Thomas Pleasants

[4] On his wife's death he inherited a large fortune estimated to be around £90,000 resulting in a lawsuit between Pleasants and the Daunt family who wanted him to receive an annuity.

He donated £700 to the Royal Dublin Society in 1815 for building of a pair of porter's lodges in the Botanic gardens in Glasnevin upon which he became an honorary member.

Among his donations were over £13,000 in 1814-15 for the erection of the Stove Tenter House off Cork Street for poor weavers in the Liberties who prior to this would have had to suspend work in rainy weather.

[5] On his death in 1818, Pleasants bequeathed his own house at 67 Camden Street (modern day number 75) for the provision of a protestant girls' school and orphanage along with his largest donation of £15,000 and £1,200 per annum to run it.

His friends and relations including Reverend Thomas Gamble, Joshua Pasley and Samuel Coates acted as the first three governors and their names were inscribed on a plaque on the front of the building.