often go for walks at night around Dartry, Rathgar, Terenure etc, and I often come across old interesting buildings, sections of walls etc. It's great to be able to put some of the history together.

I must go for a walk around Cormac Terrace and Highfield Grove tonight.

I love the area, the houses are lovely without being gaudy. You should check out the stone dragons on the apex of 3 of the houses on Orwell Park (the Orwell road end).

Victor

I think we have an answer. The address is marked on this map as Tramway Terrace, not Tramway Cottages. Such differences aren't unusual, even today.

http://ims0.osiemaps.ie/website/publicviewer/main.aspx#V1,715576,730469,7

chughes

Victor wrote: »

I think we have an answer. The address is marked on this map as Tramway Terrace, not Tramway Cottages. Such differences aren't unusual, even today.

http://ims0.osiemaps.ie/website/publicviewer/main.aspx#V1,715576,730469,7

Thanks Victor. Having looked at one of the older maps on your link, it looks like houses 1 to 12 were built first and this row of houses may have been called Tramway Terrace. When the houses on the other sides of the green space were built, they may have renamed the whole lot it to Cottages instead on Terrace. Pure guesswork on my part.

Seanhiggins

My Father lived in Tramway cottages, and my sister visited a few years back. Simple cottages that are still there or were. They are apparently opposite the bus station, which used to be the tram station.

Victor

Seanhiggins wrote: »

My Father lived in Tramway cottages, and my sister visited a few years back. Simple cottages that are still there or were. They are apparently opposite the bus station, which used to be the tram station.

You might have the wrong Tramways Cottages - there were several. There is no bus garage in / near Highfield Road, the nearest being Donnybrook, which was a tram depot.

Seanhiggins

Yes these are in Donnybrook. Single storey cottages for tram workers. My father lived in the m around 1930-1940 Thomas Higgins

mgilsenan

I've only just seen your thread and presume by now you have sorted out your query but thought you may be intersted to know my mother lived at No 1 Highfield Grove, Rathgar (formerly Tramway Terrace), she tells me that they moved in after the Hughes family had to move out because the father of the family died - sounds like this could be your family? Regarding the change of name, after a number of years the tram company offered to sell the houses directly to the families living in them, at this time the corporation took charge of the road and road-lights etc, this was when the name of the terrace was changed from Tramway Terrace to Highfield Grove.

Victor

Osi have updated their website, the location is here: http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V1,715568,730510,7 = you can view old maps on the right.

chughes

mgilsenan wrote: »

I've only just seen your thread and presume by now you have sorted out your query but thought you may be intersted to know my mother lived at No 1 Highfield Grove, Rathgar (formerly Tramway Terrace), she tells me that they moved in after the Hughes family had to move out because the father of the family died - sounds like this could be your family? Regarding the change of name, after a number of years the tram company offered to sell the houses directly to the families living in them, at this time the corporation took charge of the road and road-lights etc, this was when the name of the terrace was changed from Tramway Terrace to Highfield Grove.

Mgilsenan, is it possible to find out when your mother moved into No 1 Highfield Grove ? I haven't been able to trace a date of death for my grandfather and if you can find out this date, it would give me a good indication of when he died. Thanks in advance.

DoraDora

chughes wrote: »

I wonder if someone could help me here. I see on the 1911 census that I had relations living in Tramway Cottages which were somewhere in the Highfield Road area. As the name Tramway Cottages doesn't exist any more, I was wondering if the cottages are long gone or has the area been renamed.

I was born into one of these houses (in 1937) (now Highfield Grove, off Highfield Road, Rathgar - nearer to Dartry) and they are still very much a part of the landscape (thank heaven for that!) It was a beautiful place to grow up - I lived there with my family until I got married in 1961 and have the most wonderful memories of my childhood there. Palmerston Park and the River Dodder at Milltown were our haunts when we felt like wandering out of our little haven.
I have been fascinated by the Census of 1911 - at that time there were 65 children in the 28 houses - 52 of them under 18. (At 65 to 28 the ratio was surely below the national average of the time - less than the nuclear 2.4 children - they had it right then!)
There were many of these little enclaves of tramworkers houses around the Dublin suburbs - they were built by William Martin Murphy's Dublin United Tramway Company to house the tramway workers and were sited adjacent to the tram depots - the Rathgar houses were for Dartry Depot, on Dartry Rd - the terminus of the no. 14 tram. (My father was a conductor on the No. 12)
Can anybody tell me when were these houses built?
Particularly the Rathgar ones. I have tried to find this on the Internet but any mention of WMM guides me into the Lockout of 1913, and except for the odd mention in essay-type material, there is no mention of the building of the houses.

ollaetta

DoraDora wrote: »

Can anybody tell me when were these houses built?

The houses were not there on this early 1880s map: http://roots.swilson.info/southcountydublinc1880/southcountydublin_c1880.html but do appear on the Ordnance Survey 25 inch map:
http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V1,715540,730531,7 (click Historic 25" on the right hand side to see older map)

According to the Ordnance Survey the 25 inch map was compiled from a survey that took place between 1887 and 1913.

Not a definitive answer to your question but I hope it helps.