Antrim N2

THE HUT 1928
This is "The Hut" as it was called which was really an old railway carriage and was up at the Grange.
Standing in front of it is Beatrice Nesbitt with her sister Joan in the 1950's.

RIVERSIDE 2756
Here we are back in 1970 down Riverside at the prefabs and standing having his photograph taken is Bertie Neill. Now behind Bertie in the distance is All Saints' Parish Church spire.

ROSEGIFT COTTAGE 130
Seated proudly in front of her cottage which was called Rosegift at the Grange is Mother Maggie Neeson in 1932. On her left is George Neeson, then Annie Neeson, Unknown and finally Gordon Neeson. When the cottage was bought it had an earthen floor which stayed that way until Gordon joined the Enniskillen Fusiliers, earned enough money to get a brick floor put in for his mother.

ROSEGIFT COTTAGE 131
Standing outside their Mother's cottage in 1932 up at the Grange which was called Rosegift we have on the right Annie Neeson and Gordon Neeson. As you can see with the rabbit in his arms Gordon loved animals. One day he came home with an egg and put it under the Goose with its other eggs. His mother shouted at him that it wasn't a Goose's egg but Gordon took no notice. Eventually the eggs hatched including Gordon's which turned out to be a Swan!. Well the swan grew up thinking it was a goose and just waddled around and never tried to fly and when it was hungry it would stick its head through the cat-flap. By the way Gordon gave it a name Swannee!

ROSEGIFT COTTAGE 1257
Standing outside her cottage called Rosegift in Antrim we have Margaret Neeson in 1940 enjoying a good chinwag with her neighbour who is unknown and the little boy.

LOUGH SHORE 127
It's 1959 and Joan Nesbitt on her Vespa scooter with her brother Roy behind at the Lough shore in 1959. In the background to the left you can just see Massereene Golf Club House.

NORTHERN IRELAND POSTCARD 3857
This postcard is from 1958 and you might think that's not so long ago only 63 years (2021).
Well take a look at the boats and planes, no roll on roll off ferries and the planes are all driven by propellors!

- - - - - - The postcard was posted at 4.14pm in Portrush on the 18th August 1958 to a- - - - - Miss Maureen McIlroy of 487 Centennial Street, Winnipeg 9, Man, Canada.

The message reads: Dear Maureen, Having a nice time, here is a photo of Nr Ireland. Your dad will be able to point out all the spots he knows. You can see the bridges in Randalstown & Portrush at the top. Best love to you, Randy, Mum & Dad. Uncle Bob.

AMANDA NESBITT -3882
It's 1984 and this musical talented girl is Amanda Nesbitt putting in some serious pratice before taking part in a big concert in Rathenraw Community Centre as part of the Antrim Festival. by the way Amanda was 9 at the time.

NEESON CHILDREN 2920
Here in a studio having there photograph taken are Neeson children. On the left is the girl with her lovely shinny hair, just look at her dress with all that embroidery and finally to her button up boots. The boy in his trouser suit, yes I know he has curls but that was the fashion back then and his laceed up boots. Both his and his sister's would have been hand made. Sadly I do not have any information on the two Neeson girls.

HIGH STREET 2758
Having looked in the shop window in High Street and see nothing they liked Muriel and Margaret Neal turned round to have their photograph taken.

GORDON NEESON 124
Standing outside Rosegift Cottage is Gordon Neeson in 1931. Note the buttons at the tops of his short trousers, this was for your braces instead of wearing a belt. Gordon was ten then and had still another 3 years to go before he would be allowed to wear long trousers. That was for every young boy back then, even I wore them till I was 13 and that was in 1955! I don't think we would get to many boys now doing that.

CHURCH STREET 1447
Here in the back yard of her parents shop in Church Street we have Alice Nicholl with younger brother Irvine back in 1950.

BOXER TRAINER 1252
On the right you have George Neeson on the 6th April 1923 aged 23 as the Army Boxing Trainer and by what's on the table he's good at the job.The boxer's name is unknown and the photograph was taken at Colaba in India.

BELMONT PARK 2759
Here we are in Belmont Park which used to be down in Riverside. Showing off his super tricycle is a young Paul Richards.