Lowry of Batchelors Lodge
Kells Road
Bachelors Lodge is located on the road between Navan and Kells in the townland of Scallanstown. Bachelors Lodge was built in 1725. The house had been erected by the Earl of Essex on his lands. Casey and Rowan described Batchelors Lodge as a mid eighteenth century house of modest proportions now covered by ivy. They said it had been built presumably as a hunting lodge by the Earl of Essex. The house has a dull Victorian porch according to Casey and Rowan. In one room the plasterwork looks as if it is from the 1760s. About 1790 Hamilton Wade, formerly a major in the army died at Bachelor’s Lodge. Alan Wade lived at Bachelor’s Lodge and married Anne Shenton. Rev. George Charles Garnett of Williamstown married their daughter Margaret. In 1805 John Wade was living at Bachelors Lodge. John was nephew and heir of Hamlet and Christopher Wade of Bachelors Lodge. In the 1830s Bachelors Lodge was described as a good two storey house, the residence of John Wade. In the 1850s Thomas Wallace was leasing Bachelor’s lodge and lands at Scallanstown from the Earl of Essex.
Born in 1839, Joseph Lowry died in 1913 aged 74. A native of Ballyjamesduff, he began his life as an assistant in a draper shop in Dublin. The draper shop later developed in into Clerys Department Store. Joseph married Mrs. Hannon, the proprietess of the Headfort Arms Hotel where he took up the position of manager. He was also an auctioneer and sub-sheriff of Meath.
Joseph and his family were Wesleyan Methodists and later Church of Ireland. Joseph Lowry, was a founder member of Navan race course. The family lived at Oatlands. Lowry leased Bachelors Lodge about 1880 before purchasing the property. A prominent owner and breeder, in 1913 Bachelor’s Wedding, a horse which Lowry had bred, won the Irish Derby and a prize fund of 1,000 guineas. Batchelor’s Wedding was also one of the runners in the 1913 Sufragette Derby. Another of his horses, Killeagh, also won the Irish Derby. He was known by race goers as “Lucky Lowry.” Joseph’s son, Albert took over the property. Albert married Emma Lewis of Athboy in 1889. Albert John Lowry of Batchelors Lodge died 1935 aged 67 years. The property is now home to the superb equestrian centre.
Source: meath-roots.com
‘The Lowry Family’ is at: http://www.ocotilloroad.com/geneal/lowry1.html