Spelmans School, Ushers Quay

zagmund

I know this is a really long shot, but it's always worth a go.

We've recently uncovered a medal given to someone in the family back in 1864. It's inscribed along the lines of "To Ms Flanagan, for excellence in studies. Ms Spelmans School, Ushers Quay, July 1864" or something similar. It could be Spellman or Spelman.

From the dates of birth of assorted individuals, we're pretty sure it would not have been for a direct g/grandmother and would have been a great-<something>-aunt instead.

It's of purely academic interest, but does anyone know anywhere that might have records, or where this school merged into?

The school shows up here - http://www.dublin1850.com/dublin1850/xdubdir79.html#Spellman - but appears to be gone by the time of the 1901 census where it appears to be a hotel - http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai003793147/

Thanks,

z

Jellybaby1

Griffiths Valuation also lists George J. Spelman on Usher's Quay.

http://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths/dublin/staudoens.htm

Also found Slater's National Commercial Directory 1846 on Google Books and it shows

George John Spelman, academy, 36 Ushers Quay,
Rosanna Spelman, ladies' school, 36 Ushers Quay

and in 1856 a Rosanna Spelman on irishgenealogy.ie appears at her daughter's baptism, maybe she could be George & Rosanna’s daughter?
http://churchrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/details/4d15cc0009744

A Rosanna Spelman as a witness at a wedding:
http://churchrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/details/2e081c0038804

A Rosanna Spelman as godmother at another baptism here:
http://churchrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/details/f955760135061

In the Dublin Almanac and General Register for Ireland 1847 in good old Google Books, Page 816, George J. Spelman is listed at No. 33 Usher’s Lane as his residence, it was a ‘select academy for young gentlemen’, On Page 580 he is listed as a ‘professor of French & Italian’. and Mrs. Spelman was in charge of ‘board. & day school.

I would also be interested to know what happens to institutions such as schools, hospitals, banks or even shops that just disappear and where their records if any would be kept.

pinkypinky

My instinct is that with these private school records, it will have depended on how they ended and when. If there was a single proprietor who died, then their records may just have been thrown out. In some cases, really conscientious individuals may have passed the records to a local library or the National Library.