GREYSTONE PRESBYTERIAN CHOIR 3494
Shortly after Christmas the Antrim Guardian had the sad duty of reporting the sudden passing of a former much-loved local minister. Rev George Cunningham served in Antrim during the 1970s and eary 1980s, leaving an indelible mark on his beloved Greystone Presbyterian Church. During his 12 years in the town he also forged close links with Greystone Primary School and Antrim Technical College - and as this picture shows, he created no shortage of happy memories. That's Rev Cunningham at the back in 1973 with members of the Greystone choir. I'm sure regular readers will recognise quite a few of the young singers.

GYMNASTIC CLUB 3658
This photograph was turned into a Post Card which was quite popular back then and then - - - - - posted back to their friends.Now this one wasn't and written on the back was- --- ---- - - " For Mother from Joseph. This is the Gymnastic Club."
As you can see they must have been a successful club for they have a Large cup and two medals in front of them. Sadly I cannot even tell you where Joseph is in the photograph or what part of the local area they came from, but if you do please let me know and I will send you a copy.

GRIBBEN'S 3713
A teenage Laurence McKenna pictured during the 1930's in front of Gribben's shop where he trained as a shoemaker. It was shoes of another kind, however, that made Laurence's name. The Antrim man purchased the old forge in Bridge Street in 1950 and converted into the popular Horseshoe shop. Laurence went home in 2009 and the grand old age of 92.

GIRLS BRIGADE DISPLAY 405
Date, People and Place are all unknown.

JEANNIE GRAHAM 3730
This is Jeannie Graham outside her home relaxing on her time off with a little dog in her arms. Her work colleagues would be surprised to see her like this for when Jeannie
was at work she wore a crisp white uniform for she was a Matron!

COWBOYS 3295
It's around 1952 when kids were kids and played 90% of their time outside playing games and using their imagination.
Here in Gillespie's back garden we have Annie Oakley on the left and Marshall Wyatt Earp on the right having just captured Billy the Kid.
Annie Oakley's real name is Tricia (Patricia) Wilson, Marshall Wyatt Earp real name is Alan Gillespie while Billy the Kid wearing the old Fire Warden hat is Desmond Gillespie.

ENJOYING A CHAT 3751
Sitting outside the Graham home enjoying a chat and the sunshine are Marie Scott and Jeannie Graham.

MRS W. GRAHAM 3731
Now sadly the two children having their photograph taken in a studio are unknown but if you do please let me know. The photograph was made into a postcard which was very popular back then, and now on the TV they are advertising about turning your photograph into a postcard to post off to your friends isn't it amazing and people think it's new.
The post card was sent to a Mrs W. Graham at Carmavy, Muckamore, Antrim. Written on the back was the following:
Loughrea (which is in Galway) Sat 28th 1913. Dear Cousin, please send no butter this coming week. And I think 5lbs ham with lard w'd be suffice. Ent, both are getting on well. Yours as God Bless Aggie.
Now what is strange is that the stamped postmark says: BELFAST - 4.30pm - JUN 28 13

GRAHAM HOUSE 3741
In the background is the Graham House out at Carmavy while here in the foreground are two of the Graham's daughters, sad to say I do not have their names. The one on the left is well up to date with the latest hair style of big waves worn by the females stars of the silver screen. Now what the farming machine is they are sitting on I do not know, but if you do please let me know and also the girls names and I will send you a large copy of the photograph without the watermark.

JOHN GRAHAM 3734
Standing here is John Graham from Muckamore who joined the Army when war broke out and served with the Royal Army Service Corps No. 2 Squadron commonly known as No.2. E.R.F. 103 . M.U. in Kenya. After the war John loved the country so much that he stayed. When in 1952 Elizabeth became Queen, John became the manager of the Treetops Hotel which is in Aberdare National Park in Kenya near the township of Nyeri. In this photograph John is celebrating his birthday which was on the 26th June 1953, behind him are Bannana trees and beyond that is his home in Nairobi, Keyna.

PLAY ACTING 3746
Here seen at the side of the lane is John Graham who seems to be acting out some sort of a play with the two schoolgirls joining in with him. Who the schoolgirls are I do not
know but of course must know John, now although the girls are wearing the same type of uniform, blazers and tartan skirts, the school badges on the blazers are not the same.
If you do please let me know and also the girls names and I will send you a large copy of the photograph without the watermark.

JOHN GRAHAM 3752
This John Graham from Antrim relaxing reading a magazine while enjoying the sun at Killiguni Lodge in Kenya.
John became the Manager of the Treetops Hotel which is in Aberdare National Park, not bad for a man from Antrim.

JOHN GRAHAM 3754
This is a postcard photograph taken at one end of the Portobello which was about 3 mile from Edinburgh with its promenade and beach with amusements at Fun City including a helter-skelter and a figure eight railway and boat swings which I used to love. The postcard was sent to John Graham of Carmavey, Muckamore, Belfast ( it was really Antrim) and John still got it. On the back they had written "day. How are you after Thurs Having a splendid time. Weather OK. From James and Martha" who where on their Honeymoon!
I wondered what happened on Thursday?

GRAHAMS FARM 3748
Here we are outside a barn on Graham's farm, you might not think much of the photograph but you are looking at time that has now long gone. Inside the barn is a thresher not a type you would see today and also hay piled up beside it for winter fodder. But outside the barn is what you will never see again haystacks, we used to climb up them as a boy and then slide down them and the farmer chasing us off, a thing we shouldn't have been doing. Over to the left is an old tractor which sadly replaced the big shire horses that were beautiful to see.

ON HOLIDAY 3735
Now these three men from Antrim decided to take themselves off on a holiday so off they went to Scotland. So while they where there they went up to Edinburgh to see the
sights. They then went into Colin Campbell's photographidc studio which was at 31, Princes Street. to have their photograph taken for prosperity, now from (left to right) we
have Uncle Jimmy, then Jimmy Graham (middle Dunsilly) then finally Jimmy Scott of the mill.

GARRON TOWER 3755
Being the Prime Minister, Sir Winston had no time for Garron Tower so it was donated to the British Tourist Industry which transformed it into a hotel; it was then devastated by fire and was later turned into a school which it still is today. The main portion of the estate remained in the hands of the Earls of Antrim. Upon the death of her mother in 1834, Frances Lady Londonderry inherited a portion of the Antrim Estate, almost 10,000 acres lying mostly between Glenarm and Glenariff. Following much debate she decided to build a summer residence and in 1848 the foundation stone was laid for Garron Tower. The principal guest at the opening of the Tower was the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Lord Clarendon. Coinciding with the end of the Famine in 1849, the four Coastguard cottages at 91 Garron Road were built as part of that estate. Lady Londonderry showed a considerable interest in the day to day administration of her estate, demanding detailed reports from her agents. She was a relentlessly improving landowner, encouraging agricultural improvement and endowing schools, clothing societies, etc. The link with Lady Antrim's ancestral seat, Glenarm Castle, a few miles to the south is such that it was suspected Lady Londonderry's intention had been to upstage Glenarm Castle with the erection of Garron Tower. Garron has a dominant tower at one end of a lengthy building, polygonal with a square turret; whilst at the other end of the front a short wing projects forwards, ending in a rectangular tower and turret. With the exception of somewhat prosaic machicolations and crenellations, the walls are quite featureless. The mansion was enlarged in 1852 with the addition of a hall. The main front of the the terrace is flanked by cannon and there is a Dog's Cave containing a dog which was owned by Lady Londonderry and which has a fully inscribed memorial in place was made into postcard and sent to Miss J. Graham, Carmavey Muckamore Co. Antrim on the 8th of August 1923 and it reads….
" Dear Jeane Just down for the day and having a good time. Yours Truly E. Campbell."

GARRON TOWER 2769
Here we are at Garron Tower along the Antrim coast back in 1941. Sadly they could not go in for a meal as a fire destroyed the inside of the building. Out for the day while off duty are at the back left is Flying Officer Sam Gradwell, then Elsie Simpson, and Hubert Ogilby. Seated we have Flight Seargent Sandy McGregor and Annie Simpson. Now Sandy came from Cupar, Fife and Sam from England, they were posted at the RAF radar station at Dickeystown, just above Glenarm. And as always happens Sandy fell helplessly in love with Elsie and so the following year in October 1942 they got married.

GARRON TOWER 3756
This postcard of the dinning room of the Garron Tower Hotel shows a 'X' on the tablecloth. This was placed there by F & M and then they wrote on the back to Miss Tayfor
of Amher Street, York Road, Heaton Moor, via Stockpork. Their message read as follows: Wednesday 12th August 1908. We have just left the table marked X as shown
in picture. This place is 24 miles out from Larne no Railway but a most interesting drive. Affectionally F & M. 3756

MERECEDES GLEITZ 3809
Miss Gleitze, accompanied by Mr H Muir, her Irish Channel pilot, and two friends, arrived in Antrim on Saturday afternoon and was met by large crowds. She was given a cordial welcome. After being introduced to a number of the leading people of the town,who were Mr WT Cooper, chairman of the town commissioners; Mr RJ Kirk, JP CCr; Mr NE Clarke, secretary; and Mr Joseph Barr, engineer, Lough Neagh Cruisers Ltd, of which Mr RJ Kirk is a director. Miss Gleitze was introduced to Mr and Mrs Murphy, who said they would be delighted to have her as their guest during her stay in Antrim at the Massereene Hotel. Miss Gleitze was kept busy adding her name to autograph books and posing for amateur photographers. She soon made a host of friends. The arrangements for the swim were made by Mr John J Murphy, Massereene Arms Hotel; Mr S Ashworth, of Messrs Waters & Ashworth, Northern Ireland Tours, and Mr J Barr, Antrim.
Now it's Friday the 12th July 1929 here at Ardboe entering Lough Neagh at 8.37am is Miss Merecedes Gleitz covered in grease (some of which she left on her trainor) to protect her, her intention was to swim to the Antrim landing stage. On board the motor boat that would accompany Miss Gleitz was the Mr James P Murphy solicitor, Mr J Wallace Engineer and Mr B Wallace, Navigator, a press man and a doctor all of whom saw her enter the water and hoped to see her leave it. When she had been 10 hours in the water, Miss Gleitze was forced by a stiff breeze to alter the course arranged beforehand. It had been arranged for Miss Gleitze to make for the Antrim landing stage but a strong breeze sprang up and the lough became rather choppy with the result it was decided to make for Whitepark, which is on the opposite shore from where she started. Miss Gleitze touched bottom at 10.23pm, and scrambled on to the shore at 10.25pm. She had been swimming for 18 miles, then she collapsed and was wrapped up in blankets and taken to a house nearby. After treatment she was conveyed to the Massereene Arms Hotel where hundreds had gathered to cheer a plucky girl. Still wrapped up in blankets, she was carried into the hotel and she acknowledged the deafening cheers with a pleasant smile. She was taken to her room and no one was allowed to see her until Saturday evening.
Swimming for 18 miles in fresh water must be regarded as a remarkable achievement Sadly it was unbeliveable none of the Irish newspapers reported the swim considering she was famous as the first person to swim the Straits of Gibraltar and the first British woman to swim the English channel.