Brownlow House Lurgan Northern Ireland

Brownlow House was built in 1833 for the Rt Hon Charles Brownlow later to become Lord Lurgan. In both wars WWI and WWII the house was used by the military to station troops. During WWII British and American troops were stationed at the house and it was said that the Supreme Allied Forces Commander General Dwight D Eisenhower also stayed in the property. The Basement of the House has recently been refurbished and converted into an Eisenhower Museum and it was during the renovation building works when it became necessary to demolish certain walls, that two warm air stoves manufactured and installed by G & J Haden of Trowbridge Wiltshire were uncovered. The people in the property then contacted the Heritage Group Website to enquire about the Haden stoves. This was immensely exciting as finding warm air stoves carrying the name G & J Haden is a very rare discovery of great engineering heritage value. What makes this discovery very important is the installation time of the 1830s. This is the early years when George & James were establishing the quality of their work and it is therefore likely that these stoves were installed by James Haden.

These stove frontplates are a very early Haden design.Although the royal warrant is shown (granted due to their work at Windsor Castle) they had not yet chosen the iconic portico front plate design that was to become their permanent feature.

The two warm air stoves had been installed in the Basement with brickwork ducts constructed under
the ground floor rooms to transfer heat into these rooms through grilles fitted in the skirting boards. 

The furnace chamber of each stove is of rivetted construction. Note that the side plates have finned extension sections which fit tight to the adjoining brick walls. The fins were fitted to increase the heated surface area to maximize the transference of furnace heat into the warmed air.

As every Haden stove manufactured during the 1800's carried its unique number a search was made in the firm's original order books to establish the date of the installation and any other salient information. The Haden firm is a rare example of a Heating & Ventilating company that has retained an archive of its historical memorabilia. This is held on deposit in the Wiltshire History Centre in Chippenham. Sadly no entry was found in the order books relating to the Brownlow House stoves. However, a check of the early account books did reveal two entries that give the cost of the stoves and ventilators.

the notes say, 1837 Chasl. Brownlow Esq" Lurgan Ireland March 13th To two Ventilating Warm Air stoves delivered in Lurgan and fixing them in the new house as per contract            £100  -  - Sept 18th Two ventilators perculiar to works with double valves at 21/- each                                                             £2 - 2 - 1838 February 16th Nine ventilators with one valve each fitted up complete at 15/-                             £6 - 15 - Bill sent to No 1 Harley Street London 8th April 1841 settled by bill at 21 days dated 19th April 1841 received by Trrowbridge on 22nd.

the notes say, Chas' Brownlow Esq" Lurgan Ireland two Ventilators 2ft x by two ditto 2ft wide x 11/2 high These must be packed separate as directed but may go in one boxor package with Col' Close's as they are Brothers in Law and have frequent intercourse from house to house.

During 1996 several arson attempts were made on the building but one attack on 30th August resulted in the destruction of most
of the building. When the building was restored, the renovation works removed most of the original low level warm air ductwork
distribution and the ventilators. Sadly, only one example of the ventilator grilles now remains in its original skirting board location.

The Ventilator Grille shown above is the double valve pattern The ventilator grille shown on the left is the single valve pattern