Swastika Laundry
Encyclopedia
The Swastika Laundry was a laundry
founded in 1912, located on Shelbourne Road, Ballsbridge
, a district of Dublin, Ireland
. It was founded by John W. Brittain (1872–1937) from Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim who was one of the “pioneers of the laundry business in Ireland” having founded the Metropolitan and White Heather Laundries in 1899. He was also the owner of a famous horse called Swastika Rose which was well known “to frequenters of the Royal Dublin’s Society’s Shows“.
They used electric vans, that were painted in red with a black swastika
on a white background, to collect and deliver laundry to customers.
In 1939, the laundry changed its name to "The Swastika Laundry (1912)" to make clear the distinction between its use of the name and the symbol and the recent adoption of the symbol by the National Socialist (Nazi) Party in Germany.
The company ceased to exist in the late 1960s when it was bought out by the Spring Grove Laundry company which occupied the same site in Ballsbridge.
Following the closure of the laundry in the late 1960s and at least until the early 1980s the laundry chimney was emblazoned with a large white swastika
that could be seen from many places in the surrounding area including the Merrion Road
, a main road south from Dublin.
Spring Grove sold this property for redevelopment in the early 21st century, undoubtedly due to the Dublin property boom in the 1990s and 2000s and the fact that Ballsbridge
is part of the popular and exclusive area of Dublin 4
. An office development called "The Oval" was constructed on the site but the only reminder of the Swastika Laundry is a brick chimney, which is a protected structure. The chimney has been surrounded by the "oval" of the new development.
The use of the Swastika name for this company was as an ancient symbol of good luck in India
; its name originates from the sanskrit
svastika.
In his "Irisches Tagebuch" the future Nobel Laureate, Heinrich Böll
writes about a year spent living in the west of Ireland in the 1950s. While in Dublin, before heading to County Mayo
, he…
Laundry
Laundry is a noun that refers to the act of washing clothing and linens, the place where that washing is done, and/or that which needs to be, is being, or has been laundered...
founded in 1912, located on Shelbourne Road, Ballsbridge
Ballsbridge
Ballsbridge is a suburb of Dublin, Ireland, named for the bridge spanning the River Dodder on the south side of the city. The sign on the bridge still proclaims it as "Ball's Bridge" in recognition of the fact that the original bridge in this location was built and owned by a Mr...
, a district of Dublin, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. It was founded by John W. Brittain (1872–1937) from Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim who was one of the “pioneers of the laundry business in Ireland” having founded the Metropolitan and White Heather Laundries in 1899. He was also the owner of a famous horse called Swastika Rose which was well known “to frequenters of the Royal Dublin’s Society’s Shows“.
They used electric vans, that were painted in red with a black swastika
Swastika
The swastika is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing form in counter clock motion or its mirrored left-facing form in clock motion. Earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization of Ancient...
on a white background, to collect and deliver laundry to customers.
In 1939, the laundry changed its name to "The Swastika Laundry (1912)" to make clear the distinction between its use of the name and the symbol and the recent adoption of the symbol by the National Socialist (Nazi) Party in Germany.
The company ceased to exist in the late 1960s when it was bought out by the Spring Grove Laundry company which occupied the same site in Ballsbridge.
Following the closure of the laundry in the late 1960s and at least until the early 1980s the laundry chimney was emblazoned with a large white swastika
Swastika
The swastika is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing form in counter clock motion or its mirrored left-facing form in clock motion. Earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization of Ancient...
that could be seen from many places in the surrounding area including the Merrion Road
Merrion Road
Merrion Road in Dublin 4 is a road which runs from the RDS at Anglesea Road in Ballsbridge to Merrion, where it meets the Rock Road, Booterstown. It is home to the RDS, some well known hotels and is part of the Embassy Belt....
, a main road south from Dublin.
Spring Grove sold this property for redevelopment in the early 21st century, undoubtedly due to the Dublin property boom in the 1990s and 2000s and the fact that Ballsbridge
Ballsbridge
Ballsbridge is a suburb of Dublin, Ireland, named for the bridge spanning the River Dodder on the south side of the city. The sign on the bridge still proclaims it as "Ball's Bridge" in recognition of the fact that the original bridge in this location was built and owned by a Mr...
is part of the popular and exclusive area of Dublin 4
Dublin 4
Dublin 4 is a postal district of Dublin, Ireland including the suburbs of Sandymount, Ballsbridge, Donnybrook, Ringsend and Irishtown on the South side of Dublin....
. An office development called "The Oval" was constructed on the site but the only reminder of the Swastika Laundry is a brick chimney, which is a protected structure. The chimney has been surrounded by the "oval" of the new development.
The use of the Swastika name for this company was as an ancient symbol of good luck in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
; its name originates from the sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
svastika.
In his "Irisches Tagebuch" the future Nobel Laureate, Heinrich Böll
Heinrich Böll
Heinrich Theodor Böll was one of Germany's foremost post-World War II writers. Böll was awarded the Georg Büchner Prize in 1967 and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1972.- Biography :...
writes about a year spent living in the west of Ireland in the 1950s. While in Dublin, before heading to County Mayo
County Mayo
County Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
, he…
"was almost run over by a bright-red panel truck whose sole decoration was a big swastika. Had someone sold Völkischer BeobachterVölkischer BeobachterThe Völkischer Beobachter was the newspaper of the National Socialist German Workers' Party from 1920. It first appeared weekly, then daily from February 8, 1923...
delivery trucks here, or did the Völkischer Beobachter still have a branch office here? This one looked exactly like those I remembered; but the driver crossed himself as he smilingly signalled to me to proceed, and on closer inspection I saw what had happened. It was simply the "Swastika Laundry," which had painted the year of its founding, 1912, clearly beneath the swastika; but the mere possibility that it might have been one of those others was enough to take my breath away."
See also
- Hitlers' CrossHitlers' CrossCross Café, formerly known as Hitlers' Cross or Hitler's Cross, was a Hitler-themed restaurant at Kharghar in Navi Mumbai, a satellite city of Mumbai...
, the former name of a restaurant in IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
with a Nazi motif. - ASEAASEAAllmänna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget was a Swedish industry company. It merged with the Swiss Brown, Boveri & Cie in 1988 to form Asea Brown Boveri...
, a Swedish Company that had a swastika in its logotype until 1933.