Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1864-2005 (predominantly 1930-1979) (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
19 standard boxes
Context area
Name of creator
Administrative history
The first mention to this accountancy firm appears in the newspapers in 1905, when it operated under the name C. W. Metcalfe & Co. In November 1920, Hugh Lilburn took over the practice. In 1941, he and his colleague James Leslie Enright were made full partners and the company name was changed accordingly to Metcalfe, Lilburn and Enright on 23 May 1941. It was one of the leading accountancy firms in Limerick city in the mid-1900s. In 1976, the firm merged with Craig Gardner & Co., which was subsequently absorbed into Price Waterhouse Coopers.
Name of creator
Biographical history
Hugh Lilburn was born on 6 November 1888 in Dromore, County Down into a farming family. In 1912, he emigrated to Australia, where he trained as an accountant and was actively involved in the Presbyterian church in Preston, Melbourne. On 25 December 1913, Hugh married Susan Stinson of Ballymoney, County Antrim (b. 18 February 1888), whom he had met in Ireland before emigrating, and who had travelled to Australia with her brother for the wedding. The couple had three children: Stewart, Jean, and Olive. The Lilburn family returned to Ireland in the early months of 1920 and initially settled in Dublin, where Hugh secured a position as an accountant with Craig Garner & Co. In November 1920, he moved to Limerick city to take over the auditing practice of C. W. Metcalfe & Co. In 1941, Hugh Lilburn and his colleague James Leslie Enright were made full partners and the company name was changed accordingly to Metcalfe, Lilburn and Enright on 23 May 1941.
Back in Ireland, Hugh Lilburn continued his strong association with the Presbyterian Church, serving as Honorary Treasurer of the Limerick Presbyterian Church from 1927 and as a ruling elder and clerk of sessions from 1928 until his death. He served as governor of Villiers school and was the author of Presbyterians in Limerick (1946). Hugh’s other interests included history and archaeology, and he was an active member of the Thomond Archaeological Society. Hugh Lilburn died on 27 November 1964, and his wife Susan on 15 October 1967.
Hugh Lilburn’s son, Stewart, was born in Melbourne, Australia on 13 January 1917. He studied at Trinity College, Dublin and, like his father, trained as an accountant. In 1944, he joined Metcalfe, Lilburn and Enright and was made full partner in 1954, when his father took a less active role in the company. Stewart was also an active member of the Limerick Presbyterian Church, serving as its accountant and Honorary Secretary for a number of years. A keen and talented hockey player, Stewart represented Munster and Ireland on many occasions. In 1949, Stewart Lilburn married Florence Eva Armstrong (b. 13 September 1925) of Clontarf, County Dublin. The couple had three children: David (1950-2021), Hugh and Gary. Stewart Lilburn died on 26 July 1998, and his wife Florence on 21 April 2005.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Donated to the University of Limerick by the Lilburn family on 2 April 2002.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
This collection contains a diverse range of records relating to the Lilburn family of Limerick city. The first part contains material created and generated by the accountancy firm of Metcalfe, Lilburn and Enright, illustrating the growth and development of the company from the 1920s to the 1970s. The client files show the practice to have been the leading Protestant accountancy firm in the city, with clients such as Adare Tobacco Manufacturing Company established by the fourth Earl of Dunraven in the early 1900s. The second part consists of personal records of the Lilburn family, predominantly relating to the education and hobbies of Hugh Lilburn and his son Stewart Lilburn. Of particular note is a set of personal account books which provides useful insights into middle class household economy from the 1920s to the 1970s. Also of interest are the minute books of the North Munster branch of the Irish Hockey Union from 1901 to 1941. The third part comprises records of the Limerick Presbyterian Church, mostly created by Stewart Lilburn in his role as Honorary Secretary in the 1960s and 1970s. This part also contains a copy of Hugh Lilburn’s book Presbyterians in Limerick (1946) and a subsequent reprint (1959). Together, these three parts provide a valuable cross-section of all aspects of the lives of three generations of a well-to-do Protestant middle-class family in twentieth-century Limerick.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
All records have been retained except for a small number of duplicates which have been destroyed, and two items of personal nature which were returned to the donors. The decision to include records not usually retained (such as tax forms and circulars) was made in order to preserve in as much detail as possible the day-to-day operations of an accountancy business and of life in a typical twentieth-century household in Ireland.
Accruals
No accruals are expected.
System of arrangement
Material has been organised into three series to reflect the major activities of the Lilburn family. Series A comprises records of the accountancy firm of Metcalfe, Lilburn and Enright, and is arranged according to the original order into general management and client files. Series B comprises personal records of the Lilburn family. It is arranged into six sub-series according to the activities to which they relate. Series C comprises records of the Limerick Presbyterian Church, which have been divided into 11 sub-series according to their form. Within each sub-series, records have been arranged chronologically by date.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Owing to the sensitive nature of the collection and arising from GDPR issues, requests for access to this collection are considered on a case by case basis. A number of files contain information relating to persons living or presumed living and are closed to protect individual privacy. These files and their closure periods have been identified in the descriptive catalogue.
Conditions governing reproduction
Standard copyright regulations apply to all items. For photocopying or reproducing material, please consult with the staff.
Language of material
- English
- Latin
- Spanish
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Mostly paper documents in good or reasonable condition.
Finding aids
PDF of the finding aid is available at https://specialcollections.ul.ie/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/P11_Lilburn.pdf.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Clients of the accountancy firm Metcalfe, Lilburn and Enright included the Allott family of Odellville, county Limerick, for whose records see the Allott Papers (P27).
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
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Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
This description follows guidelines based on ISAD(G) 2nd edition, 2000; Irish Guidelines for Archival Description, 2009; National Council on Archives: Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997; and EAP Guidance on Data Protection for Archive Services, 2018.
Status
Level of detail
Language(s)
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Archivist's note
Papers arranged and described by Anna-Maria Hajba in June 2013. Updated and reviewed for GDPR issues in November 2019.