History society

Michael Lee will be the guest speaker for the Thursday, May 18 meeting of the Bray Cualann Historical Society, the local history society for Bray and North Wicklow, at which he will present his lecture ‘Edward Lee – A Model Employer’ and ‘Lees of Bray’ in the Royal Hotel, Bray.

This lecture will focus on Edward Lee who opened his first drapery shop in Bray, Co. Wicklow, in 1885 who unlike many employers at the time had a strong social conscience and a very caring approach towards his employees and was responsible for creating the half-day mid week closing.

As a member of the Housing Committee of the Bray Urban District Council, Edward Lee oversaw the erection of municipal housing in Bray in 1905 which up to then had been neglected by the council and its predecessor the Bray Township Commissioners. He subsequently served as chairman of Bray Urban District Council, and later sat as a member on Blackrock Urban District Council.

He also had a strong social conscience and during the 1913 Lock-out profoundly disagreed with the tactics used by William Martin Murphy and other employers against the strikers and was a man of moral courage. Annual Membership of the Bray Cualann Historical Society is €15 and covers two adults and two children, and can be taken out at any meeting of the society. Admission to lectures is €5 for visitors.