William Thomas Braithwaite

William Thomas Braithwaite (14 April 1844 – 22 January 1918) was a Northern Irish businessman, freemason, and marksman.

He was the co-founder of the public house chain of Braithwaite & McCann which eventually owned 15 bars and pubs in Belfast.

He represented Ireland in the Elcho Shield competition at Bisley for 20 years and won the Albert Jewel, the Wimbledon Cup, the Duke of Cambridge's and the Secretary of State trophies.

After poorly carried out repairs in the 1960s the original attribution to Breughel the Younger fell into doubt and was not restored until after the paintings were cleaned for the BBC Four television series Britain's Lost Masterpieces.

[5][8] Described as "retiring", the only public office that Braithwaite held was on the board of the Belfast City and District Water Commissioners.

William Thomas Braithwaite, c. 1920. (original painting in colour)
Braithwaite's first pub, the Hatfield House , Ormeau Road, Belfast [ 3 ]
Winter , Pieter Breughel the Younger , 1633 [ 5 ]
Spring , Pieter Breughel the Younger, 1633 (before restoration) [ 6 ]