BENN, George. A History of the Town of Belfast from the Earliest Times to the Close of the Eighteenth Century. Together with: A History of the Town of Belfast from 1799-1810. With some incidental notices on local topics and biographies of well-known families. With maps, genealogical charts and illustrations.

Two volumes. London: Marcus Ward. And Royal Ulster Works, Belfast, 1877/80. pp. (1) x, 770, (2) 238. Mauve cloth, title, author and arms of Belfast in gilt on spines. From the libraries of William Swanston and James Moore with their bookplates on front pastedowns. Spine of first volume professionally rebacked, preserving original. A very good set. Scarce.

George Benn (1801-1882) was born at Tandragee, County Armagh. During his time as a pupil at Belfast Academy and Belfast Academical Institution he wrote a History of Belfast, first published in 1823. This topic continued to preoccupy him, and in 1877 and 1880 he published two volumes of a new edition, which utilised William Pinkerton’s research. He contributed articles to several journals. For a time he was a distiller in Downpatrick, County Down, and later a farmer and distiller on the family estate at Glenravel, Ballymena. He moved to Liverpool, but when iron ore was discovered on the Glenravel estate, he returned home. He and his brother Edward were responsible for the establishment of three hospitals in Belfast: the Samaritan Hospital, the Hospital for Diseases for the Skin, and the Benn Ulster Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital. His collection of antiquities was presented to the Ulster Museum. This important work relates the history of Belfast and its environs from the earliest times to 1810. It is further complemented with biographies of well-known families. Each volume is separately paginated and indexed. It is an indispensable source for the study of the history of this important city.

[Cat 160]