William Odlum - Laois education Centre

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William Odlum (1817-1881)Luck played an important part in this branchof Odlums getting involved in flour milling.If fate hadn’t intervened, the business could haveremained in the hands of the Kelly family and theOdlums brand of today would never hade existed!William’s mother was Rebecca Kelly. Her brother,William Kelly, operated two mills in Maryborough,Queens – now called Portlaoise.William Kelly’s only son died in about 1834. Hedecided to take his nephew, William Odlum into thebusiness.William Kelly died in September 1865 and hiswidow, Ruth Kelly, assigned the buisness to WilliamOdlum. This included the 2 mills at Meelick andMaryborough.William expanded 6the business by taking on alease at the green mills in Portlaoise in 1869.
William Perry Odlum (1843-1922)William Perry was sent in 1868 to do his milling training inSamuel Kidd‘s in Isleworth in London-starting a longconnection with England which was to continue insubsequent generations. There he met Emma Podger,daughter of the chairman of the board, William Podger, whohe was eventually to marry in 1881.He married in England “years after his father died .Thewedding took place in All Souls Church, LanghamPlace in London 29 th November 1881.“It was distinguished by the fact that all theprincipal actors wept copiously throughout theceremony, the bride and her parents, as was consideredproper and natural, because the latter were losing adaughter, the bridegroom because his father had died onlytwo months before and the clergyman because he wantedMiss Podger as a bride for his own son.’’*They returned to Ireland and lived initially in the Elms inthe town of Portarlington. However, Emma, who had livedin some style in England, aspired to the life of the county set.This saw them move first to Ashfield in Ballybrittas andlater to Huntington, about two miles south of Portarlington.Richard Odlum (1845-1924)Richard Odlum left school at the age of14.He grew up and married a girl called JaneHinds. Her father was Peter Hinds.Peter was a merchant in the town of Portlaoise.Known as the Guv’nor, Richard was thefinancial and business manager, speculating onwheat futures making a lot of money in theprocess. He had a good brain for decisionmaking but he was an autocratic and two of hissons, Arthur and Harold, rebelled against thisand went to Canada. Harold never returned,dying there in 1962.
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Page 14 and 15: 1845 The mill that operated in Port
Page 16 and 17: The Men Who Built the Mill……Ide
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Page 31 and 32: Mr Nigel Odlum visits fourth class
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We enjoyed baking with Odlum Produc
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William Odlum - Laois education Centre

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