Page 16 - The Gonzaga Record 1985
P. 16
In 1700 a Mungo Bewley left Cumberland for Ireland. He settled in Edenderry,
Co. Offaly. All the present day Bewleys in Ireland are descended from him. For
Dubliners, of course, the name Bewley means one thing in particular -the famous
firm of Bewley's Oriental Cafes.
Most of the Bewley families were prolific, and nearly all of them were in
business. It would be a difficult task to trace them all. Bewley's Oriental Cafe was
founded by Joshua Bewley in 1840. In Ireland, the Quakers will be forever
remembered for their philanthropic works, especially during the years of the Great
Famine. This tradition of caring is continued today by Mr Victor Bewley in his
work for itinerant families. He also pushed through a scheme for worker-
ownership of Bewley's Cafes.
However, our main interest here is in the branch of the family that lived in what
is now the grounds of Gonzaga College. A Samuel Bewley, whose family lived at
Sandford Grove, Ranelagh and undoubtedly a close relation of Joshua Bewley, ran
a tea-warehouse in Sycamore Alley and also a shop at 6 Dame Street, near the
entrance to Dublin Castle. The site is now occupied by a bank. The Bewley Estate
and the adjoining Milltown Park estate was originally known as Cold Blow Farm.
The present Belmont A venue was Cold Blow Lane. The name is curious, and may
possibly indicate that it was an open, exposed area before the present magnificent
show of trees was planted.
As there were three different Bewley houses on the whole estate it would be well
to get the geography of the place correct in our minds. As one comes up the main
avenue one passes on the left the College of Industrial Relations. This is the first
Bewley house, and was called Sandford Lodge. It came into the possession of the
Jesuits at a later period than Gonzaga College. The next large house was Sandford
Grove. It was renamed by the Jesuits as St Joseph's.
After acquisition by the Jesuits it was first used to house the Jesuit students of
theology following the fire at Milltown Park. It later became the main school house
of Gonzaga College. The third Bewley House was Sandford Hill. Mr William
Bewley lived in this house until 16 June 1950. When the College opened in that
autumn Sandford Hill was both the Jesuit community house and the school, all in
one. A pretty crowded affair, as can be imagined. Curiously enough it has never
bee n renamed, as St Joseph 's was, and is simpl y referred to as 'the Community
House.' The sign-post pointing to the different entrances for Sandford Grove and
Sandford Hill was removed only on 6 November 1953.
When the Jesuits acquired the Bewley property in 1950 the grounds were not
quite as they are today. To begin with, the front lawn, which is such a beautiful
feature of the grounds, had been used as a potato field during World War 11. It
took a lot of work and rolling to bring the lawn to what it is today. The out-houses,
which had been stables in the old days, were in a poor state of repair. The two
houses, Sandford Hill and Sandford Grove, were separate properties divided by a
ditch. The avenue and paths were devoid of asphalt and in wet weather were
muddy and pot-holed. These were all things that could be dealt with in time.
Gonzaga College has always been blessed in the beauty of its grounds. They are
not particularly large grounds, in all around fifteen acres. But there is a proportion
about them that is very pleasing. The trees also give it a sylvan air, crowned by the
incomparabl e copper beech on the front lawn.
8
Co. Offaly. All the present day Bewleys in Ireland are descended from him. For
Dubliners, of course, the name Bewley means one thing in particular -the famous
firm of Bewley's Oriental Cafes.
Most of the Bewley families were prolific, and nearly all of them were in
business. It would be a difficult task to trace them all. Bewley's Oriental Cafe was
founded by Joshua Bewley in 1840. In Ireland, the Quakers will be forever
remembered for their philanthropic works, especially during the years of the Great
Famine. This tradition of caring is continued today by Mr Victor Bewley in his
work for itinerant families. He also pushed through a scheme for worker-
ownership of Bewley's Cafes.
However, our main interest here is in the branch of the family that lived in what
is now the grounds of Gonzaga College. A Samuel Bewley, whose family lived at
Sandford Grove, Ranelagh and undoubtedly a close relation of Joshua Bewley, ran
a tea-warehouse in Sycamore Alley and also a shop at 6 Dame Street, near the
entrance to Dublin Castle. The site is now occupied by a bank. The Bewley Estate
and the adjoining Milltown Park estate was originally known as Cold Blow Farm.
The present Belmont A venue was Cold Blow Lane. The name is curious, and may
possibly indicate that it was an open, exposed area before the present magnificent
show of trees was planted.
As there were three different Bewley houses on the whole estate it would be well
to get the geography of the place correct in our minds. As one comes up the main
avenue one passes on the left the College of Industrial Relations. This is the first
Bewley house, and was called Sandford Lodge. It came into the possession of the
Jesuits at a later period than Gonzaga College. The next large house was Sandford
Grove. It was renamed by the Jesuits as St Joseph's.
After acquisition by the Jesuits it was first used to house the Jesuit students of
theology following the fire at Milltown Park. It later became the main school house
of Gonzaga College. The third Bewley House was Sandford Hill. Mr William
Bewley lived in this house until 16 June 1950. When the College opened in that
autumn Sandford Hill was both the Jesuit community house and the school, all in
one. A pretty crowded affair, as can be imagined. Curiously enough it has never
bee n renamed, as St Joseph 's was, and is simpl y referred to as 'the Community
House.' The sign-post pointing to the different entrances for Sandford Grove and
Sandford Hill was removed only on 6 November 1953.
When the Jesuits acquired the Bewley property in 1950 the grounds were not
quite as they are today. To begin with, the front lawn, which is such a beautiful
feature of the grounds, had been used as a potato field during World War 11. It
took a lot of work and rolling to bring the lawn to what it is today. The out-houses,
which had been stables in the old days, were in a poor state of repair. The two
houses, Sandford Hill and Sandford Grove, were separate properties divided by a
ditch. The avenue and paths were devoid of asphalt and in wet weather were
muddy and pot-holed. These were all things that could be dealt with in time.
Gonzaga College has always been blessed in the beauty of its grounds. They are
not particularly large grounds, in all around fifteen acres. But there is a proportion
about them that is very pleasing. The trees also give it a sylvan air, crowned by the
incomparabl e copper beech on the front lawn.
8
