Historical Information on 15 College Square East

No. 15 College Square East is a four-storey late-Georgian townhouse, forming part of a terrace that includes nos 58-64 Wellington Place (HB26/50/022A-B) and nos 14-16 College Square East (HB26/50/022C-E). This terrace is a rare surviving example of Georgian architecture, once common in Belfast's city centre but now increasingly scarce. Similar historic examples can be found on Chichester Street and in three-storey terraces on Joy and Hamilton Streets.

Construction and Early Occupants

The terrace on Wellington Place and College Square East was constructed between 1822 and 1833, as evidenced by the absence of these structures on a map included in George Benn’s ‘The History of the Town of Belfast’, which indicated that the Royal Belfast Academical Institution (HB26/50/023) was at the western limit of the town during that time. The first edition of the Ordnance Survey map from 1832-33 depicts both the Wellington Place and College Square East terraces.

According to the Townland Valuation of Belfast, No. 15 College Square East was occupied by Ms. Bradshaw in 1837, with a valuation of £13 13s. 2d. and a yearly rent of 50 guineas. By 1852, Mrs. Bradshaw had vacated the premises, and the Belfast Street Directories recorded Mrs. Rosetta Harrison as the new tenant. However, her stay was brief, and by the 1860 Griffith’s Valuation, Mr. Joseph J. Murphy was the occupant. The valuer noted that No. 15 was leased by representatives of Mr. James Blair's estate, with an increased value of £42. Mr. Murphy was likely a manager at Linfield Mill due to the professional background of the area's residents.

Transition to Medical Occupants

By 1877, Dr. Brice Smith became the next recorded occupant of No. 15, marking the start of a series of medical professionals living there. Dr. Smith resided in the townhouse until at least 1880, after which Dr. James Lindsay took over by 1900. The Belfast Revaluation showed that by this time, the ownership had passed to Ms. Sarah White, who was noted as the lessor. The property comprised eight rooms and was fitted with gas, with a valuation increase to £62. In 1901, the Census described Dr. Lindsay's residence as a first-class dwelling with ten inhabited rooms.

Commercial Conversion

Dr. Lindsay remained at No. 15 until 1907, when Mr. J. Maguire, a Dental Surgeon, established a practice at the site. The building was uninhabited during the 1911 census, and Maguire's practice continued until at least 1918. In 1926, No. 15 was converted into an evangelical bookshop, which continues to operate at this location today. The adjacent properties, nos 14-16 College Square East, were acquired by Mr. Frederick H. Stringer around 1928 and transformed into commercial premises, featuring a shop on the ground floor and private offices above.

Value and Revaluation History

The Evangelical Bookshop, initially administered by the Presbyterian Bible Study League, occupied the ground floor, valued at £29, while the upper offices ranged from £9 to £32, yielding a total estimated value of approximately £106 by 1930. The first General Revaluation in 1935 raised the value to about £123 10s. Notably, No. 15 survived the devastation of Belfast city centre during the 1941 Blitz and was included in the second general revaluation starting in 1956.

By the 1950s, the Evangelical Bookshop had transferred ownership to M. Crymble Ltd., which operated a music shop at No. 58 Wellington Place and a warehouse at No. 14 College Square East. The ground floor shop's value increased to £139 since the 1935 assessment, while the upper offices were valued between £4 15s. and £44, bringing the total approximate value of the entire building to £215 10s. by the end of the 1972 revaluation.

Architectural Significance

Patton notes that College Square was designed in the early 19th century, originally intended as a residential area with a Georgian square surrounded by elegant townhouses. Constructed around 1830, No. 15 College Square East was once a redbrick structure, although much of the original façade has since been obscured by stucco render. Despite alterations, early pots survive on the chimneys, some featuring beaded or dropped bead types, and others with dragon’s teeth types.

Beckett states that this terrace was built to accommodate Belfast’s professional classes. The presence of two doctors and a dentist among No. 15's past occupants highlights the area’s historical significance. In 1890, it was noted that six surgeons resided in the surrounding terrace, and the renowned Mathematical Physicist and Engineer William Thomson, known as Lord Kelvin, is believed to have been born nearby in 1824.

Continuing Legacy

No. 15 College Square East was officially listed in 1976 and has remained a commercial property ever since. Remarkably, it continues to house the Evangelical Bookshop, which has been trading from this site for over 85 years.

References

Primary Sources

PRONI OS/6/1/61/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1832-33
PRONI OS/6/1/61/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1858
PRONI OS/6/1/61/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1901-02
PRONI OS/6/1/61/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1931
PRONI OS/6/1/61/5 – Fifth Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1938
PRONI VAL/1/B/75A+B – Townland Valuation c. 1837
PRONI VAL/2/B/7/4B – Griffith’s Valuation 1860
PRONI VAL/12/B/43/D/1-18 – Annual Revisions 1862-1930
PRONI VAL/12/B/43/E/1-24 – Annual Revisions 1862-1930
PRONI VAL/7/B/9/49 – Belfast Revaluation 1900
PRONI VAL/3/B/3/14 – First General Revaluation of Northern Ireland 1935
PRONI VAL/4/B/7/38 – Second General Revaluation of Northern Ireland 1956-72
George Benn’s The History of the town of Belfast (1823)
Census of Ireland (1901; 1911)
Belfast Street Directories (1861-1918)
First Survey Record – HB26/50/022 (1971)
First Survey Image – HB26/50/022 (1975-78)
Ordnance Survey map – 130-13SE (1959)

Secondary Sources

Beckett, J. C., ‘Belfast: The making of the city’ Belfast: The Appletree Press, 1983.
Patton, M., ‘Central Belfast: An historical gazetteer’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1993.

Online Resources

Evangelical Bookshop website - http://www.evangelicalbookshop.co.uk
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography website - http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/36507?docPos=1

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