Antrim C2

CHURCH STREET 35
This is an interesting photograph taken after 1905 as half of this picture is now Fountain Street. Next to the trees the two white thatched houses where replaced with the A6 bypass. The large building next to them the locals called " Puff Castle " because when the Antrim Castle had no more room they would stay here. Later on it would become Burrowes Art Galleries, then Baird's the undertakers with a lady looking out of the second window on the left upstairs.Next is Jennings Shop and standing outside is a policeman and a man with his bicycle leaning against a barrell with dog lying in front of it. The first building to left of the picture is Antrim National School, the white building next to it is two houses one of which has been turned into a business premises, the black object to the side is actually a milestone.Further down the street on the pavement coming up is a horse and cart with two people on the cart. In the distance towering out of the morning mist is All Saints' Church.

CHURCH STREET 36
The date of this photograph is unknown, the white houses to your left are thatched and so is the first house on the right. The mother with the two little girls, the two boys looking at the car and in the distance a little girl in white are all in their bare feet.
This photograph was posed as back then when a photograph was taken everything including people stood still. If you didn't then you became blurred a good example is the person behind the dog in the middle of the road. As you can see by what's on the road, horses are still there.

CO-OP 2005
This was the Co-op shop in Market square in Antrim until it closed in September 1971.
Here you could have a chat with friends and also the staff who you can see were very friendly. From the left are June Devlin, William Coulter (Manager), Tommy Coulter and Mrs Costello. Now just look at the prices in the shop window Angel Delight 6 1/2 pence and Jam is only 9 pence a jar. Behind them is customer looking out but in the reflection of the shop window you can see the U.C.B.S. delivery lorry plus the man taking the photograph.

CAMPBELL'S PUB 2606
Here we are in High Street Antrim outside Campbell's pub and these three gentlemen are having a quiet smoke and a bit of a craic. On the left is Jack Scott, then Henry Boyd and finally Andy Francey back in the 60's.

CLADY BLEACH, DYE AND FINISHING MILL 1012
This view of Clady Mill in 1914 where the Linen was worked. If you look over to your left you will see white lines, these are actually strips of linen laid out in the field to let the sun bleach it and that's were you get the name the bleach green.
In the little house in the foreground, two sisters lived there and were known as the Miss Hall's.

CLADY BLEACH, DYE AND FINISHING MILL 1258
I can remember as a boy watching the men laying out the linen at Whiteabbey Bleach Green in 1950 but this Bleach Green photo was way before my time. In fact it was 1920, the linen being laid out in the field to be bleached by the sun was next to Clady Mill at Dunadry which was alongside the River Maine. The company which was famous all over the world had the phrase "Bleached by the Sun" as its trade mark.

CLADY BLEACH, DYE AND FINISHING MILL 1239
This is Clady Bleach, Dye and Finishing Mill which was out at Dunadry and was next to the Clady river for its source of power. This was used to drive two large breast wheels and a turbine it also has three steam engines. It was owned by Messrs. John Cowan and Company and they employed between 70 to 80 workers all year round. John Cowan was able to turn out his good dyed and finished to a very high standard with the result he supplied not only the Belfast Houses but also the Manchester houses. Being only twelve miles from Belfast by road, much of the good were carted to them direct from the warehouses and steamships. With the event of the railway they only had to cart them a very short distance to the Dunadry Railway Station.

CLADY MILL 1011
This is Clady Linen Mill in 1914 and in the distance you can see the Clady Bridge.
The photographer was standing up on the toe path next to the railway line, he must have had some considerable influence over the mill owner for them to allow their workers to come out and line up right onto the footbridge.

CLADY FOOTBALL TEAM 980
Displaying their silverware for this photograph in 1929 are the members and players of Clady Football Team.
Back Row: (from left) are S.Kirkpatrick. E.Kirkpatrick, H.Bennet, T.Craig, A.Agnew, J.Kirkpatrick, J.Quirey and W.Mullan.
Middle Row: We have S.Hunter, T.Alexander, P.O.Duffin, W.Clarke, H.Anderson, C.Preston, R.Patton, J.McCormack and G.H. Rutledge.
Seated: are J.McIlveen (Chairman), J.Clements, J.McFall, R.Fletcher, W.Finlay, R.Magill, D.Clarke and W.U.Strange (secretary).

CLADY BLEACH, DYE AND FINISHING MILL 1241
This is one of the departments at the Clady Bleach, Dye and Finishing Mill. The Linen is coming in to the department in the background and by the colour of it, it has been dyed. Now what the ladies did is unknown but it can't have been too dirty judging by them all wearing white pinafores. Right at the back on the left is a man standing and over to the right standing on the machinery next to the revolving drum is a young boy. When you look at the wheels moving the belts with no covers on them, you sure had to watch where you were going.

CLADY BLEACH, DYE AND FINISHING MILL 1240
This is one of the departments at the Clady Bleach, Dye and Finishing Mill and this is where they washed the linen in various stages to make sure they got out all the impurities before it was either left out in the fields to be further bleached by the sun or to be dyed. The man in the three piece suit is obviously in charge but at the moment his name, the workers and the year are all unknown.

CHURCH STREET 699
Here in Church Street we have Nula's Hair Fashion, Byrne's Call-A-Cab, H.Millar & Co. a printing shop and in the shop window are posters advertising a Gospel Mission, a Dance in the Protestant Hall on Friday 7th March featuring Aquarious, next what all ladies love, a Jumble Sale in Bruce Hall on Saturday 8th March and finally A Youth Service on Sunday 2nd March.
Sadly this building along with others to the left were demolished by the council.

CHURCH STREET 851
It is according to All Saints' Parish Church clock it is five past nine in the morning and going by the shadows cast it is correct and the year is 1948.
The little girl posing is unknown and behind her talking to a man at the door is a nurse with her cape and hood up and you can see her white shoes.
Next door is Gillespie's hardware shop with a load of goods on show outside the shop and on the pavement opposite Gillespie's is the Telephone box. Across the road we have Nicholl's two shops and a Morris Eight Series E car parked in front with the Registration BPY 230, you could have the car in all Black or Green with Black mudguards. Further down the road is a car with a soft top and on down is High Street with more cars and sadly no horses and carts.

CHURCH STREET 665
Here we have the junction of Railway Street and Church Street just before the bulldozers moved in supposedly to pave the way for a new look town
centre. That they achieved - by leaving a vacant plot which has stood for the better part of three decades! This part of Antrim town centre is widely
known as Ulster Bar corner in honour of the popular watering hole pictured here. Beside it we have Stewart's butchers, Billy's Café, the ultimate place for the best fish & chips in town, Then the Griddle Bakery and McCabe's were also tumbled in the name of progress, right up to where the car is parked.

CONFIRMATION 2435
Standing outside St Comgalls back in 1936 are these boys and girls all set for their confirmation.
At the back are Susan Lees, Margaret Kerr, Josephine Gaynor, Unknown, Gerry Gaynor and Bobby Butcher.
In front we have Eileen Allen, Clare McCormick, Marie Duffin, Henry Kearwey, Edghan McGreevy, Hugh Long and Harry Wallace. Mrs Long who admired Henry's outfit asked his mum could she make one for her son, so that's why Hugh Long is wearing a similar outfit.

CHRISTMAS TIME 1106
Gathered around the Christmas tree in 1952 and enjoying themselves are Davis Hannan, James (Dick) Clarke, Joan Maily, David Hannan and Brian Beggs. The way Joan is looking at James bet she's thinking is he drunk?

COUPLES ONLY 2415
Seen here out enjoying themselves on a night out dancing we have two couples.
The couple on the left are Mary Spears and Lesley Steele, the other couple are Vincent Kerr and Agnes Steele
They stayed a couple for both couples eventually married. Now ? is wearing a watch, in my day if you started to serious about a girl you then bought her a watch and then after that came the two rings!

CHURCH STREET 310
A group of friends pictured to the rear of McCabe's Butchers in Antrim during the hot summer of 1944. The three young men standing (from left) are Robin McCabe, Jim McCabe and Beresford McCabe. Seated you can see Francis Harran, Edith Buick, Sadie McCabe, along with baby Evelyn McCabe. Behind them is a pigeon loft, and next to that is a small building which housed the 'turnip cutter' for preparing the vegetables for the cattle. Anna McCabe recalls that it was backbreaking work turning the handle! The lane ran on down to the back of Firhill where a small shanty town of army huts once stood to accommodate the war-time evacuees from Belfast.

CHURCH STREET 342
Taken in the back yard of McCabe's butchers in 1945 we have starting at the back Aunt Edith McCabe and Francis Harron.
Then Sadie McCabe, Unknown, Edith Buick and Anna McCabe.
In the front we have Derek McCabe and the rest are unknown.

CHURCH STREET 346
This charming picture of a group of local girls was taken at the rear of McCabe's butchers Shop in Church Street back in 1945.
The friends include (from left) Anna McCabe, Edith McAteer, Alice McAteer, Sadie McCabe, Marleen Alexander and Kathleen McAteer.

CASTLE STREET 952
The castle grounds are to your left, then the 'Frenchman's House' and the Royal Irish Constabulary barracks. To your right you can see McKeown's shop, then the tea rooms which also was a board house - then Patrick Magill's pub, also Samuel Rea's Antrim Saw Mills worked here. Sadly all the buildings in this street were later demolished, but can still see two of the places, Rea's and the Barracks. They were removed and rebuilt brick by brick
to their former glory at the 'Ulster Folk and Transport Museum at Cultra. The year is unknown.

CLADY FOOTBALL TEAM 980
Displaying their silverware for this photograph in 1929 are the members and players of Clady Football Team.
At the back (from left) are S.Kirkpatrick. E.Kirkpatrick, H.Bennet, T.Craig, A.Agnew, J.Kirkpatrick, J.Quirey and W.Mullan.
Standing in front of them we have S.Hunter, T.Alexander, P.O.Duffin, W.Clarke, H.Anderson, C.Preston, R.Patton, J.McCormack and G.H. Rutledge.
Seated are J.McIlveen (Chairman), J.Clements, J.McFall, R.Fletcher, W.Finlay, R.Magill, D.Clarke and W.U.Strange (secretary).

CHIMNEY CORNER FOOTBALL TEAM 963
This 1961 Chimney Corner football team all smiles for the camera are standing in the back row, Jimmy Duboyce, Gerry McCaig, Frank Hampsey, Brian Harris, John Connor, Albert Jackson and Danny Fisher (Trainer).
Seated in front we have Charlie Clarke, Sam Molyneaux, Sidney Quinn, Archie McQuilken, Frankie Corrigan, Tommy Craig and Jimmy Nicholl.

CHIMNEY CORNER FOOTBALL TEAM 1021
Here we have the Chimney Corner football team and committee members in 1959 celebrating at a function in October of that year with the Border Cup and medals.
Jim Stewart (Committee), Davis Hannan, Pat Mackle, Dan Fisher (Trainer), Tommy Briggs (manager of Gelntoran FC), Jack McCaige, Trevor Thompson (Glentoran FC Player), John Kinnen, Roy Anderson, Bobby Lees (Committee) and Tom Simpson (Secretary).
Kneeling down we have Sandy Kernohan, Frank Corrigan, Albert Jackson, Charlie Clarke, Tommy McKelvey (Chairman) and in front Fergie McKelvey.

CASTLE STREET 946
Castle Street 1938 and walking towards us all smiles is Mrs Nolan who had a sweet shop over on the bend. The reason she is smiling and I'm sure so are the other mothers in the street is at long last they're going to have a water tap in their houses. Now this still means only cold water, no hot water that still had to boiled on the stove so the workmen laying the waterpipes are a welcome sight. The little boy with his back to you is Master Taylor and just crossing the road to his house with his bike after a day's work is Mr. Duffin the chimney sweep, Brian Kearney also lived on the same side. The shop on the right was owned by a Miss Crawford which as you can see sold ladies hats - a must in those days and she must have a customer inside judging by the ladies bike outside. Miss Crawford was also an agent for Macnab of Edinburgh the Dryers and Cleaners by appointment to H.M. the King. Next to her shop was where the men probably went while the ladies tried on hats - Patrick McGill's pub!

CAMPBELL'S PUB 1104
Outside Campbell's pub in Market Square in 1942 ,the elderly woman and man with a large moustache are Mr and Mrs Campbell owners of the pub.
At the far left is their daughter Miss Margaret Campbell, next in unknown, then Cecilia O'Neill with her sister Sadie O'Neill. The little girl in front of Sadie is the Campbell's granddaughter who was saluting,, her name is unknown and also the couple on the right. The photo by the way was taken by an American soldier and because of that the photograph had to be passed by the US army examiner who stamped it on the back.

CASTLE STREET 682
This long demolished corner of Antrim was razed to make way for the Castle Centre - and this particular picture of Castle Street is of considerable vintage. It was actually taken in 1892, and the large white building is the grandly titled Episcopalian Schoolhouse of Erasmus Smith, who was an English Merchant and adventurer. The school was built in 1815 with help from Viscount Massereene of Antrim Castle. A young Alexander Irvine studied there and actually worked as a stable boy at Antrim Castle before finding global fame with the publication of his moving account of 19th century Antrim, 'My Lady of the Chimney Corner'. In those days classes were strictly segregated, with the boys' classroom on the ground floor and the girls upstairs. As seen in the photograph the two girls and the boy waiting for school to open are quite apart. In the distance you can make out the shape of St Comgall's Church.
When this photograph was taken Castle street, as it became to be known, did not exist, to the locals this part of Antrim town was simply known as Bow Lane because of the bend in the road.

CHURCH STREET 32
These boys standing posing in the road for the photographer in 1914 are safe enough concerning traffic, only a horse and cart coming up the road.
There are still a number of thatched cottages around but the one's to the right became two storey houses before disappearing comletely to make way for the A6 bypass, the trees show the entrance to the Methodist Church. By the 1930's the street had three tailor shops of whom there was Wright's,William Dougall's and John Lawlor's. There used to five churches in the street so that is how the street got its name.

CAMBRIDGE HOUSE 118
This is the 6th Form of Cambridge House and all smiles for the camera in 1955. They are proudly showing off their outfits which they had to make for their Senior Certificate. From the left we have Adel Tinsley, Joan Nesbitt, Phyllis Valentine, Lynda McCord, Mari Rowan, Mari Millar, Marion Blackbourne, Unknown and Margaret Kerry.

CHURCH STREET 176
This area of Church Street used to be known as the Scotch Quarter because Scottish people settled in this part of the town from the 1590's where they errected quite a number of thatched cottages. As you can see the houses on the right are sadly more neglected, I wonder why. To the left of the picture was Miss Jameson's shop which sold groceries and china goods.
Photograph is date 1914.