If Walls Could Talk: Manor was home to Limerick’s first anti-vaxxer

SEVERAL large early nineteenth-century houses once stood perched along the North Strand (now O’Callaghan’s Strand), Limerick. The houses were between three and four storeys high, with private entrances, avenues, gate lodges, glass houses, stables and large walled-in fruit and vegetable gardens.

Sadly, all of these beautiful properties have been demolished and replaced with modern terraces, avenues and estates.

The native woodland surrounding each house has almost entirely disappeared.
One such property was Rockspring House (sometimes lodge), a large three bay, two-storey over basement house reached by a flight of steps and a tree-lined long avenue with large gate lodge attached.

It stood on its own raised grounds – separated by a large garden - behind the Strand Barracks. A house is recorded on the site on the first edition OS maps c.1830, however it is unnamed. The townland on which the house was built is known as Deanery-land.

It is unclear who lived at Rockspring from c.1830-1860, however from about 1864, it was home to Joshua Jacob, a tea dealer and grocer who initially operated his premises at no. 3 High Street. Jacob moved his business to no. 11 Patrick Street in the mid-1860s, part of which was incorporated into Ormston House in 1872. He was a strong advocate for Irish home manufacture and promoted the production of foodstuffs in Limerick.

In September 1868, Jacobs opened the ‘most extensive and decidedly best arranged People’s Refreshment Rooms, in South Great George’s Street, Dublin’. He installed in the large kitchens a ‘magnificent range manufactured by Mr. McSherry, Bank Place, Limerick’.

The establishment was divided into ‘two classes, the more expensive having an entrance distinct from the other, and affords a first-class dinner, including sweets, apple dumplings, rice pudding etc. at a cost of ten pence.’

The second section of the restaurant provided a ‘really substantial breakfast for two pence, and a capital dinner, with sweets, for five pence.’ The venture was managed by a gentleman from Glasgow and Jacobs continued to operate his substantial business concerns in Limerick.

However, there is an unexpected twist to the story of Joshua Jacobs. In 1880 he sold his businesses and interest in Rockspring and emigrated to Philadelphia. His reason for doing so was related to vaccinations – he was prosecuted ten times for refusing to vaccinate his children.

READ MORE: Limerick’s Marion Kelly seeks to become Ireland’s next country music star

The report in Bassett’s Chronicle described his departure to the ‘New World accompanied by his wife, eleven children, three servants and four tons of luggage, to find a home in a country where the people acknowledge no allegiance to a law on compulsory vaccination.’

Jacob’s fear of vaccination stemmed from an incident where one of his young children was ‘dangerously inoculated with a virus and nearly died but for medical intervention.’ Thereafter, Jacob swore he’d never allow his children to be vaccinated.

Following the departure of the Jacob family, Rockspring was offered for sale. It was described as thus ‘Rockspring House is a solid and well-built structure, bounded on either side by Major Vandeleur’s and the Priory House (now Priory Park). It is only five minutes’ walk from George Street and once within its gates the occupant finds himself entirely shut out from the city, and quite in the country.’ It continued ‘there are two acres of gardens attached, famous for the production of fruit and vegetables.

A coach house was recently built under the supervision of an architect.’ The attractiveness of the house and gardens was further enhanced by an ‘abundance of spring water flowing from a bed of limestone’ (hence the name of the house). The rental notice drew attention to a ‘very profitable business of lime burning conducted onsite and the sale included an operable lime kiln’ claiming that ‘there is no reason why a very large profit should not be derived therefrom.’

The house was purchased by D. Taylor, proprietor of the Turkish Baths, Sarsfield Street who in turn, sold it in 1889. The next owner was James Belcher, a military tailor and boot merchant whose premises was situated at 87 George Street in the 1860s. James’ extensive business was trading from Patrick Street from about the 1890s. The Belchers were still living at Rockspring House in February 1920 when James Belcher’s daughter, Margaret died. James Belcher died of heart failure at Rockspring on 11 January 1921, aged 86.

Rockspring House was purchased by James Gleeson sometime in 1921. He was the proprietor of the White House Bar, 52 George Street (O’Connell Street). James hailed from east Clare and was in business in Limerick for over fifty years. In those days, the White House sold groceries as well as liquor. Gleeson was a member of Limerick Corporation for twenty years.

In the 1911 census he was recorded as living in house no. 52 George Street along with his wife Mary, a native of Dually, Newcastle West, his brother Cornelius, and their daughter Bridget Ita, a newborn. Another son, Edward and another daughter, Mary were born some years later.

During the Civil War, Rockspring was damaged by shelling from gunboats on the river and Gleeson claimed £1,251 compensation for loss and damage to his property. James Gleeson died in November 1943 and his obituary described him as a ‘popular and respected citizen’.
Rockspring House was demolished sometime in the 1960s; however, its memory lives on as the estate built on its grounds was named Rockspring Gardens.

Dr Paul O’Brien lectures at Mary Immaculate College.