The Naval Storehouses and Mrs. Deane from Cork

 If you stand on the Deepwater Quay in Cobh where the cruise liners berth and gaze south you will be looking at the island of Haulbowline. The main buildings facing Cobh are beautiful cut limestone Naval Storehouses. There are six of these four storied, mansard roofed buildings - a set of three facing east and another three facing north on the waterfront and the central building facing Cobh is crowned by a cupola and clock whose chimes can be heard wafting over the water.
The expansion of the Haulbowline naval facility in the early 1800's meant the reclaiming of land on the eastern side of the island and the building of Naval Storehouses. This work was undertaken by the firm of Deane and Co from Cork city. Unusually the company was headed by a woman - Mrs Elizabeth Deane -matriarch of the great family of architects.
She supervised the work from 1816 until its completion in 1822 by voyaging daily by boat powered by 10 oarsmen from her home at Lapps Quay in Cork. When completed the stores could hold supplies for the Atlantic Fleet for a year and the water cisterns could hold over a million gallons of fresh water.

This is fondly remembered in the ballad " The town of Passage " - " and not forgetting Haulbowline Island, That was constructed by Mrs Deane, Herself's the lady who has stowed the water, To supply the vessels upon the main" The Deane Family are well remembered in Cork for their architectural achievements for which three of them were knighted.

Eddie English Blog