HISTORY

Our building is over 300 years old and has a great story to tell - and let’s be honest, we all love a good story! It was formerly a warehouse and traded everything from fish and tea to tinned soup, linen, whiskey and much more. Since opening in 2013, we have tried our best to maintain and expose the building’s original features and bring it to life in all it’s glory today. Check out the full history below…

A JOURNEY THROUGH TIME

  • 1680

    FISH MONGER

    1680 - 1750

    Seventeenth century Belfast was certainly not the sprawling metropolis (ahem) we know and love in the twenty first century. No indeed, Belfast was a compact settlement born at the meeting of three rivers: The Lagan, Farset and Blackstaff. Nonetheless a growing community of merchant traders was thriving and our own building was the home of a fish monger who was no doubt taking full advantage of the Farset River which still flowed up what is now High Street.

  • 1800

    GENERAL MERCHANT/GROCER

    1760 - 1800

    By the 1800’s the building was now in three parts, trading as different operators for many years.

  • 1808

    WILLIAM BERWICK & COMPANY TEA IMPORTERS

    1808 - 1811

    Other than alcohol, if there’s one thing we like to drink in Norn Iron it’s a good cup of tea (coffee is late to the party in this neck of the woods). We still make a good cuppa here at The Dirty Onion!

  • 1819

    BERWICK & ASH

    1811-1819

    The business expands and introduces new partner, Mr George Ash. Business then continues as Berwick & Ash, trading tea, flax seed, raisins and flour. In 1819 the business becomes known as Berwick & Ash, wholesale grocers & merchants - 31 Waring St.

  • 1831

    BERWICK & ASH WHOLESALE GROCERS & MERCHANTS

    1831-1837

    George Ash becomes the sole proprietor of Berwick & Ash. In 1837 the business and grounds expand. Building listed as ’Office, stores and counting house’.

  • 1859

    NOW DESCRIBED AS 'SHOPS, STORES AND YARD'

    1859-1863

    The building was Valued at £95. A few years later in 1863 the owner George Ash Dies, leaving the building vacant until 1865.

  • 1865

    WILLIAM MORELAND & CO DRY SALTERS

    1865-1874

    A new business inhabits the building, tea importers and general merchants, William Moreland & Co dry salters. Unfortunately, William Moreland was declared bankrupt in 1874 and the building lay vacant until 1880.

  • 1880

    MACNAUGHTON CEMENT & ALABASTER STORES

    1880-1917

    Norman Macnaughton cement and alabaster stores. Portland cement merchant.

  • 1921

    STACK "N"

    1921-1991

    Bonded Warehouse. By the twentieth century, we were home to a bonded whiskey warehouse. The bond, known as Stack “N” (The N refers to “North”, as a nod to the north side of Waring Street, number 42) was operated by Hollywood and Donnelly and then, in 1925, by Edward Dillon Bonders until the company moved to larger premises in 1991. Stack “N” was used to store Jameson in barrels and crates, and during this period tens of thousands of Jameson bottles passed through these doors.

  • 1991

    VACANT

    1991-2009
  • 2009

    ACQUIRED BY BEANNCHOR LTD

    2009
  • 2013

    THE DIRTY ONION IS BORN

    2013
  • THE COURTYARD

    1811-1925

    Under the current wooden beamed structure outside

  • 1811

    ISSAC ARROTT FISH MERCHANT

    1811-1865

    Isaac Arrott fish merchant and curer. Trading ling, cod and herring. In 1859 premises were valued at £115 with additional stores and sheds, including a bacon store.

  • 1865

    T.J HAM TANNERY & DRYSALTERS

    1865

    By the mid 1800’s the warehousing has been expanded to accommodate a tannery. Merchants at that time would have been exporting to England, Scotland, France, Spain and beyond. Given that urine was a popular tanning agent, we must have added to the pungency of the neighbourhood (as well as the economy)

  • 1871

    WALKINGTON & SONS CHEMIST

    1871

    Walkington & Sons chemist, oil and colour merchant. Trading included paints, varnishes, white and red lead, soap, corn, flour, starch and sealing wax

  • 1877

    WALKINGSTON & SONS OIL MERCHANTS

    1877-1911

    Walkingston & Sons oil merchants, lard refiners and drysalters

  • 1912

    J NESBITT GENERAL STORES

    1912-1922

    J Nesbitt general stores. 30-42 Waring St amalgamated into one. Vacant until 1925

  • CURRENT BEER GARDEN

    1808-1919

    This area was divided into several offices, many of which were demolished in 1872 when roads were widened on Hill St and Waring St

  • 1808

    ROBERT GRIMSHAW PROPRIETOR

    1808

    Sales of pot ashes and dye stuffs

  • 1829

    THOMAS GRIMSHAW & SONS

    1829

    Thomas Grimshaw & Sons calico print sales (Calico was a plain-woven textile made of cotton)

  • 1835

    THOMAS GRIMSHAW & CO

    1835

    Thomas Grimshaw & Co calico printers and dyers, Edmund Grimshaw flax spinner and Robert Grimshaw, dry-salter. (As Belfast became a huge distributor of linen in the 19th Century, flax spinning became a popular business)

  • 1843

    CHARLES DUFFIN & CO

    1843-1859

    Charles Duffin & Co merchants. George Smith solicitor. James Grimshaw flax spinners and linen merchants

  • 1865

    CHARLES DUFFIN & CO FLAX SPINNERS

    1865

    Charles Duffin & Co flax spinners, mill owners and insurance agents

  • 1887

    FREDERICK KING & CO LTD

    1887

    Frederick King & Co Ltd, makers of preserved potatoes, tinned soup and gravania (type of gravy)

  • 1899

    YOUNG PARAFFIN LIGHT &MINERAL OIL CO LTD

    1899-1919

    Young’s Paraffin Light & Mineral Oil Co Ltd were the last business to occupy the beer garden. Until the Dirty Onion of course!

Whiskey & Beer Book

Click here to view our beer and whiskey drinks lists. We also offer an extended range of spirits, liqueurs, wines and soft drinks.