Quaker families and commerce

Over the past 300 years, the Quakers have played a central role in the development of industry throughout the Mountmellick area. The Bewley, Beale and Pim families are particularly synonymous with this legacy.

The Bewley Legacy
The Bewley family is French in origin. They moved from France to the north of England in the middle ages. During the religious turmoil of the 17th Century some members of the family became members of the Religious Society of Friends.

In 1700, at the age of 23, Mungo Bewley came to Mountmellick. In 1780, Mungo II, grandson of the first Mungo, established a linen factory which employed over 150 local people. He was also one of the founders of the Quaker School in Mountmellick. His eldest son, Samuel set up a silk business in Dublin, and in 1834, his second son Charles established a tea importation business. Charles’s business over time developed in Bewleys’ Oriental Cafés which for generations have held a special place in the heart of Dubliners and are still in operation today.

The Beale Family
Thomas Beale came to Ireland in 1652. It is claimed that he was a descendant of Robert Beale (1541-1601) who was Clerk of the Council of Elizabeth 1st. By the 18th Century the Beales were industrial leaders in the Mountmellick area. William (1765-1818) and Joshua (1770-1815) were cotton manufacturers at Irishtown/ William’s son.

Joseph, diversified into cotton, wool, brewing, and flour milling businesses. The family provided much employment up to famine times when economic circumstances forced the Beale family to emigrate to Australia.

The Pim Family
John Pim was among the original settlement of Quakers in Mountmellick in 1659. Like his fellow Quaker pioneers he was young, aged only 18, when he arrived in Co. Laois. In the 18th and 19th Centuries, the Pims were associated with many industries, including soap, glue, candles, tobacco, snuff, baking, brewing and malting In 1956 James Pim and Sons, Market Square, were grocers, wine merchants and woollen drapers. The Pims founded a successful bacon factory around 1926 at Church Lane.

Another branch of the Pim family moved to Dublin 1795. James Pim has been described as the "Quaker father of Irish railways" and he was involved in the building of the first railway line in Ireland between Dublin and Kingstown (Dun Laoghaire) which opened in 1834. The Pim family are still resident in Mountmellick and own a well known stud farm at Anngrove.