MORISON, Matthew (1801-1882) — Dublin
Lithographer. Lithographed William Duncan, Ireland shewing the several counties 1848; some earlier work undertaken with Alexander Forrester (see BME 2011) is listed under Forrester.
Born in Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland, 6 Aug 1801 and baptised 19 Aug 1801, the son of William Morison and Mary McIvor, who had married in 1782. He was in partnership with Alexander Forrester (see BME 2011) 1821-1825 until the partnership was formally dissolved 12 May 1825, with Morison continuing alone at their Dublin branch. In 1827, he announced “the removal of his Lithographic Establishment from No. 9, Upper Sackville-street, to more commodious premises, 31, Bachelor’s-Walk, (three doors from Sackville street,) where he continues to execute, in the neatest manner, and on the shortest notice, circular letters, law forms, (on paper or parchment,) fac-similies, and writing of every description; also, plans of estates, maps, visiting and business cards, shop bills, coats of arms, &c. &c.” (Saunders’s News-Letter, 29 Sep 1827). A little later, the announcement of the appointment of an agent in Waterford included the claim that Morison was “the first who established lithographic printing in Ireland” (Saunders’s News-Letter, 17 Nov 1827). He married Margaret Jane Seagrave (1800?-1890) in 1828. He acted as a witness at the dissolution of the partnership between Robert Kirkwood 2 and John Kirkwood (see BME 2011) in 1831. In 1840-1841, he was serving as the Honorary Secretary for Dublin of the Association for the Promotion of the Fine Arts in Scotland. In 1845-1860, he was recorded as the “sole agent in Ireland for Ritchie’s arming, copying, and stamping presses”. In 1845-1867 he was acting as Dublin agent for the Life Association of Scotland. His son William McIvor Morison appears to have taken over the running of the lithographic printing by 1852-1853, from which point Matthew Morison appears in directories as a land agent, etc. Matthew Morison died at home 25 Feb 1883 aged eighty-one and was buried at Mount Jerome. Probate on an estate of £2,614.8s.7d was granted to his son William McIvor Morison 28 Jul 1883.
22 St. James Square, Edinburgh — 1822-1825
9 Upper Sackville Street, Dublin — 1825-1827
31 Bachelor’s Walk (three doors from Sackville Street), Dublin — 1827-1841
32 Bachelor’s Walk, Dublin — 1845-1870
— Westminster, Grosvenor Road, Rathmines, Dublin (home) — 1858-1882
BNA. EG. LHD.