Thomas Molyneux

Thomas Molineux or Thomas Molyneux (; – 25 January 1757) was an Irish luthier and maker of violins from Dublin. His instruments are some of the oldest surviving Irish violins, one of which is housed as part of a collection in the National Museum of Ireland, Dublin. Early life Very little is known about Molineux's early life. It is thought that he was born some time before 1700. Rev. Father Greaven, an expert on 18th and 19th century Irish violin makers, thought that he was a foreigner who had settled down in Dublin in early life. It has also been suggested that he may have been of Huguenot descendent. However, the name Molineux (or Molyneux) can be found in many 17th and 18th century records of County Dublin and County Laois. It is likely that Molineux was from a Church of Ireland family, either from Dublin, or originally landowners from County Laois, like so many other Irish luthier families of the time such as the Delany's, Perry's, Ward's and Wilkinson's. It is has been suggested that many of these families were originally close neighbours or even related to each other, explaining why so many of them ended up in the same part of Dublin city and subsequently apprenticed to one another. Career Apprenticeship and early career: 1710–1739 Molineux likely began a formal apprenticeship around the age of 14, which would have taken at least 7 years to complete, as was required by the Carpenters' Guild of the City of Dublin in those days. Based on his earliest identified instrument, his apprenticeship probably took place some time between 1710 and 1739 in an area of Dublin then known as Christchurch Yard (now par of the grounds of Christ Church Cathedral). There are several violin makers recorded as working in this part of Dublin during these years that Molineux could have apprenticed with. One possible candidate is John Neal, who was an active instrument maker and music seller in Christchurch Lane between 1701–1721 and Christchurch Yard between 1721–1740. He is considered the first known maker of violins in Ireland. Another candidate is Thomas Dunn, who was working as a violin maker in Christchurch Lane in 1740. Unfortunately, neither of their violins are known to survive and so it is not possible to make a connection based on the style of their instruments.