Builder, of Talbot Street, Dublin. Arthur Williams first appears in Wilson's Dublin Directory as a builder in Talbot Street in the edition for 1823. From 1823 or earlier he worked in partnership with GILBERT COCKBURN [1] GILBERT COCKBURN [1] on many important public contracts, including the lunatic asylums at Ballinasloe, Carlow, Derry and Limerick, the gaols at Cavan and Carlow and the court houses at Carlow and Cavan. The partnership was eventually dissolved, probably in 1833. In 1835 he is named as a patron of the Aged and Infirm Carpenters' Asylum; the name having changed by January 1837 to 'Arthur Williams and Sons'. He remained in business with his sons until at least 1857 but had died by 1862. He was probably related to ERASMUS WILSON WILLIAMS. ERASMUS WILSON WILLIAMS.
Addresses: Talbot Street, 1823; 30 Talbot Street, 1824-1831; 30 Talbot Street, as 'Williams & Cockburn', 1832; 30 Talbot Street, as 'Arthur Williams & Son', 1835-1837; 30 Talbot Street, as 'Arthur Williams and Sons', 1839; 48 Talbot Street, as 'architects and contractors', 1841-1844; 41 Talbot Street as 'contractors and builders', 1847; 41 Talbot Street, as 'builders', 1853.
See WORKS.
References
All information in this entry not otherwise accounted for is from the obituary of Gilbert Cockburn [1] in DB 4, 15 Feb 1862, 43, and Wilson's, Post Office and Pettigrew & Oulton's directories.
Pigot & Co.'s City of Dublin and Hibernian Provincial Directory (1824), 65, lists both Arthur Williams (with his address given wrongly as 30 Mabbot St) and 'Williams & Cockburn' at 9 Upper Dorset Street, which was Cockburn's address at the time.
Williams and Cockburn had separate premises by December 1833, see A.P.W. Malcomson, The Clements Archive (Dublin: Irish Manuscripts Commission, 2010), 412.
Freeman's Journal, 23 Nov 1835.
Freeman's Journal, 23 Jan 1837.
13 work entries listed in chronological order for WILLIAMS, ARTHUR *
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| Building: |
CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, ABBEY STREET LOWER, NO. 008½ (WESLEYAN METHODIST CHAPEL) |
| Date: |
1820-1821 |
| Nature: |
New Chapel built during 1820 and completed in 1821. Officially opened by Revd Dr Adam Clarke, 3 June 1821.
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| Refs: |
Illustration of chapel published in the Dublin edition of the Wesleyan Methodist Magazine in 1821 (photocopy in IAA, press cuttings file for Abbey Street). Information kindly given by Robin Roddie, Archivist, Methodist Historical Society of Ireland, Belfast, by email, October 2018.
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| Building: |
CO. LIMERICK, LIMERICK, MULGRAVE STREET, DISTRICT LUNATIC ASYLUM |
| Date: |
1823-1826 |
| Nature: |
A. Williams and GC awarded contract for same, Jun 1823. FS of central building laid May 1824. Completed May 1826. Cost: £22,758. |
| Refs: |
Minutes of Commissioners for General Control..and for Superintending…the Erection…of Asylums for the Lunatic Poor, Jun 1823, May 1826 (information from Brendan O'Donoghue); M. Lenihan, Limerick; its history and antiquities (1866), 459
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| Building: |
CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, KING'S BRIDGE? |
| Date: |
1823-1827 |
| Nature: |
Arthur Williams and Gilbert Cockburn[1] contractors for stonework? |
| Refs: |
Obituary of Cockburn in DB 4, 15 Feb 1862, 43, says that AW and GC were contractors for stonework of 'King's-bridge Terminus', but this was not built until after 1845, long after dissolution of partnership.
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| Building: |
CO. LIMERICK, LIMERICK, MULGRAVE STREET, DISTRICT LUNATIC ASYLUM |
| Date: |
1824-26 |
| Nature: |
A. Williams and GC contractors for same. Contract 'for a sum, not much exceeding £20,000' signed , 1816. FS of central building laid May 1824. Opened 1826, 'having been completed in two years at the expense of £30,000' (Ferrar) |
| Refs: |
Patrick Fitzgerald & John James McGregor, The history, topography, and antiquities, of the county and city of Limerick (Dublin, 1826-7), II, 603-4; M. Lenihan, Limerick; its history and antiquities (1866), 438,464
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| Building: |
CO. CAVAN, CAVAN, COUNTY GAOL |
| Date: |
1824a |
| Nature: |
Arthur Williams and George Cockburn contractors for same. (In Pigot's |Directory| (1824) 'new jail' is described as 'a neat, commodious and secure building'.) |
| Refs: |
Obituary of Cockburn in DB 4, 15 Feb 1862, 43
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| Building: |
CO. CAVAN, CAVAN, COUNTY COURT HOUSE |
| Date: |
1824a |
| Nature: |
New court house 'now erecting under the superintendance of Messrs Colbourne and Williams [almost certainly Williams & Cockburn], of Dublin' |
| Refs: |
Pigot and Co.'s City of Dublin and Hibernian Provincial Directory (1824), 368
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| Building: |
CO. CARLOW, CARLOW, COUNTY GAOL |
| Date: |
1828 |
| Nature: |
Gilbert Cockburn and Arthur Williams contractors. |
| Refs: |
Obituary of Cockburn in DB 4, 15 Feb 1862, 43
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| Building: |
CO. DUBLIN, SWORDS, GIRLS' SCHOOL |
| Date: |
1830 |
| Nature: |
Note in Clonliffe College archives: 'Board of Works has architect…poss Williams'. |
| Refs: |
B of I files citing Clonliffe College Archive, MS p1/2
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| Building: |
CO. ARMAGH, PORTADOWN, BRIDGE OVER RIVER BANN |
| Date: |
1834-1838 |
| Nature: |
New granite bridge of 3 semi-elliptical and 2 smaller semi-circular arches being built to replace old bridge. Begun in 1834 'and will be finiished it is supposed next year [1838]'. Architects & builders: Arthur Williams & Sons, Dublin.Cotract for £8,000 'but it is supposed that it will cost £9,000'.Built at expense of county. |
| Refs: |
A. Day & P. McWilliams, eds., Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland Vol I, 30.
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