George Acheson Cowan (1913 - 1999)

Born 29 Dec 1913 in Clondalkin, Dublin, Ireland

Ancestors

Husband of Edna N. A. (Tarleton) Cowan — married 1947 in Dublin, Ireland

Died 11 Nov 1999 at age 85 in Ireland

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Biography

The twins George and Francis (Frank) were born in Dublin in 1913^[1]. They were the fifth and sixth children of Thomas Cowan and Sarah Acheson. They were the first Cowan children to be born in their first house at 3 Church Cottages, Tower Road, Clondalkin.

George and his twin brother Frank took jobs in "Hills" woolen mills in the neighbouring village of Lucan. In 1946, the twins built a new bungalow on Orchard Road, which they called "Cloverlands". In the first weeks of 1947 in Dublin, on a bitterly cold day, George married Edna Tarleton, a lady he had first met in 1943^[2]. Edna was born in Dublin in the summer of 1923^[3].

Edna and George honeymooned in Belfast, where they stayed with George's cousin. Upon their return they settled in the new bungalow and built a shop attached to the house, that was opened the same year. In 1948, they welcomed their first of four children, a son (Alec), later to be joined to two more sons and 1 daughter (Adair, John and Shirley). The shop was so successful (it was one of the first in the neighbourhood), George purchased two more shops in 1951, specializing in menswear and operated by brother Frank. Both Frank and George left their jobs in the mills, as the shops became a full-time venture.

In 1955, George arranged for the building of the "Mayfair" ballroom, which over the next 20 years would host all the top bands of Ireland and the UK and attract patrons from all over Ireland for dancing and socializing. In 1961, the hardware shop was extended to handle ladies-wear. In the 1970s, George's children took over the running of the clothing and furniture shops. These two shops were expanded and operated by John and Shirley until 1994 when it was decided to rent them out.

George's brother Frank continued to operate the hardware shop, which evolved in its latter days into more of a novelties shop. It closed its doors in 1997 when Frank retired.

In 1996, John and wife Jan had opened a new Menswear shop on Monastery Road, which continued through 2004. This ended the era of the Cowans shops, influenced no doubt by the growth of shopping malls and chain stores.

George passed away in 1999. He was survived by his wife (until 2003), four children and four grand-daughters.

Sources

1. ↑ Ireland, Civil Registration Births Index, Dublin South, Volume 2, Page 557, FHL Film Nbr. 101075
2. ↑ Ireland, Civil Registration Marriages, Index, Dublin South, Volume 2, Page 475, FHL Film Nbr. 101580| Marriage Record, FamilySearch Login Required
3. ↑ Ireland, Civil Registration Births, Index, Dublin South, Volume 2, Page 549, FHL Film Nbr. 101229

See Also: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F1S4-YZ2 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FYLX-W6J