Andrew Mulholland (1791–24 August 1866), was a northern Irish cotton and linen manufacturer.

Biography

He was born in Belfast in 1791, the son of Thomas Mulholland, a cotton manufacturer who founded the company of Messrs. Thomas Mulholland & Co. of Union Street, Belfast. Andrew joined his father's company and took over with his brother when Thomas died, renaming the company Messrs. T. & A. Mulholland. Andrew realised that the supply of flax yarn being made by hand was quite insufficient to meet the demands of the Belfast spinners and that flax was being shipped across to Manchester to be spun and reimported as yarn. He therefore established in 1828 a small mill flax-spinning mill in St. James's Street and subsequently converted their York Street mill (recently rebuilt after a fire) to serve the same purpose. After the death of his brother Andrew carried on the business alone and for some years enjoyed very profitable results from having a near monopoly in the flax-spinning industry. The firm still remains one of the principal businesses in Belfast. When Belfast was incorporated in 1842 Andrew became a member of the council, was elected the third Mayor in 1845, and presented the town with the organ in Ulster Hall at a cost of £3,000. He established a home in Springvale, Ballywalter, co. Down and served as

High Sheriff of Down The High Sheriff of Down is the Sovereign's judicial representative in County Down. Initially an office for lifetime, assigned by the Sovereign, the High Sheriff became annually appointed from the Provisions of Oxford in 1258. Besides his judic ...

for 1855-56 and as

High Sheriff of Antrim The High Sheriff of Antrim is the Sovereign's judicial representative in County Antrim. Initially an office for lifetime, assigned by the Sovereign, the high sheriff became annually appointed from the Provisions of Oxford in 1258. Besides his judi ...

for 1858-59. He retired in 1860 and subsequently became a

justice of the peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...

and Deputy Lieutenant. He died at Springvale on 24 August 1866, aged 73. He had married in 1817 Eliza, the daughter of Thomas McDonnell of Belfast. Their eldest son,

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Secon ...

(b. 1819) became

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...

for co. Down in 1874, sat for Downpatrick from 1880 to 1885, and was in 1892 created Baron Dunleath of Ballywalter.

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Mulholland, Andrew 1791 births 1866 deaths Businesspeople from Belfast High Sheriffs of Down High Sheriffs of Antrim Mayors of Belfast Deputy Lieutenants of Down 19th-century British businesspeople