Vitty, James Weatherall
Vitty, James Weatherall (1910–88), librarian, was born 31 May 1910 in 37 Lichfield Avenue, Belfast, one of three children of Lawrence Vitty, shipyard angle smith, and Margaret Vitty (née McCullough). He was educated at Euston St. primary school and the College of Technology. His…...
Walsh (Breathnach), Róisín
Walsh (Breathnach), Róisín (1889–1949), librarian and republican, was born on 24 March 1889 into a staunchly nationalist catholic family in the townland of Lisnamaghery, Clogher, Co. Tyone, the eldest of eight children (five sisters and two brothers) of James Walsh (d. 1925), a national…...
Walsh, John Joseph
Walsh, John Joseph (1916–88), industrialist and public servant, was born 31 August 1916 in Ballyheigue, Co. Kerry, third child of Patrick Walsh, schoolteacher, and Mary Walsh (née Halliden). He was educated at St Brendan's, Killarney, Co. Kerry, and graduated…...
Ward, John
This is a co-subject for the entry on Ward, Marcus. View the original entry....
Ward, Marcus
Ward, Marcus (1807–47), printer, stationer, and founder of Marcus Ward & Co., was born in Belfast, second son among five sons and two daughters of John Ward (1770–1836) of Jackson Hall, Co. Down, Ulster paper manufacturer and printer, and his wife Margaret (née Davis) (1782–1832…...
Ware, Sir James
Ware, Sir James (1594–1666), historian, collector of manuscripts, and civil servant, was born 16 November 1594 at Castle St., Dublin, eldest surviving son among ten children of Sir James Ware, auditor general, and his wife Mary, sister of Sir Ambrose Briden of Maidstone, Kent, whose…...
Watson, John
Watson, John (d. 1769), bookseller and bookbinder. Nothing is known of his early life. He married (21 April 1722) in St Audoen's church, Dublin, Elizabeth (d. 1753), daughter of Peter Lawrence (d. 1709), bookseller and freeman since 1697. Three months later he petitioned for freedom…...
Watson, Samuel
This is a co-subject for the entry on Watson, John. View the original entry....
Watts (Lynch), Elizabeth
Watts (Lynch), Elizabeth (d. 1794), printer, stationer, and ‘bookseller to the courts of law’, whose origins are unknown, succeeded her first husband Richard Watts (d. November 1762) printer and bookseller, with whom she had four sons and a daughter. She married secondly (14…...
Webb, Richard Davis
Webb, Richard Davis (1805–72), printer and philanthropist, was born in the Cornmarket, Dublin, where his parents had a linen business; he was eldest among seven sons of James Webb and Deborah Webb (née Forrest). The Webbs and Forrests were members of the Society of Friends;…...
Wheatley, John
Wheatley, John (1869–1930), socialist and publisher, was born 19 May 1869 at Bunmahon, Co. Waterford, eldest among three sons and seven daughters of Thomas Wheately, copper miner of Welsh extraction, and Johanna Wheately (née Ryan); it is not known when he came to use the spelling…...
White, John Davis
White, John Davis (1820–93), publisher and antiquary, was born 22 May 1820 in Conaghy, Co. Kilkenny, youngest son among three sons and two daughters of Benjamin Newport White (1776–1846), landowner, late of the Slieveardagh yeomanry cavalry stationed in Killenaule, Co. Tipperary,…...
Widdess, John (‘Jack’) David Henry
Widdess, John (‘Jack’) David Henry (1906–82), medical historian, librarian, and biologist, was born 1 August 1906 in Limerick, son of Matthew Widdess, pharmaceutical chemist, and Emily Widdess (née Irwin). He was educated at Wesley College, Dublin. He won prizes, was admitted…...
Wilson, Peter
Wilson, Peter (c.1720–1802), publisher, printer, and bookseller, was probably born in Dublin and spent most of his career working in the city. During his youth he was apprenticed to the printer George Risk of Dublin. By 1739 Wilson established his own bookshop at Gay's Head…...
Wilson, William
This is a co-subject for the entry on Wilson, Peter. View the original entry....
Wogan, Patrick
Wogan, Patrick (c.1740–1816), printer, was born in obscure circumstances: nothing is known of his origins or early life. In 1771 he was in business in Church Street, Dublin, and in 1773 moved to Old Bridge Street, where he transacted for thirty-four years; from 1775 to 1782 he…...
Wolff, Gustav Wilhelm
Wolff, Gustav Wilhelm (1834–1913), shipbuilder, businessman, and politician, was born in Hamburg, the son of Moritz Wolff and Fanny Maria Schwabe. Gustav left home at the age of fourteen to study engineering at Liverpool College, staying with his uncle Gustav Schwabe. He was…...
Wood, Herbert
Wood, Herbert (1860–1955), archivist, historian, deputy keeper of the Public Record Office of Ireland, was born on 6 September 1860 at Trinity Square, Lambeth, London, a prosperous residential development for merchants and professionals. He was the sixth of eight children of William…...
Worth, Edward
Worth, Edward (c.1678–1733), MD and bibliophile, was the son, and only surviving child, of John Worth (1648–88), chancellor (1671–8) and dean (1678–88) of St Patrick's cathedral, Dublin, and his wife Comfort, and was the grandson of …...
Wylde, Thomas
Wylde, Thomas (1780?–1813), cotton manufacturer and United Irishman, was born in England, one of the three sons and four daughters of Henry Wylde, owner of a cotton factory in the industrial village of Prosperous, Co. Kildare. Henry had settled in Ireland in the 1780s to avoid…...
Wyse, Thomas
Wyse, Thomas (1701?–70), industrialist and co-founder of the Catholic Committee, was the son of Francis Wyse (d. 1717) of the Manor of St John, Waterford, and his wife Mary, daughter of Thomas Masterson of Castletown and Moneyseed, Co. Wexford. Wyses had held property in County…...
Yeats, Bertha Georgie (‘George’)
Yeats, Bertha Georgie (‘George’) (1892–1968), scholar, occultist, publisher, and wife of William Butler Yeats (qv), was born 16/17 October 1892 at The Grove, Fleet, Hampshire, daughter of William Gilbert Hyde Lees , captain in the 4th…...
Yeats, Elizabeth Corbet (‘Lollie’)
Yeats, Elizabeth Corbet (‘Lollie’) (1868–1940), publisher and painter, was born 11 March 1868 at 23 Fitzroy Road, London, daughter of John Butler Yeats (qv), painter, and Susan Yeats (née Pollexfen). She stayed in Merville, Sligo, at the…...
Young, Joseph Samuel
This is a co-subject for the entry on Young, Edith Mary. View the original entry....
Young, Peter
Young, Peter (1950–99), soldier and archivist, was born 16 June 1950 at Holles St. maternity hospital, Dublin, second son of Peter Young, army commandant (originally of Cork) and Mary Young (née Condon), living at 29 Skreen Road, off Navan Road, near McKee Barracks, Dublin. He had…...