Ewart Map Collection

Collection of approximately 150 original maps and facsimiles of printed and manuscript maps of Ireland, provinces and counties of Ireland, and individual places in Ireland, ca 1567-1900. About 50 of the maps are of Belfast or parts of Belfast, ca. 1570-1900. The collection also consists of town plans, maritime surveys, ordnance survey maps (6 inch), and various railway, canal and road plans.

Lavens M. Ewart (1845-1898) was the second son of Sir William Ewart, bt, M.P. He was born in Belfast in 1845 and entered the family's linen business. Throughout his life he collected a fine library of Irish books and books dealing with the linen industry. He helped found the second series of the Ulster Journal of Archaeology. He was a generous benefactor of the Linen Hall Library in Belfast and worked closely with its librarian, John Anderson. Ewart's interest in local bibliography and early Belfast printing is reflected in his collection at the Linen Hall Library, where he was Governor of the Library. Ten years after his death his personal library was given on loan to the Linen Hall Library and in 1954 it became the property of the Linen Hall Library.

Open to consultation

Description compiled by Clare McVeigh (RASCAL Project), entered by Deirdre Wildy, Special Collections

Details of the Ewart Map collection are available from the Special Collections Office in QUB Main Library.

Subject to condition and copyright restrictions.

With the inclusion of some 80 maps pre-1800 in date, the Ewart Map Collection is a unique body of material invaluable to students of history, geography and architectural history etc.

Originally assembled by the Belfast collector and linen merchant, Lavens M. Ewart J.P. (1845-98), the collection was presented to Queen's University in 1954 by Ewart's grandchildren, Dr Vivian Lutwyche, Dr Violet Lutwyche and Miss Lenore Dawson.

Closed

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