Gareth Malone tonight

[MaryA]

I think he might be interesting.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06b86vw

[Blue70]

Best episode of the series so far. I would have liked them to look into Dan's parents I think they were probably Irish. Dan was baptised in an RC church in Leeds on 11 Mar 1823. Parents were Patrick and Mary. He may have learned the Irish songs from his parents and knew about Liverpool from his parents. There's a Liverpool shanty called Whip Jamboree sung by The Spinners that includes the lyrics, "And now my lads we’re all in dock, We’ll be off to Dan Lowry’s on the spot".

Slater's Directory 1869

Malakoff Dan Lowry 20 and 22 Cleveland square

Green's Directory 1870

Lawry D publican 22 Cleveland square
Lowrey Daniel jun licensed victualler 71 Paradise Street


Blue

[MaryA]

Thank you for those extra details.

I also thought it was the best one - is that because they unexpectedly came to Liverpool?

Fabulous that the theatre was still there in Ireland, how amazing must it have been for him to find it like that.

[MaryA]

I wonder if his son had separate establishments before they went to Ireland, the 1871 Fultons Commercial Directory of Liverpool lists.

Lowrey, Dan Victualler 73 Dale St and 16 Hanover St
Lowrey Daniel Jnr Victualler, 71 Paradise Street and Cleveland Square

[Blue70]

I've found the following for the Lowrys in Leeds it looks like the parents probably came over from Ireland some time before 1823:-

- 1823 RC baptism of Dan to Patrick and Mary
- 1825 RC baptism of Thomas to Patrick and Mary
- 1836 CE burial of James 1 year old son of Patrick and Mary of Wheeler Street
- 1839 CE burial of Patrick (married man) of Wheeler Street aged 46
- 1840 CE marriage of Dan of Wheeler Street son of Patrick (weaver)
- 1841 Census shows Dan's family at Zion Street

According to this source the traditional story was Dan Lowry was born in Roscrea, County Tipperary and his family moved to England so Dan may have wanted his English birth to be played down when he was in Ireland and perhaps have his ancestral origins replace his English birth details to win over his Irish customers:-

http://www.findlaters.com/chapter7.html


Dan's father Patrick was a weaver in Leeds:-

"The population of Roscrea appears to have reached its height in the 1830s. In 1885 a wool merchant from the neighbouring town of Birr reported to the House of Commons Select Committee on Industries (Ireland) that in the early decades of the 19th century 1,000 men were employed in Roscrea as weavers and wool combers, but that by the early 1880s this number had dropped to just 2."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roscrea


According to Annals of the Liverpool Stage by RJ Broadbent (1908):-

“The Malakoff Music Hall was brought into existence during the fifties, by the late Dan Lowrey. It was situated in Cleveland Square and was a popular resort for youthful and ancient mariners. In addition to variety performances, plays and pantomimes were also submitted. In one of Mr Lowrey’s advertisements (1864), he amusingly stated ‘there is a private box for captains and gentlemen’. Outside the Malakoff there is a statue of Mr Lowrey in one of his favourite Irish characters...

The Casino, 23 Bevington Hill, was originally intended for a market. In the early sixties it was called the Princess’s Theatre. Afterwards it was opened by Dan Lowrey, who christened it the Nightingale Palace of Amusement and Recreation. Prices of admission (which included refreshments), were threepence, fourpence, and sixpence. The Nightingale was run on similar lines to the Malakoff.”


Blue

[MaryA]

It would be interesting to know if he has this information. He does have a Facebook page although he posts fairly frequently updating what he's doing, I don't know how many of the replies he reads. There is also a column for Visitor Posts, could it be worthwhile posting that detail on there to see if he is interested?

[luxor]

It would be interesting to know if he has this information....

I didn't see the programme, but as I read this thread I couldn't help noticing that you guys could hunt out more in an hour or two than BBC 'expert' researchers did in months! The Beeb should have consulted the experts...

[MaryA]

I couldn't help noticing that you guys could hunt out more in an hour or two than BBC 'expert' researchers did in months! The Beeb should have consulted the experts...

We appreciate the praise but I feel sure they would have dug up more than they were able to put on the programme. Sadly for us they don't seem to have thought more Irish research was worthwhile, but we would have enjoyed seeing more of it.

[Blue70]

WDYTYA does research before making the programme and so has a story it wants to tell and either shows the celebrity the relevant information or allows the celebrity to find the relevant information. I think Gareth found what he was expected to find. The Roscrea information is out there but pursuing the line back to Ireland may not have been as good TV as the visit to the theatre in Dublin. They wanted to focus on the entertainment side.


Blue