House of Read

  • Also Known As: Thomas Read and Co

  • Address: 3 Crane Ln and 4 Parliament St
  • Vicinity: Dame St
  • Type: Retail shop
  • Travel Genus: Sight
  • Sight Category: Building

Thomas Read & Co on Parliament Street was an 18th century cutlery shop, selling swords and knives, and residence on Parliament Street and Crane Lane that was in the business of manufacturing and selling blades for two and a half centuries. - AsNotedIn


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Timeline

Y/M/D Person Association Description Composition Food Event
Y/M/D Person Association Description Composition Food Event
1670/00/00 James Read establishes "James Read and Company", a sword making shop and forge on Blind Quay at Lower Exchange Street in Dublin, Ireland. Or, possibly Reads Cutlery was established in by father and son William and James Read.
1712/00/00 Another version is that James Read of Co Kildare arrives in Dublin to work as an apprentice cutler in a business established in the 1670s.
1725/00/00 Either way, James Read assumes control of a cutlery business in the 1720s.
1744/00/00 James Read, son of William and Catherine Read, dies. James Read was the brother of Richard Read, Mary (Read) Clarke, William Read III and Elizabeth (Read) Guinness. James Read's nephew, John Read, son of William, inherits the business.
1750/00/00 John Read buys property on Crane Lane, a busy Dublin street.
1765/00/00 In the early 1760s, Parliament Street is graded and shops are built on each side by the Wide Streets Commissioners to create a direct route to Dublin Castle. The Reads will soon expand their Crane Street business into the new Parliament Street building.
1776/00/00 John Read dies at about age 58 and his son Thomas Read takes over the cutlery. Another son of John Read, John junior, works along side his brother.
1821/00/00 Thomas Read and Co is granted a royal charter to manufacture and supply cutlery, medical instruments and swords to crown military forces in Ireland. The royal arms are displayed on a wall inside the building.
1923/00/00 Read's of Parliament Street is damaged by bullets, bombs and grenades.
1997/10/11 Read's of Parliament Street, the oldest shop in Dublin, has closed "until further notice" and is unlikely ever to reopen as a cutlers. The business was founded in 1675 and had been trading at its present location for over 200 years. - The Irish Times
2011/00/00 Longford businessman, Clem Kenny, buys the Read's derelict building and spends four years restoring it. "I bought it without coming into the building and (its restoration) was a form of therapy after my sister's death." CK

Data »

Particulars for House of Read:
Area of Significance Architecture
Sight Category Building
Architectural Style Georgian Architecture
Building Type House
Historic Use Retail shop
Historic Use Single dwelling




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