Blasts From The Past

Walker’s Garage 1920s with Tom Walker, Bill la Comber, George Evans & Eddie Lawrence

n the first of a series, Gary Acheson digs through Greystones’ more curious past adventures.

Oliver St. John Gogarty

Starting with a newspaper article from the Dublin Evening Mail, dated Feb 5th 1926, headlined Impersonating Doctor Gogarty….

To put the newspaper article in context, Gary gives us a little background detail…

Oliver St. John Gogarty – doctor, author, senator and inspiration for ‘Buck Mulligan’ in Joyce’s ‘Ulysses’. Former golf pro at Delgany Golf Club, Thomas Walker – a cousin on my mother’s side – owned Walkers Garage on Church Rd, later known as the Central Garage then Hill’s Garage.

‘How an elderly man whose name was given as John Samuel Browne of Liverpool personated Senator Dr. Gogarty at Greystones was told at Bray District Court today. Browne who was respectable in appearance, wore glasses and was dressed in a cape overcoat, was charged by Superintendent Casserly with obtaining by false pretences £2 15s with intent to defraud by falsely representing himself to be Dr. O. Gogarty and also by forging a bank draft in his name.

George Evans, Greystones, driver for Mr. Walker, motor car owner, who said on Tuesday the defendant came to the garage and stated that he was Dr. Gogarty and wanted a car for Gorey as he was in a hurry. Mr. Walker then came on the scene and the defendant spoke with him. Witness drove the defendant to Gorey and on the way he stopped at several licenced houses. He put up at the Railway Hotel, Gorey, and Browne told him to wait there as he had to see two patients.

Defendant visited several pubs and after spending about 3 1/2 hours in Gorey they returned to Greystones at midnight. Defendant said he would pay £1 for the car and asked for a piece of paper and a twopenny stamp and he wrote out what he said was a rough draft on the Bank of Ireland, as he said he had not a cheque book on him. He gave it to Mr. Walker. Witness afterwards drove him to the Grand Hotel, Greystones, and left him at the door.

SUSPICIONS AROUSED

To the defendant, witness did not know how much he had spent on drink. He had some drink with the accused. Defendant – What is the name on the paper? It must be the name which you gave. Can you read writing? I cannot read that.

Thomas Walker, Greystones, owner of the motor car, corroborated that the defendant stated that he was Dr. Gogarty. Witness told him that he would charge £2 15s for the car, and the defendant said that was all right. On the return of the defendant from Gorey, he wrote out the bank draft (produced). Witness accepted the draft, believing it to be all right. Next morning, he became suspicious and rang up Dr. Gogarty, and as the result of the conversation with him he reported the matter to the Civic Guard.

THE INITIALS “O.B.J”

Superintendent – What address did the defendant give you? Witness – Fitzwilliam Square – I believe the number was 35. At about 11 o’clock on Wednesday witness overtook defendant at Windgates walking towards Bray.

Witness, in reply to the defendant, stated is was as soper as he was now when he came to the garage first, but he was under the influence of drink when he came back from Gorey. Defendant – How is the signature on the draft spelt? Witness – To the best of my knowledge the initials are “O.B.J” What is the other name? It would take a smart man to make it out. I cannot.

Guard Sherlock, Greystones, gave evidence of arresting the defendant at Windgates. At the station he said “You are very kind to tolerate me at all. I am the greatest scoundrel that ever drew breath.” Inspector Ryan, Bray, stated that on Monday at 6 p.m. the defendant entered the Civic Guard station at Bray, and asked if they had any account of the pocket book that had been lost in Dun Laoghaire the previous day. “I suppose you don’t know who I am” he added. “No I don’t” replied the Inspector. He then said “I am Dr. Gogarty of Fitzwilliam Square”. He then asked who was the Superintendent, and on being informed, he said that he would call back in half an hour to see him.

“DRINKING HEAVILY”

Senator Dr. Oliver St. J. Gogarty, Ely Place, Dublin, said he did not know the defendant, nor had he ever seen him before to his recollection. On Wednesday, Mr. Walker had ‘phoned him that a person had represented himself to be Dr. Gogarty in Greystones. Witness informed him that it couldn’t have been him and communicated with the Detective Division.

Defendant sworn that his name was John Richard Browne and his mother’s name was Fogarty. He was drinking heavily at the time and had hardly recovered from the effects. Mr. Walker would not be at the loss of one penny, even if he had to use his old age pension of 10s, he would pay him. He had no recollection of being in Bray Station, but remembered giving his address as Tithebarn street, Liverpool. He left his home in Finton street, Liverpool, about 18 days ago. When he was in Gorey the lady at the hotel gave him credit of 7s 1d. He was a civil engineer and draughtsman, and was 69 1/2 years of age. He had a son in Cammell, Laird’s, Birkenhead. He was a Dublin man, but was abroad for 34 years in the Argentine, and it was 11 years since he was in Ireland.

Mr. Price said that as the signature on the draft was illegible, he could not convict the defendant for giving Dr. Gogarty’s name. He, however, convicted him of false pretences, and sentenced him to two months’ imprisonment without hard labour.’

You can go jump into a whole plethora of Gary Acheson’s historical digs right here, and his dad, Harry’s, old photographs here.