Michael Henry Gill

GILL, Michael Henry (1794?-1879) — Dublin

Printer & publisher. Published John O’Donovan, ‘The genealogies, tribes, and customs of Hy-Fiachrach commonly called O’Dowda’s country’ 1844, with a map; as ‘McGlashan & Gill’ — see James McGlashan — James Fraser, ‘Handbook of the lakes of Killarney’ 1857, with maps; James Fraser, ‘Hand book for Dublin and its environs : with a map of the city, and street maps on an entirely new plan’ 1857; Sir Cusack P. Roney, ‘How to spend a month in Ireland’ 1861, with maps; Map of Glengariff Harbour, lithographed by Robert Winter Sprague for the Irish Industrial Magazine 1866; as ‘M. H. Gill & Son’, M. H. Gill & Son’s new map of the city of Dublin and its environs 1879, produced by ‘W. & A. K. Johnston’ (see BME 2011).

Born about 1794, the son of Henry Gill (d.1797), a woollen-draper, and his wife Catherine O’Neill (1764-1837). Apprenticed to Daniel Graisberry and Richard Campbell, it is said for a premium of £100. Gill became a journeyman for the Graisberry concern until buying a half share in the business for £357.19s.1½d from Ruth Graisberry in 1827, becoming a full partner in 1833. He bought the remainder of her share in 1837 and after her death in 1842 Gill became printer to the Dublin University Press. He printed for both William Curry and James McGlashan. He married Mary Catherine Hart (1812-1860), with whom he had a number of children, five of whom predeceased him, 26 Jan 1836 at St. Mary’s, Marlborough Street, Dublin. He acquired McGlashan’s stock, copyrights and premises on 1 Jan 1856 and traded initially as ‘McGlashan & Gill’ before becoming ‘M. H. Gill & Son’ in 1876, with his son Henry Joseph Gill (1836-1903). He died in Sackville Street 20 Mar 1879 aged eighty-five and was buried at Glasnevin. His will was proved 19 Apr 1879, his effects stated at under £40,000. The family bookshop survived on O’Connell Street until 1979.

University Printing Office, Dublin — 1843-1845