Come Here To Me!

Jonathan Swift: unlikely to appear in Fade Street.

Finished the exams (YES!) for a few hours now, and I decided to mark it by picking up a book from the library that I wasn’t actually obliged to read. Post exams, reading is actually a pleasure again. I went with a work from the Civic Trust, as they’re among my favourite Dubliners. I’ve always loved the irony in their offices being located so close to the Wood Quay monstrosity.

They’ve published some excellent studies of individual Dublin streets, looking at the development of the street and the factors that make them unique, with a particular focus on architecture. I ran with the Thomas Street edition,my great-grandmother was from Cornmarket and I’ve long been fascinated by the Liberties.

The information provided on Number 34 Thomas Street was particularly interesting:

The site of Frawleys is also significant, as it was formerly owned by the Quaker, Joseph Fade. Fade established himself in business on the site around 1715, and rapidly became one of the city’s most important bankers, having two streets named after him: Joseph Lane, which has subsequently been demolished and Fade Street, both off South Great George’s Street.

The book noted that Fade had been mentioned in some of the poetry of Jonathan Swift, and a look around revealed one example quite quickly. Within Will Wood’s Petition To The People Of Ireland (1725) there is mention to Fade and another famous Dublin banker of the day.

You will be my thankers,
I’ll make you my bankers,
As good as Ben Burton or Fade
For nothing shall pass
But my pretty brass,
And then you’ll be all of a trade.

(more…)

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