Re: Re: Post boxes

Thomas Jessop Davis (1864-1946) began his industrial career with the family-owned Saint John’s Mills (established 1858), a corn mill water mill on the outskirts of Enniscorthy which ceased operation in 1989: the derelict mill (1885) – cleared of the grain silos introduced in 1935 and 1954 – was recently the subject of a planning application for development as an apartment complex-hotel scheme.

A trained engineer, Davis opened an ironworks in the grounds of the corn mill in 1890 but moved the business to the purpose-built Saint John’s Ironworks and Foundry on the opposite side of the Urrin River in 1908. The ironworks closed down in 1962 although some of the buildings survive, again derelict.

As well as “wall box” and the rarer “lamp box” post boxes, for which the ironworks apparently superseded W.T. Allen and Co. London (fl. 1881-1955) and A. [Andrew] Handyside and Co. (fl. 1853-1933) respectively as primary suppliers, the Jessop Davis stamp is seen on manhole covers and waterpumps throughout County Wexford and the neighbouring counties.