Silk to Sacks
The Dublin Tenements
Development - The Georgian Era
Many of the Dublin streets are named after the people that developed them, or lived on them. Gardiner Street is named after the architect and politician, Luke Gardiner.
Luke Gardiner represented Tralee in the Irish House of Commons from 1725 until 1727, after which he went on to represent Thomastown until 1955 when he died. As the owner of many a property in Dublin City, Luke Gardiner developed much of the North side of the city, east along the Liffey.
Luke had a close associate, also a politician, and a ranger on Phoenix Park, this friend was Nathaniel Clements, also the designer of Áras an Uachtaráin, the Presidents Residence.
Nathaniel was the first resident at number 7 Henrietta Street, and there is a plaque on the wall to commemorate this. No surprise the house has also been used as an artists studio, I can imagine it would be quite an inspiring location for a creative. This 9 bedroomed terraced house, in need of refurbishment on all floors, was for sale at one point for €1,200,000. Houses on Henrietta Street are rarely for sale.
The street itself, it has been written, was named after the Duchess of Grafton and daughter to the Earl of Worcester, her married name was Henrietta Fitzroy.
Henrietta, like many of the people who lived on the street of the same name, had a very short life. The Lady Henrietta Somerset was married at 22 and dead at 35, she had given birth to 10 children. Henrietta's husband, Charles Fitzroy was somewhat luckier, he reached the age of 73, he died on May the 6th 1757. The Fitzroys never resided at Henrietta Street, but the family history is extensive, full of mistresses and children, quite a trail for fans of geneology.
There has been mention of an alternative person, another Henrietta, who may have had this street named after her, I guess we will never be 100% certain, but in finding this information we also find out where the name came from for Bolton Street. Henrietta, the wife of Charles Paulet, 2nd Duke of Bolton. So, just when you are trying to determine which Henrietta had this wonderful Georgian street named after her, let me throw in there that Luke Gardiner also had a daughter called Henrietta.
In the Georgian era the North side of Dublin was the place to be, until the Earl of Kildare came along and had a town house built on the South side. His house was the envy of many, and inspired people to follow him to the South. The Earl of Kildare became the Duke of Leinster, and his town house is the place we know today as Leinster House.