Making an Irish Free State City – The Winthrop Arcade story

The beautiful Winthrop Arcade was opened on 11 March 1926. It connects Winthrop Street and Oliver Plunkett Street by a glass covered way and consists of twelve shops. It was designed by architects Messrs Levie and Chillingworth, and was constructed by John Delany and Son, builders.

The little altered and unique early twentieth-century shopping arcade retains its distinctive timbered façade and arcaded entrance with shop units having terrazzo dado walls and curved plate glass façades. Internally, original features such as bronze frame display windows, glazed timber doors and an ornate clock also survive.

Building on the site commenced in December 1924. Thirteen months later in late February 1926, building and fitting out of the Winthrop Arcade was complete. At that point members of the Cork Industrial Development Authority (IDA) visited the new arcade. The minutes of their visit, which were published in the Cork Examiner on 2 March 1926, detail that the owner or promoter of the arcade Patrick Crowley was congratulated on the day for his “commendable enterprise”.

The newspaper write-up on the visit further reveals that the site of the arcade was formerly a cul-de-sac. Although compensation was paid to Patrick Crowley for some destruction on the site during the Burning of Cork in December 1920, such compensation only represented a small proportion of the capital invested in the new arcade. The members of the Cork IDA complimented Patrick Crowley on his private investment in the building work at a time when speculation in buildings was at a large discount in the city.

The Cork IDA further claimed that the arcade of shops was the first of its kind in the Irish Free State. They noted on the beauty of the plans and workmanship: “The decorative art displayed in the construction is of a high character and reflects credit on the craftsmen and artisans of Cork”.

An article in the Cork Examiner on 8 March 1926 highlights that the materials used in the construction of the shops included marble, mosaic, mahogany, oxidised copper and decolite. The architecture of the structure conformed to the Tudor style.

On account of the “centralised system of planning adopted, the subdivided overhead charges and general expenses were as far as each particular shop in the arcade was concerned”, reduced to a minimum. The newspaper article commented on the business types: “The types of business, which will be carried on are specialised and exclusive, the different proprietors will be enabled to sell their goods at very moderate prices.”

The first twelve shops that opened in March 1926 were diverse in their goods – baby linen specialists (Anthonys), select tailors (Fitzgeralds), grocers, tea and fruit merchants (Bannon Stores), fruiterer (Margaret Murphy), vacant suitable for fancies, jewellery, etc, tobacconist (Morriss), lingerie specialities (M Griffin), Le Floriste (Collins), millinery specialist (Marie), needle, craft and novelties (Emer), chemist and druggist (James T O’Sullivan), and knit-wear goods made in Cork (Agnes Quinn).

Patrick Crowley, the promoter and proprietor, was well known for his enterprises and business acumen in the city. He had two licensed premises, one of which was at 7 Winthrop Street. He resided at Lota Ville in Glanmire.

Patrick’s obituary in the Cork Examiner on 15 February 1937 reveals a person with many business interests. The newspaper describes that he was aged about sixty years at the time of his death. He spent the greater part of his life in Cork and would be “long remembered for his many civic services”.

Patrick was a native of the Muskerry district and came to Cork as a young man to join the staff of Messrs John Daly as an accountant. At that time also Patrick began to take a keen interest in public activities especially in industrial development. The obituary in the Cork Examiner notes of his developing interest: “This early attention to the trend of public affairs was undoubtedly an important factor in building up his remarkable business foresight. The industrial development of Ireland project found in his heart a particularly warm place.”

Patrick became an ardent and tireless worker in the cause of the Cork branch of the IDA. He became a member of the council. In 1920 two important companies are highlighted as closely linked to the work of the Cork IDA – Messrs Dowdall and Company, Shipping Agents of the Direct Lines to USA and French ports and the Irish International Trading Corporation (Cork) Ltd, grew out of the work of the association.

Patrick was one of its founding promoters of Irish International Trading Corporation (Cork) Ltd. The promoters aspired to secure outward as well as inward cargo for the vessels running between Cork and the United States ports, and also for the vessels about to run between Cork and continental ports. The company’s offices were at 27 Grand Parade.

On 8 July 1920, the capital of the corporation was £15,000 divided into 15,000 shares of £1 each, with power to increase same. Seven initial subscribers are listed in the memorandum and articles of association – Patrick Crowley (1,000 shares), James C Dowdall (750 shares), Francis J Daly (200 shares), John N Byrne (200 shares), Liam De Róiste (400 shares), Andrew O’Shaughnessy (500 shares), and Thomas P Dowdall (1,000 shares)

Patrick was also one of the founders of the Irish Tourist Association (ITA), a body, which played a most important part in putting the name of Ireland as a holiday resort before the eyes of the world. In the obituary, thanks is given to him, as well as the other founders, for what is described as the “rich harvest” that Ireland drew and continued to draw, from overseas visitors. The group were also responsible for creating avenues in travel and hotel accommodation, which had been made before their advent in the early 1920s.

Upon the death of John Callaghan Foley, the responsible and honoured position of chairman of the Cork branch of the ITA fell upon the shoulders of Patrick.

Patrick was also for many years a member of the Cork Chamber of Commerce and succeeded the Francis M Bradley as president. Patrick died twelve months into the presidency.

Circa 1926, Patrick was appointed as a member of the Cork Harbour Commissioners as a representative of Cork’s commercial interests. The Cork Examiner obituary denotes Patrick as

a person open to giving advice. “While acting upon the Harbour board, as well as on other bodies, he never failed to give wise and kindly counsel, which was always directed towards the development of the port as a landing place for the thousands of visitors coming to Ireland on vacation.”

A poignant feature of Patrick’s death in 1937 was that it followed quickly on that of his wife and that of his daughter, Mrs Hegarty of Cove.