During the 1913 Lockout over sixty East Wall families were evicted by the Merchants Warehousing Company. The photograph above is a particularly haunting image, showing an evicted family carrying their possessions along Merchants Road. The other two photographs, while not as poignant, also illustrate the events of that day. The first shows bailiffs gathered at a door about to serve an ejectment notice on a family, while the second is evicted residents with their furniture placed in front of their former home.
Baliffs
The quality of these images is poor; however, as no other copies are currently available to us we feel that they are of such historical importance that they should be published.
Images can fade, but memories should not. Next Sunday,15th September a commemorative event to remember the families evicted during the 1913 Lockout is taking place – an impressive new mural depicting an eviction scene along with a plaque on the Merchants houses will be unveiled.
Family furniture
It will be a very busy afternoon – Relatives of some of those evicted will be taking part , James Connolly’s great grandson will read a report written by Connolly two days after the event , and and the Fintan Lalor Pipe band (historically associated with the Lockout and the Irish Citizen Army) will be represented.
The newspapers of the day commented on the defiance of those evicted, recording that “the women and children hurrahed and cheered for Larkin and the Transport Union.” In memory of this, cast members from “The Risen People” (from the PEG Drama and Variety Group) will sing strike songs outside the very same houses.
Afterwards refreshments will be served, and there will be a small photographic exhibition, including some new and rarely seen material. There will also be an opportunity to hear the story of Daniel and Bernard Courtney, evicted residents who went on to participate in the 1916 Rising.
Sunday 15th September
Assemble: St. Josephs Co-Ed School, East Wall Road, 2.30pm
For further information contact: eastwallhistory@gmail.com
Note: Eviction images courtesy Hugo McGuiness, original source: The Freemans Journal.