Pawn Shops

Pawn Shops were an essential part of the economic life of the cities and large towns of Ireland up until the 1960s. Waterford had quite a large number of thriving pawn broking businesses located within Waterford city.

As Waterford historian Jack O'Neill says in his book A Waterford Miscellany "Poverty is essential for Pawnshops to prosper" The average working class people of the past had a horror of debt. One would not purchase an item unless it could be paid for in cash. This is one reason why the Pawn Shop became such a necessary institution throughout the length and breadth of Ireland.


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