Sale of Dublin’s Mansion House recalled 300 years later

It may be one of central Dublin’s posher streets nowadays, but Dawson Street used to be a “piece of marshy land without even a lane crossing it”.

That changed when the man who gave the street its name, Joshua Dawson, bought land east of Grafton Street to build his family home.

Dawson built his house in 1705. When Queen Anne died in 1714, Dawson feared her successor would not be so favoured towards him, and decided to sell the Mansion House to Dublin Corporation who were looking for a residency that would be to the "honour and advantage of the city and a conveniency to the lord mayor".

Oak room

He sold it for £3,400, an annual rent of 40 shillings and, curiously, two fat capons and a loaf of double-refined sugar weighing six pounds at Christmas.

In return, Dawson agreed to build on an extra room to the house which could be used for civic receptions. It was wainscotted in large oak panels, and to this day is called the Oak Room. It is used as originally intended for civic gatherings and receptions.

Some 300 years to the day after signing the deed of sale to the corporation, on May 18th, 1715, Dawson's descendant Lady Moyola, the widow of Maj James Dawson Chichester-Clark, former prime minister of Northern Ireland, arrived to pick up the sugar loaf from the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Christy Burke.

Joshua Dawson never did collect the sugar loaf. But sugar was much prized in the 18th century, and its value reflected its scarcity.

The family has long since departed Dublin for its seat at Castledawson in Co Derry.

Deed of sale

Lady Moyola’s daughter,

Tara Whitely

, said she felt privileged to be in the Mansion House on behalf of the Dawson family 300 years after her ancestor signed over the house to the corporation.

Dublin City Archives archivist Mary Clarke said the Mansion House was special as it had been the lord mayor's home for the 300 years since it was bought for the purpose. The original deed of sale is going on display at the Mansion House along with a copy of a portrait of Dawson and a silver cup he owned at the time of sale.