Saturday, June 2, 2012

Jaffe Fountain - Victoria Square, Belfast



Jaffe Fountain


As you might have guessed I really like this and the similar structures in Dun Laoghaire and Limerick.

The fountain was made in 1874 by George Smith & Company at the Sun Foundry in Glasgow. It was first sited in Victoria Square before being moved to Botanic Gardens. It has recently been moved back to Victoria Square.

This fountain was constructed in 1874, to honour leading linen merchant Daniel Joseph Jaffé. It was originally commissioned by one of Mr Jaffé's sons, Sir Otto Jaffé who would later succeed to the position of Lord Mayor of Belfast.

Daniel Joseph Jaffe was born in 1809 in Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Germany. In 1845, he visited Belfast from his Hamburg headquarters to purchase linen to sell from Germany throughout the continent. Persuaded to create his own linen house in Belfast, he moved here five years later. He built Belfast's first synagogue. His son, Otto Jaffe, was elected to the City Council and twice served as Lord Mayor. Otto later received a knighthood.

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