"Emotional and inspiring" - Relative of pioneering Kildare scientist visits ancestral home in Newbridge

A moving moment in Newbridge Business Centre’s rich history took place last month as Georgina Ham, grandniece of pioneering scientist Dame Kathleen Lonsdale, visited Charlotte House to explore the very place where her grandaunt was born and spent her early childhood.

Georgina Ham to Co Kildare  travelled from Colorado, USA, to retrace her family's Irish roots and connect with the legacy of Dame Kathleen, a groundbreaking Crystallographer, Quaker, Pacifist, and one of the first women elected to the Royal Society in 1945.

Newbridge Business Centre is located in Charlotte House – a landmark heritage building in the centre of Newbridge and the Lonsdale family’s former home. The NBC team were delighted to welcome Georgina to tour the fully restored 18th-century building, after which she shared a precious collection of family photographs—some never before seen publicly—featuring Dame Kathleen with relatives over the years.

Among the items she brought was a photograph of a cherished family clock that once sat on the original fireplace in what is now the Centre’s reception area. Although the original fireplace was removed many years ago, it has since been sympathetically replaced with a surround from the same period (1800s) by the NBC team, preserving the spirit and historical resonance of the space. Georgina was visibly moved to see the fireplace location still in situ, linking past and present through generations.

“It’s been an emotional and inspiring visit,” said Georgina Ham, after touring the building and watching a video of the renovation process. “To stand in the place where Kathleen was born, and to see the setting where that clock once stood, is deeply meaningful. Her story is one of resilience, intellect, and integrity, and I’m honoured to carry part of that legacy forward.”

The team at Newbridge Business Centre welcomed Georgina warmly and took great interest in the memorabilia, which provided an intimate window into Dame Kathleen’s family life and enduring influence.

Centre Manager Sinead Smyth remarked:

“We were thrilled to welcome Georgina and to learn more about Dame Kathleen’s personal history. This building is not just a modern workspace—it’s a living connection to one of Ireland’s greatest scientific figures.”

The visit underscores Dame Kathleen Lonsdale’s significance not only as a global scientific figure but also as a daughter of Newbridge, whose pioneering spirit lives on in Newbridge Business Centre.

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