£3.50 ISSN 1743-565X (N0.14) Vol.4 No.2 December 2018 History

 The man who galvanised medical practice in Armagh

 Armagh couple meet 60s icon on Primrose Hill

 Work and play at the laundry

An Armagh History Group Publication History Armagh No. 14 - Vol. 4 No. 2 - December 2018

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History Armagh No. 14 - Vol. 4 No. 2 - December 2018 2

Vol. 4 No. 2- December 2018 History Armagh

This is a publication of Contents Armagh & District History Group

A short history of the Police Service in Armagh Chairperson: Mary McVeigh by Stephen Day ...... 4 Vice Chair: Stephen Day Secretary: Helen Grimes Alexander Lane: the man who galvanised medical Treasurer: Kevin Quinn practise in Armagh Press Officer: Eric Villiers by Richard Burns ...... 11 Web Master: Richard Burns

‘A triumph of photographic art’ Editorial committee: by Catherine Gartland ...... 15 Mary McVeigh, Stephen Day, Roy Cummings, Richard Burns, The Pavilion: a Picturesque inspired suburban Catherine Gartland, Eric Villiers, Regency Villa Kevin Quinn, Helen Grimes, by Kevin Quinn ...... 20 Angela Boylan, Stephen Garvin Families Copyright: by Gerry Oates ...... 26 No part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior Armagh Cricket Club by Brian Weir ...... 31 consent of the publishers and the relevant author A Halloween tale of gunfire, clergy, police and medical men

laying a ghost at a lake Printers: by Eric Villiers ...... 34 The Postcard Company Limited 51 Gortin Road Irish Street: plenty to be proud of despite poor press Omagh BT79 7HZ by Mary McVeigh ...... 36 Tel: 028 8224 9222 E: [email protected] Armagh City Steam Laundry - through the eyes of the workers by Sean Barden ...... 41 Front cover: Upper Irish St. Police Barracks in 1950s

Back Cover: It’s not so unusual to say hello: Armagh couple meet 60s icon Looking east from Navan Street to Primrose on Primrose Hill Hill, courtesy of by Kevin Quinn ...... 45

History Armagh No. 14 - Vol. 4 No. 2 - December 2018 3

A short history of the Police Service in Armagh by Stephen Day

The focus of this article largely protect life and property, to detect crime should make hue and cry, centres on the history of policing in and deter crime and to maintain (basically shout out loud and clear) Armagh City since the 1770s. public order. The English policing and that the hue and cry must be developments gradually perculated kept up against the fleeing criminal Origins into various parts of Ireland and by from town to town and from county Law enforcement bodies of some the early 1700s a basic form of civil to county, until the felon is kind have existed in Ireland from (as distinct from military) policing apprehended and delivered to the earliest times. Some of these bodies was beginning to develop. sheriff. All able bodied men, upon were made up of ‘Watchmen’ - hearing the shouts, were obliged to Early Records guardians of the peace. In 1285, assist in the pursuit of the criminal. King Edward 1 of had In Armagh City the 1770 Census It was moreover provided that ‘the passed the Statute of Winchester shows that the Town Sergeant, whole hundred…. shall be which ‘constituted two constables Richard Lutton, lived with his wife answerable’ for any theft or in every Hundred (for example, a and one child in Little Meeting robbery – in effect a form of geographic division of a County, Street (thought to be just beside collective punishment, usually a often a to prevent defaults in Abbey Street) a short distance fine or payment of compensation towns and highways.’ A further Act from the Cathedral. levied on the community or Parish. of Parliament in 1495 enabled each Those who raised a hue and cry Parish to appoint constables from Many of the in Armagh falsely were themselves guilty of a the able inhabitants. Over the had their own constables, not many crime and subject to punishment. centuries, when local arrangements in number but effective in times of By 1773 a similar ‘county’ police were not sufficient to deal with a relative peace. One such was Petty force existed in scattered baronies significant threat to law and order, Constable William Cowan of elsewhere in Ireland with the the local officials frequently Parish, north-west of Baronial Constables often referred enlisted the help of the military. Armagh City. In 1725 he was to as ‘the old Barneys.’ had executing Warrants on behalf of its own city-wide force from 1778. (To complicate matters, sometimes Thomas Clarke, a Justice of the the position of Constable referred Peace (JP) for the County of In Armagh the local authority was to the military officer charged with Armagh. the Armagh Corporation, a Grand the defence of a castle or Fort. In Jury of twenty three persons headed the aftermath of the Nine Years Petty Constables would also have by a ‘Sovereign’ – a latter day Lord War in Ireland (1594-1603) been assisted in carrying out their Mayor. They served in office for 12 Captain Anthony Smith was listed duties by the obligations of ‘Hue months and at the end of this time as Constable of the Castle of Moyry and Cry’ placed on local another Jury was summoned by the and Francis Anneslie was listed as Parishioners and bystanders. The new Sovereign appointed by the Constable of the Fort at process of ‘Hue and Cry’ related to burgesses. Amongst their many . Both were located in the ancient tradition of common duties was the requirement to south Armagh on the strategic law whereby local people could be prevent the existence of nuisances route from Dundalk to Armagh via called on to assist in the and to nominate town constables ). apprehension of a criminal who had for the preservation of the public been witnessed in the act of peace. At the most basic level, the term carrying out a crime. The constable refers to a person of Winchester Statute stated that Corporation Books show that in the authority who has powers of arrest, anyone, either a constable or a early 1780s Armagh had a very under common and civil law, to private citizen, who witnessed a small establishment of police

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officers and the Corporation newspapers. The opening of the the local police. (Bradshaw: 1820) regularly set money aside to pay Courthouse came as the Napoleonic them. They had the power to Wars were reaching their end. It Peel’s plans came to fruition two appoint and dismiss these men. was anticipated that over the next years later. By an Act of Also the power to reward them for few years the demobilisation of Parliament, a permanent trained good work and fine them for poor soldiers and an economic downturn police force for the whole of performance. There are references would lead to more unemployment Ireland was created. Called the to Petty Constables, Town and an associated increase in crime. Constabulary Police (1822-1836). Constables, Town Sergeants and An increase in the police was a Opposition to the idea of a national the High Constable who appears to sensible precaution. police force delayed the have had oversight of all law and introduction of the force in some th order issues in the City. Many of On 20 January 1812 the two Town counties and ensured that control of these issues were routine. Sergeants are named as Charles the force was localised. Each Bary and Barney Rocks and the was to have a force of 15th November 1784: Constables listed as Henry Kidd, sixteen constables commanded by a John Barnes, William Irwin, Chief Constable, with an Inspector ‘Every stallion that shall be rode or Thomas Simpson, Patrick Rafferty General for each of the four led for show into the Market Street th and Robert Shillington. By the 7 with County or other streets of this town on a July1813 the numbers appear to Armagh police officers forming Market Day or Fair Day from the have doubled with the names of 26 part of the Constabulary. hour of nine o’ clock in the Constables listed. However, there However, numbers expanded morning to 6 o’ clock in the remained a need for a more rapidly. By 1824, there were 214 evening shall be seized and kept in efficient and adequate county Chief Constables, 1113 Constables custody by the Town Sergeant until police. and 3465 Sub-Constables in the owner pay a sum of ten shillings Ireland. Manpower expanded for use of the poor of this Many people date the formation of another 23% by 1830. During that Corporation.’ the modern Irish police to 1814 decade there was a Police Barracks when Mr (later Sir) Robert Peel, On 22nd July 1795 the Sovereign at Linen Hall Street (East), Chief Secretary of Ireland, created and Grand Jury published a poster Armagh, just up from the junction the Police Protection Force (PPF) which was to be displayed to the with Abbey Lane. (OS: 1834) The 1814-1822. It was mainly recruited public outlining a number of centralisation that was resisted in from retired soldiers (not offences which they felt hindered 1822 was recognised as a necessity necessarily older men) and was the the day to day good governance of in 1836, when a single force, the first fully uniformed police force. It Armagh – mostly commercial and Irish Constabulary, was was also commanded by military public order issues – and the fines established, save for the cities of officers, unfortunate but perhaps and penalties which offenders Dublin, and Derry. A understandable as there were fears could expect to receive. (Armagh snapshot of the number of police that the repercussions of the recent Robinson Library) officers located in some of the Napoleonic Wars could threaten the county towns outside of Armagh political stability of Great Britain Innovations (1812 – 1836) can be found in the records of the and Ireland. Peel objected in PARISHES OF COUNTY A fine ‘new’ Georgian Gaol had principle to the use of soldiers to ARMAGH 1835-8. (Day & been commissioned by Archbishop enforce public peace but it was a McWilliams: 1990) These Stations, Robinson in 1780 and was fully case of ‘needs must.’ He spent the or Barracks as they were most functioning at its site on the south following seven years preparing the commonly called, generally end of the Mall. In 1812 a new ground for a more civilian based consisted of a minimum of one Georgian Courthouse was built on organisation. Meanwhile day to day Sergeant and three Constables. the north end of the Mall. They law enforcement continued. In Locations included , now became the elegant centres of 1820 the Town Sergeant, John , , Belleek, an efficient administration of Brown, was recorded as living at , , justice and a focus of police Callan Street and the High Middletown, , and activity for Armagh City, County Constable, John Noble, was living . (There were seven and beyond. Reference to all three at Church Lane, Armagh. They police stationed in Crossmaglen featured almost weekly in local were responsible for supervising

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‘due to the country being in rather the predominantly nationalist Irish Guardian: July 22, 1845.) Incidents a disturbed state.’) Street and Ogle Street areas. The of this scale were rare in the city flashpoint was the junction of but sometimes did reoccur during Irish Constabulary: 1836 – Thomas Street, Dobbin Street and times of political tension including 1867: Ogle Street and a riot broke out our recent history. The force was now tightly after a man was killed. The local controlled from Dublin Castle, the police backed up by the military Around this time a small Police seat of British power in Ireland, and from the nearby Army Barracks at Barracks was established on a was under the control of one Barrack Street managed to control temporary site at Irish Street (East) Inspector General. It became highly the situation and undoubtedly (73954970). They later transferred professional and this was enhanced prevented the loss of many more from these premises to nearby new when the training centre was lives as the initial civilian gunfire, premises at Irish Street (East) established at Phoenix Park. Over mostly into the air, had been (73955035). A large Constabulary time Phoenix Park became famous intensive. The circumstances were Barracks was established at Market across the world for the quality of complex and disputed with lots of Street in the same decade with its recruits. what we might call today ‘fake County Inspector Louis Anderson news’ in the immediate aftermath. in charge. It was located just th In Armagh on 12 July 1845 there A speedy, full, investigation got adjacent to the Northern Bank and was a serious confrontation underway and the local paper opposite the Market House. It was a between some members of an concluded that ‘the sad affray was prestigious location and had Orange Order parade returning more by the accident of both sides offices, a garden and a back from the main event at Loughgall than the design of either.’ (Armagh courtyard with access to horses and and a crowd of local people from coaches via an archway which still remains.

Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC): 1867 – 1922: In 1867 Queen Victoria gave the force the ‘Royal’ prefix together with a new harp and crown badge for its part in suppressing the Fenian Uprising of that year. The force then became known as the Royal Irish Constabulary, the first royal police force and a model for a number of police forces throughout the world. Trainee officers were instructed in drill, rifle training, police duties, physical training, arithmetic, geography, English and first aid. Officers in rural areas had to learn how to use a fire pump to fight fires because there were no ‘professional’ firefighters outside large towns like Armagh.

For most of its existence the RIC was a community based police service performing similar sorts of everyday duties as their colleagues in Great Britain. However, whilst the police in Great Britain were generally not armed the RIC Location of early Victorian Police HQ Market Street routinely carried firearms due to the

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by District Inspector Bones. At 6pm in the dayroom of the Russell Street RIC Barracks, the Resident Magistrate, Mr Townsend, charged all four with causing death by negligence and misbehaviour.

Early 20th Century This was a turbulent time for policing in Ireland both north and south of the island. The Home Rule crisis came to a head just prior to the First World War when those against, the Ulster Volunteer Force, and those for, the Irish National Escort to HM Judge of Assizes Photograph taken at the Mall, Armagh at the turn of the century showing RIC troopers providing a mounted escort to the Volunteers, began to demonstrate Judge’s coach and drill with real weapons. Tensions were high and the threat ongoing small but significant threat House, Newry Road, Armagh. A of civil war real, but the police of attack from extreme political snapshot of Barracks elsewhere in managed to contain the situation. activists – mostly militant the county are as follows: - Certainly this was the case in republicans. Such attacks did not Flurrybridge, , Armagh and ironically there was a become a major threat until the Crossmaglen, , huge sigh of relief when years 1916 to 1922 and particularly Silverbridge, Belleek, , confrontation at home was the very violent period 1919-1922. Newtownhamilton, Carnagh, suspended in the summer of 1914 Keady, Middletown, Mountnorris, due to the beginning of major war The RIC Barracks at 5 Russell Markethill, Richhill, Tandragee, on the continent. Street, Armagh, built in 1883, and , (3), Lurgan was one of the very few purpose (4), Annaghmore, The Birches and The 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin designed barracks erected for the Blackwater. (Bassett: 1888) did not manifest itself in any RIC. (Today the façade of the significant violence in Armagh and barracks and the letters RIC can The Armagh Railway Disaster th even the commencement of the still be seen, largely unchanged, June 12 1889 Irish War of Independence in 1919 although it is now used as Sheltered The Armagh Railway Disaster was did not spread from the south to Accommodation.) It was the main the worst railway disaster in Ireland Armagh County and City until the police barracks in Armagh well into resulting in 88 deaths and summer of 1920. On 6th June that th the 20 century. (For a time in the approximately 400 injured. It year Sergeant Timothy Holland, 37 th th late 19 /early 20 century there occurred when the runaway years, married with 5 children was was also a small Barracks at 55 carriages of a Sunday school shot, along with a colleague, by 5 Ogle Street which was replaced by excursion train collided with an armed men at a public gathering in a medium sized one in Upper Irish oncoming engine at the Kilcluney Cullyhanna. He died of his wounds Street (West). embankment. This embankment three days later. On 14th January can still be seen on the right of the 1921 the violence finally reached In 1888 the Head Constable in main Armagh to Portadown road, Armagh City when Sergeant John Armagh was David Magee. (The just outside the city limits. It is also Kemp, stationed at Russell Street specialist Crimes Department probably the worst rail disaster that Barracks, Armagh, was injured by (Ulster) Headquarters was located the RIC had to deal with anywhere an IRA bomb thrown at him in at College Street, Armagh with on the island. It fell to the local Market Street opposite the senior officers being Inspector police assisted by the military from Technical School. An innocent Cullen, District Inspectors Faussett Gough Barracks, to create some young man named Francis and Reeves and the Head Constable order from the chaos. All the train Campbell, an insurance agent, was recorded as R. B. Hatch). The operators, with the exception of one also seriously injured. It appears County Inspector, George H.W. who was in hospital, were arrested that he was on his way home from Dobbin was resident at Woodford

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a Gaelic League Language class. steady decline assisted by events in Royal Irish Fusiliers. The IRA Sergeant Kemp died of his injuries the 26 counties. On 28th June 1922 made their formal announcement of a few days later. The only police Civil War in the South began with the beginning of hostilities in officer to be killed in Armagh City the attack on the Four Courts in November 1956. The campaign had during the troubled period 1916 – Dublin. On 6th December the Irish little support from the nationalist 1925. By now reprisal and counter Free State came into existence and community and was relatively reprisals were breaking out firm action against the anti-Treaty limited in its effect. During this elsewhere in the county, forces became increasingly robust. period the city Barracks/Police particularly in the South Armagh/ On 24th May 1923 De Valera Stations remained at Russell Street Newry areas, as tensions relating to ordered his followers to end the and Upper Irish Street despite the impending Partition of the Six Civil War. Public feeling North and latter being damaged in a bomb Counties came to a head. On 22nd South was unanimously in favour attack on 29th September 1957. June 1921 George V formally of returning to more peaceful times. (The legendary Jimmy Nethercott opened the was stationed at Irish Street in the Parliament. In the following months All of this enabled the RUC to 1950s and is well remembered in tensions led to a pro Treaty and anti- establish its authority in Armagh the west of the city as a fine Treaty split between Collins and De and across the six counties. Like example of a community police Valera in January 1922. On 14th the RIC and the IC before it, the man.) (The 1957 blast blew out the January 1922 Provisional Government RUC was a community based windows on the south side of the under Collins was established in police service performing similar Dublin for the 26 Counties. Cathedral and sorts of everyday duties as their damaged houses on Vicars’ Hill.) Royal Ulster Constabulary: colleagues in Great Britain. In It was only in the 1960s, after the (RUC) 1922 – 2001: Armagh City and throughout the conclusion of the campaign in county this meant living amongst Following the Irish War of 1962, that these two Barracks were the communities they policed, Independence (1919 -1921) and the replaced by a brand new, open taking part in local activities and partition of the island the Royal plan, Police Station. This was built their children going to local Ulster Constabulary replaced the at the Newry Road junction over schools. The two Barracks RIC (1st June 1922) in what was what used to be the main entrance remained located at Irish Street and now known as Northern Ireland. In and driveway to the Palace. For Russell Street. Again, the months before it was formed most of the remainder of the decade unfortunately, like their the unsettled situation on the island County Armagh and the rest of predecessors in Ireland and unlike led to further violence in the North Northern Ireland enjoyed relative their colleagues in Great Britain, and the newly formed Ulster peace and quiet. the police had to carry firearms on Special Constabulary (1920), who duty. These were mostly revolvers (An RUC women’s section had were acting in support of the RIC/ and were necessary due to the been established in 1943 to carry RUC suffered significant ongoing small but significant threat out a limited range of duties, casualties. In South Armagh and of attack from extreme political mainly concerned with women and Newry alone 12 men were killed by activists – mostly militant children. The role of female officers the IRA. The worst incident in the rd republicans. On 3 December 1925 and their numbers expanded county was the Altnaveigh the Boundary Commission had greatly after the 1970s when they massacre in the early hours of 17th been terminated and the existing became more visible on the streets June 1922 when the IRA burned Border confirmed. The ongoing of Armagh. Full equality was four homes occupied by threat to the survival of Northern achieved in 1994 with the right to Presbyterians in Altanaveigh and Ireland manifested itself by isolated carry firearms). Lisdrumliska just south-west of incidents of sporadic violence in Newry. Six of their occupants were the late 1930s and in the IRA In 1968/69 demands for more civil shot dead in the roadway as the ‘Border Campaign’ of the 1950s/ rights led to civil protest in the families were lined up. (Kennedy: early 1960s. streets. Soon disturbances broke out 1988) There was widespread with large demonstrations and condemnation of the atrocity which The start of the Border campaign counter demonstrations in many turned out to be the high water was unofficially marked in 1954 by major towns and cities including mark as regards violence in County an IRA raid on the armoury at Armagh, Dungannon and Newry. Armagh. Thereafter there was a Gough Barracks, the home of the Isolated violent incidents soon

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escalated into serious civil conflict. whilst shopping with his wife in the the early 1990s, resulted in a The police were often caught in the car park of Safeway Supermarket, gradual reduction of these bases middle attempting to maintain the Ogle Street on 27th March 1996. and a return to a more normalised peace and to protect life and (Many more police officers were policing profile. In November 1999 property. With a small strength of killed and injured elsewhere in the George Cross (the highest just over 3,000 officers they had County Armagh during this tragic civilian gallantry medal) was limited material and little training and turbulent period in local awarded collectively to the RUC by to deal with this level of public history). The mid 1970’s saw the Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, unrest. Worse still, overall decision RUC in Armagh take over control ‘to honour the courage and making was compromised by of Gough Barracks from the dedication of the officers of the political control and finally the military who in turn moved to a RUC and their families who have army was called in to help restore new Barracks at Drumadd on the shared their hardships.’ order. A police enquiry followed Road. This was It was generally recognised that which radically reformed the RUC part of the policy of ‘police significant changes were required to bring it more into line with other primacy’ which became firmly to ensure that the new political UK forces. The most important established by the end of that arrangements at Stormont were changes were the removal of decade. Responsibility for security supported by a police service fully political control over the police by now lay again with the police in the equipped to meet the requirements the setting up of the Police first instance with army support of the 21st century. As part of the Authority for Northern Ireland and available only when necessary. provisions of the Police (NI) Act the transfer of all military type Gough became the centre of a wide 2000 and to speed the progress duties to the army. The USC was range of support facilities for the towards achieving more normal disbanded and replaced by a newly police in the south east of Northern civilianised policing the RUC GC recruited RUC Reserve. Another Ireland. important change was the was renamed the Police Service of disarming of the RUC, a situation Throughout the ‘Troubles’ the Northern Ireland (incorporating the that had to be reversed after a year police were required to carry out Royal Ulster Constabulary). For due to the escalating terrorist ordinary duties whilst taking ever practical and operational purposes threat. (Over 300 officers died more sophisticated measures to it was soon commonly referred to violent deaths before relative peace protect against a wide range of simply as the PSNI. The name th returned). possible terrorist attacks. This change took effect on 4 November meant wearing body armour, 2001. There was severe violence in the carrying rifles and automatic Ulster Special Constabulary: early 1970s with 1972 resulting in weapons, using armoured patrol 1920 – 1970: the most deaths (496) of any year vehicles and the building of during the entire thirty years of the elaborate defences around police The USC was essentially a police recent ‘Troubles.’ Ongoing stations. At the height of the reserve which was formed to intermittent violence by both ‘Troubles’ the two police bases in reinforce the RIC in the north east Republican and Loyalist para Armagh City were augmented by of Ireland at the height of the IRAs militaries saw the RUC develop in the following Stations located in campaign to achieve independence both size (to a maximum strength the county - Tynan, Middletown, for the entire island. The 26 of 13,500) and expertise to meet Keady, Newtownhamilton, counties achieved semi autonomy the challenge. On 13th August 1973 Crossmaglen, Forkhill, , in the form of the Irish Free State the first police officer to be killed Newry, Markethill, Poynzpass, but the 6 counties in the north east in Armagh City was William John Tandragee, Portadown, Craigavon, remained in the . McElveen, a Part Time Reservist Lurgan, The Birches and Initially there were three categories who was shot dead at Cathedral Loughgall. These, in turn, could of Special Constable – the ‘A’ Road whilst off duty. A further rely on a large number of military Specials, who were full-time,) the twelve were to be killed in and bases which had been established in ‘B’ Specials, who were part-time around the city, both on and off the early 1970s and 80s. Political and the ‘C’ Specials who duty, over the next 25 years and violence was being contained but performed an additional support many more were injured. Retired there was political stalemate role. In the early 1920s, as peace Full-Time Reserve Constable Cyril amongst the politicians. The peace was restored, the ‘A’ Specials were Stewart was the last, shot dead process, which began in earnest in mostly merged into the RUC and

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the ‘C’ Specials disbanded. The ‘B’ deployed in ‘front-line’ duties, -1776; 1776-1797

Specials were retained as a part- particularly in ‘difficult’ areas and Armagh Corporation Books 1776 – time reserve force that could be that when on outdoor duties always 1814 and 1815 – 1839 mobilised in the event of renewed to be accompanied by a member of A List of the Inhabitants of the internal or external threat to the the RUC, they formed part of the Town Of Armagh for the Use of His Government. ordinary RUC station personnel. Grace, the Lord Primate, 1770: The RUCR was formed at a time William Lodge They were mobilised during the when political violence was Second World War (1939-1945) Bradshaw’s General Directory of escalating sharply (1972 was the Newry, Armagh 1820: (Davidson and worked closely with the newly most violent year in the history of Books) created Ulster Home Guard to the recent ‘Troubles’) and the protect installations and secure the (Day & McWilliams: (1990) security situation meant that they Ordinance Survey MEMOIRS OF Border. The USC was again experienced the same risks and IRELAND - PARISHES OF mobilised during the IRA Border COUNTY ARMAGH 1835-8: were increasingly required to Campaign (1956 - 1962) and, perform many of the same duties as From Light Infantry to briefly, in the late 1960s to again their regular RUC colleagues. With Constabulary: - ‘the Military Origins provide back up for the RUC in of The Irish Police; 1798-1850’ - the name change to PSNI in 2001 protecting installations and The Irish Sword, Vol. XXI, No 84 the RUCR continued for a further providing additional patrols, ten years as the PSNI Reserve and especially in remote rural areas. General: assisted as the new policing Often this was done by a Platoon, a arrangements bedded in. Armagh Guardian – 8th 15th 22nd group of Special Constables under July1845 the command of a Sergeant but, in Police Service Northern many cases, not accompanied by a Ireland: 2001 – Present: Bassett, G.H. (1989) ‘County Armagh One Hundred Years Ago – member of the RUC. Today the new modernised police A GUIDE AND DIRECTORY 1888’ st – The Friar’s Bush Press 1989 They were not trained in, and were service for the 21 century is never intended for use in, crowd supported by the main unionist, Cameron, M: (1993) – ‘The nationalist and republican political Women in Green’ – Impact Printing control duties but, in some Ltd Coleraine instances, they were called on to do parties. The main police station in so in 1969 due to the enormous Armagh remains at Newry Road Report of the Advisory Committee and Gough Barracks continues to on Police in Northern Ireland, pressure placed on the RUC by 1969: HMSO rapidly escalating crowd provide support services to the disturbances in some urban areas wider organisation with a new state Kennedy, Dennis: (1988) ‘The of the art call centre being formally Widening Gulf ‘– The Blackstaff including Armagh. They were Press, 1988 disbanded in 1970 and replaced by opened in 2013. (a) the Ulster Defence Regiment Ordinance Survey and Valuations Acknowledgements Armagh – 1834, 1862, 1864 (primarily tasked with performing a (Val.2), 1868 (Val.3), 1889 military role to protect against I would like to thank the staff at Armagh County Museum, Armagh Ryder, Chris: (1989) – ‘The RUC, increasing terrorist incidents under A Force Under Fire’ – Cox & the command of the military) and Robinson Library and Armagh Irish Wyman Ltd Reading1989 by (b) the Royal Ulster & Local Studies Library for their assistance. Also a number of retired Sinclair, R.J.K. & Scully F.J.M.: Constabulary Reserve under the (1982) – ‘Arresting Memories’ – command of the Chief Constable. and serving police and local Impact Printing Coleraine residents for sharing their Royal Ulster Constabulary knowledge and recollections. Trotter, Sam: (2010) – Reserve: 1970 – 2001: ‘Constabulary Heroes 1926 – 2011’ Impact Printing Ltd Coleraine The RUCR consisted of Part-Time References & Ballycastle and Full-Time constables whose Armagh Robinson Library Woods, D: ‘THE FATEFUL DAY – primary duties were to be guarding Reference Books: A Commemorative Book of the police stations and performing Armagh Railway Disaster ‘ Calendar of State Papers – Ireland back-up to the regular members of 1556 – 1625 the RUC in other functions. Armagh Assizes, Indictments; 1735 Originally intended not to be

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Alexander Lane: the man who galvanised medical practice in Armagh by Richard Burns

For those of you who enjoyed Sean Alexander lived for a time in Treaty of Waitangi. During his Bean in the television series “The Armagh, probably on time in New Zealand Hobson Frankenstein Chronicles”, some of where he met his future wife suffered a stroke (described by Dr which was filmed in Armagh, it Dorothea Stanley. Dorothea’s Lane as 'paralysis hemiplegia'), may interest you to know that one parents did not approve of a from which he recovered although local doctor was practising some of proposed marriage as the role of this necessitated a transfer of the techniques depicted in the series ship’s surgeon meant Alexander himself and Alexander from the in the early years of Victoria’s was at sea for months if not years Herald to HMS Buffalo. The reign. Alexander Lane was a at a time. In October 1834 they Buffalo was later shipwrecked in surgeon in the Royal Navy and eloped to , where they heavy weather in Mercury Bay with lived an adventurous life, he kept a married on 30th October 1834, the loss of two of the crew. The journal of his time at sea and of life they then returned to Ireland and surviving crew were returned to ashore. Following his retirement were married again in Newtown Spithead in March 1841. from the Navy he wrote papers on Limavady on 1st November 1834 Alexander returned to Armagh and various medical matters and was where many of the Lane family spent the next five years there. published regularly in the 1860s in lived. the Dublin Medical Press. On 8th The following advert appeared in th May 1863 an advertisement the Armagh Guardian on 8 July appeared in the Armagh Guardian 1845: inviting subscriptions for "My Own MEDICAL GALVANISM Cruize (sic)" a book about Alexander's life in the Navy and the The high position in which MEDICAL people he met in the course of his GALVANISM now stands in the various parts of Europe where due naval career. Whether there were attention has been paid to its proper sufficient subscriptions to warrant application as a remedial agent in the publication I don't know, however cure of disease, has induced DOCTOR the notes that he made for the book LANE to procure a GALVANIC did survive and are in the apparatus of a superior description at possession of Earle Street living in a very considerable expense, for the Cape Cod, who I met in 2009. purpose of extending its benefits to those whose cases come under its Dorothea Lane peculiar and immediate influence; its They made their home there for a power can be so regulated, that any while, before moving to required strength can be administered Aughnacloy and eventually to from infancy to old age, and the sensation produced is anything but Abbey Street, Armagh. In the disagreeable. Affections that have intervening years Alexander gained foiled the united talent of the civilised his medical qualifications Medical world, have yielded to its obtaining an M.D. from the extraordinary power, yet there is University in Glasgow in 1836. In nothing mysterious about it; it supplies 1838 he was off to sea again the place of tonic medicines, gives to aboard the H.M.S. Herald [REF 1], the nervous system that vigorous and their voyage was along the coast of healthy tone which they have failed to South America to Australia to do, and enables it to resist the collect the Governor of New South insidious diseases to which it was liable, by giving to each part that Wales and bring him to New sufficient degree of strength which Alexander Lane Zealand for the signing of the enables it to do its appointed duty

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efficiently. In consumption, where July last from the pen of Joseph like lethargy, or suspended Medicine has utterly failed, where Ferguson Esq. M.D., Surgeon to animation, have occurred where change of climate has proved a mere the Westmeath Infirmary on the life has returned after longer delusion, and where no hope from above subject. It is headed interruption than in Clydesdale’s either can possibly be expected, nor ‘Extraordinary affects of Voltaic case, when death supervenes from conscientiously given, Galvanism, when Electricity” It appears that a man noxious gases, etc., etc. He thinks combined with DOCTOR LANES’S named Rock had thrown himself peculiar mode of treatment, more galvanism will restore life; and particularly in incipient cases where into the canal, and, when taken out, when judiciously used, fair hopes the structure of the lungs has not been was supposed to be dead; the usual may be a form of deriving vitally destroyed will convey the most means of restoring animation in extensive benefit from it and sanguine hopes. Paralysis, Asthma, such cases having failed, the raising this wonderful agent to its Indigestion, Tic Douloureux, stomach-pump was introduced, expected rank among the ministers Headache, Costiveness, Deafness, which removed upwards of a gallon of health and life to man. Rheumatism, and many other of water strongly impregnated with complaints, come under its immediate spirits. The galvanic battery was When we’ve thus seen the dead influence. now put into active operation, and restored to life through the instrumentality of Galvanism, what Its power may be known from the its conductors were applied directly following fact: - Divide the nerves to the diaphragm, an insertion may we not expect from it, in which supply the stomach and digestion having been made below the restoring and health and strength will cease – apply the Galvanic fluid to seventh rib for the purpose of the sickly and debilitated the lower part of the divided nerves, exposing this muscle. The effect constitution, nearly worn out by and digestion will be resumed as if the was instantaneous - the dead man disease and physic. By giving a nerves had not been divided at all; thus was restored to life strong and healthy tone to the proving the Galvanic and nervous fluid exhausted nervous system, so as to almost one and the same. The above is not a solitary case. enable it to perform its functions Numerous diseases come not under the The York Courant gives the case of properly? No medical man should Galvanic influence, and DOCTOR a woman who was to all be without one: it should be found LANE will give his decided opinion appearance dead, and upon whom in all public hospitals, infirmaries, respecting them, gratis. Hours of the usual means of restoring dispensaries and poor-houses. attendance, from 10 a.m. till 4 p.m. animation having been practised Many a valuable life has been lost, Time of operation, half an hour each for three hours without effect, life and hundreds have been carried to patient daily; fee, one guinea each, per then appearing extinct; a galvanic an early grave, whose existence week – medicine supplied gratis to all battery was procured, promptly might have been prolonged to an his Patients, except those labouring applied, and life restored in a few indefinite period under the proper under Gout. Children vaccinated minutes. gratis every Wednesday morning from use of Galvanism. 8 till 9 o’clock. Advice and Galvanism To many those things will appear I remain sir, your obedient servant, gratis to the poor. incredible; but facts are stubborn Alexander Lane M.D., R.N. A nurse to attend the Ladies, who are things. Doctor Ure in a Chemical solicited to a personal inspection. Dictionary published by him so far PS - the Galvanic Battery I have I back as 1823, states, in reference to can put into active operation in 40, Abbey-street, Armagh, the experiments made upon the less than a minute. 8th July, 1845 body of the murderer, Clydesdale, The newspaper also included a that had galvanism in the first This advert was followed on 30th copy of the article mentioned instance been applied before the December 1845 with the following above from the York Courant. opening of the vertebral column, as letter to the editor of the Armagh there had not been dislocation of Guardian: Astonishing recovery of animation the neck, he would have been by galvanism To the editor of the Armagh restored to life - an event, he says Guardian however little desirable in a On Monday se’enight, a person murderer, would have been residing at Ferrybridge, a potter Sir - My attention has been drawn pardonable in one instance as by trade came home intoxicated, to an article that appeared in the highly useful to science. It is known and abused and ill-treated his wife, Westmeath Guardian of the 2nd (he continues) that cases of death- as he had done on many former

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occasions. Being a nervous person, hospitals, infirmaries, be used, once all other methods she could not endure this treatment, dispensaries and poor-houses.” have been tried. and resolved to leave him, and ran It took over 150 years for the out in the state of nudity. Not defibrillator to be widely When the several measures having returned at the expiration of distributed. recommended above, have been a long time, the neighbours went in steadily pursued for an hour or search of her. After examining all The interest in the use of more, without any appearance of probable houses and places where electricity to resuscitate patients returning life, Electricity should be she was thought to be, without has had a number of different tried; experience having shewn it to success. It was deemed proper to phases over the years. It first be one of the most powerful stimuli drag the canal, some thinking that came to public attention in yet known, and capable of exciting she might have jumped in there; but England in 1774 [REF 2], when contraction in the heart and other in the meantime, one of the party the Royal Humane Society was muscles of the body, after every found her behind a building to all established in (as the other stimulus has ceased to appearance dead from starvation. Society for the Recovery of produce the least effect. She was carried into the house, and Persons Apparently Drowned) In 1816, Mary Shelley, whose own Mr. P Atkinson, surgeon, was sent to promote the use of artificial mother, Mary Wollstonecraft who for her, who used and administered respiration and to reward those had attempted suicide on a number every proper means to restore her, who saved lives. It was soon of occasions, was pulled from the but to no avail, life appearing realised electricity might be Thames after attempting to drown extinct. After nearly 3 hours’ used to revive humans as well as herself. The book she subsequently exertions in chafing the body, animals, and the first recorded wrote, Frankenstein, was applying warm flannels et cetera case was described in the Royal undoubtedly influenced by the Mr A. sent for Mr Charter (late of Humane Society’s Reports. A 3 contemporary debates about Kirbymoorside), schoolmaster, year-old girl, Sophie Greenhill, electricity, resuscitation and the requesting him to bring his was pronounced dead after a meaning of ‘apparent death’ and powerful galvanic Bachoffner’s fall, but a Mr Squires tried the life. machine which he had just effects of electricity. Twenty minutes elapsed before he could constructed. This was very soon It wasn’t until the end of the 19th apply the shock, which he gave put in readiness, with one of century that scientists began to to various parts of the body in Daniel’s sustaining batteries, and understand the physiology of the vain; but, upon transmitting a taken to the patient’s house who heart and why electricity can few shocks through the thorax, still remained inanimate. The sometimes resuscitate the he perceived a small pulsation; machine was promptly applied and ‘apparently dead’. In 1874, Edmé in a few minutes the child began in eight or ten seconds signs of life Vulpian (1826–1887) first used the to breathe. Around the same were apparent. After passing two term ‘fibrillation’ to describe rapid, time similar research was being shocks through the body from the irregular contractions of the muscle carried out on the continent in right to the left breast, the lungs fibres of the heart. began to heave, the heart and pulse France and Holland working to beat, and to the astonishment with animals. These techniques of resuscitation and gratification of a number of were more or less forgotten until In 1790 a Northampton witnesses, she exclaimed, “What the 1930s, when a professor of physician, James Curry are you doing? Where am I?” electrical engineering at John published a guide on Another slight shock was given, Hopkins University, William B. resuscitation for the public as when she was enabled to sit Kouwenhoven (1886–1975), began well as physicians. Curry’s upright; sickness followed, and the studies which led to the “Observations on Apparent animation was completely restored. development of the modern Death” is one of the first texts to She is now fast recovering. defibrillator. attempt to distinguish between Perhaps the most interesting part of real and apparent death, and to The next step forward came in the letter is the sentence “No outline in detail some Northern Ireland where Frank medical man should be without resuscitation procedures. Curry Pantridge [REF 3], a cardiac one: it should be found in all public describes how electricity might consultant to the Royal Victoria

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Hospital, Belfast and professor at sea in October 1846 aboard H.M.S. while the younger children and Queen's University, established a Penelope but returned invalided out Dorothea were all back in England specialist cardiology unit which of the Navy on H.M.S. Cygnet in by September 1868. There were introduced the modern system of April 1847. several moves in England in the cardiopulmonary resuscitation following years but in the late (CPR) for the early treatment of This turned out not to be the last autumn of 1875 the Lanes took up cardiac arrest. Further study led time Alexander was at sea, in 1849 residence in Douglas, Isle of Man. Frank Pantridge to the realisation Alexander and the family (with the that many deaths resulted from exception of the two eldest boys Alexander died there on 5 May ventricular fibrillation which who had commenced their 1877, while Dorothea survived her needed to be treated before the employment), sailed from Glasgow husband by twenty years, dying in patient was admitted to hospital. to Halifax to start a new life in Douglas in August, 1897. This led to his introduction of the Nova Scotia. In the spring of 1850 mobile coronary care unit (MCCU), they made the 2 day voyage the an ambulance with specialist following year to Mahone Bay and equipment and staff to provide pre- with part of Dorothea's inheritance hospital care. they purchased a 30 acre property there, which they named Pantridge went on to develop the "Lanesborough Villa". portable defibrillator, and in 1965 installed his first version in a Belfast ambulance. It weighed 70kg and operated from car batteries, but by 1968 he had designed an instrument weighing only 3kg, incorporating a miniature capacitor manufactured for NASA. Dorothea Lane in old age

His work was backed up by clinical investigations and epidemiological REFERENCES: studies in scientific papers, 1. Naval Appointments including an influential 1967 article London Evening Standard, in The Lancet. With these 2nd June 1838 p3, c3. developments, the Belfast treatment system, often known as the 2. https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/ news/first-defibrillator-work- "Pantridge Plan", became adopted james-curry throughout the world by emergency Alexander Lane in old age medical services. The portable 3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ defibrillator became recognised as a In 1866 a financial crisis, referred to Frank_Pantridge key tool in first aid, and Pantridge's by the family as the "Fish affair", refinement of the automated occurred and to escape his creditors external defibrillator (AED) Alexander left in some haste, never allowed it to be used safely by to return, while the rest of the members of the public. However, it family remained. He made his still took until 1990 for all front-line home initially in Bishop's Castle, ambulances in the UK to be fitted Shropshire, England. Here his son, with defibrillators. John William, had developed a flourishing medical practice. It lay His medical practice must not have near the Welsh border in a farming been enough to keep Alexander in community, with a noted cattle Armagh, in 1846 following the market, and was about thirty miles death of Dorothea’s father, John southwest of Shrewsbury. Some of Stanley, the family moved to the elder children remained in Nova . Alexander returned to Scotia and made their lives there,

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'A triumph of photographic art' by Catherine Gartland

A Record of the City of when the ads appeared in the paper. The beginnings of Armagh He was originally from Dublin and photography The Ulster Gazette of 24 November is probably the same Abraham Talbot was attending the RDS 1860 announced that Mr Talbot, an Talbot who was a student at the schools when the new invention of 'artist and photographer', had set up Drawing Schools of the Royal photography reached Ireland. 1 a studio at his house on Vicars' Dublin Society (RDS) in 1838. Louis Daguerre and Nicéphore Hill. A second advertisement The purpose of the RDS, or 'Dublin Niépce had announced their first further informed the Gazette's Society for improving Husbandry, conclusive experiments in France readers that Talbot was currently Manufactures and other useful Arts' in January 1839 and William Henry displaying in his studio a number of as it was called when it was Fox Talbot presented his own pictures of the various public founded in 1731, was to further the invention of paper photography - buildings in Armagh. These economic development of the the calotype - in England soon photographs were intended as country and aid the creation of after. In September 1839, Francis illustrations in a forthcoming book employment in Ireland. The Beatty, an Irish engraver, also entitled A Record of the City of Drawing Schools were not a fine claimed in the Belfast Newsletter Armagh. arts academy. Tuition was free and that he had successfully completed 3 the majority of pupils were young similar experiments. There was a artisans, who were being trained to lot of interest in photography work in the decorative arts. Boys among the educated classes in had to be under 14 to be admitted Ireland and equipment was to the school. At one point, purchased by the Natural instruction would have included Philosophy Committee of the RDS mechanical and pattern drawing. the following year. Instruction in At the time when Talbot was Daguerre's process, the attending, there were four schools daguerreotype, also began at the teaching Landscape and Ornament, Dublin Mechanical Institute in Figure Drawing, Modelling and 1840. It is possible that Abraham Architecture. Figure drawing was Talbot took an interest, and even an important skill, as portrait got trained around that time. painting was the main source of Early on, the daguerreotype was the income for professional artists. It A record of the city of Armagh by E. Rogers (1861), preferred process for taking illustrated first edition held at the Irish and Local Studies Library, Armagh. was also useful for those who portraits, as it produced a more would find employment in detailed image than early paper This short work was published in engraving for the publishing trade. photography. The picture was Armagh the following year. It was Talbot attended the Figure class in captured onto light sensitive silver written by Edward Rogers, then 1838 and was admitted to the plates and then fixed. The image Deputy Librarian of Armagh Public Landscape & Ornament and created was a reversed positive Library (now known as the Modelling classes the following picture on the original plate, which Robinson Library) and it is notable year. Students presented their work then had to be enclosed in a frame as a very early example of a book at an exhibition when they had for preservation. It was a single illustrated with photographs, completed their classes and the best high quality picture, which could possibly the earliest of its kind in pupils were awarded prizes. Talbot not be replicated other than by re- Ireland. must not have been an outstanding photographing the original, student, as he never won any prize, A Dublin artist although from the late 1840s, nor is he mentioned for any of his copies were being produced by 2 Abraham Talbot had probably only work in the Society's reports. lithography or engraving. Printed been in Armagh a few months History Armagh No. 14 - Vol. 4 No. 2 - December 2018 15

portraits of important personages County , was killed out invention: the collodion wet plate and celebrities copied from hunting in February last. Mr Eyre process (1851). A negative image photographs could be purchased was the proprietor of the hounds was captured onto a glass plate from book and print sellers. that hunted in his neighbourhood, coated in a light sensitive chemical. Likenesses of 'The Liberator' and was highly esteemed by his The plate had to be developed Daniel O'Connell, for instance - friends. The plaintiff took a immediately before drying out. The copied from a daguerreotype taken photographic copy of a picture of negative was then transferred by during his detention in 1844 - were the deceased, which hung in direct contact with the paper. popular in Ireland and England in Eyrecourt Castle. He procured a Photographers generally used the years following his death in list of subscribers for a lithographic albumen paper (coated with a 1847. portrait of Mr Eyre, which he mixture of egg white and proposed to furnish at one guinea chemicals). Unlike the The emergence of photography each copy, the subscribers to be daguerreotype, this allowed the and the opening of portrait studios supplied in about a month.' production of multiple copies and had a serious impact on the quality was much better than professional artists, who relied on The lithographer, Talbot claimed, that of earlier paper photographs, commissions of portraits to make a was too slow to provide the copies good enough for portrait living, and many had to find and the subscribers refused to pay photography. Exposure time was alternative employment. for their order. The defendant had also shorter. Whereas clients had Photography also presented new a different story and blamed the to sit for several minutes to get a opportunities, though, and it poor quality of the photographs daguerreotype taken, now it was a became one of the industries which supplied by Talbot and the lack of a matter of seconds. Portrait 5 employed artists. Photographs supplementary sketch. photography was becoming more were sometimes taken in front of Taking photographs of a painting convenient as well as slightly more painted backgrounds; they were affordable and studios multiplied. touched up; and studios needed was not an entirely new idea. In the 1850s, this was a thriving It was still for the privileged few, colourists, who made the black and though: in the 1850s, a paper business. Photographs of art works white pictures appear more realistic portrait would still have cost by adding tints. Some painters would have been on display in a photographic studio or exhibition, around £2, twice the weekly wages retrained as professional of a working man.6 Even in and then prints or engravings would photographers, having quickly Dublin, Talbot would have realised that photography would have been offered for sale. This put fine art within the reach of the struggled to secure enough wealthy allow them to reach a new public, clients to survive. who previously could not have more popular classes. Talbot was afforded painted portraits. quite enterprising in that he had This may explain the choice of combined the idea with the portrait Parsonstown as his next destination Itinerant photographer business. Unfortunately, it seems after Galway. Birr was the location that his business sense was not Talbot got married in Donnybrook, of the seat of the Earl of Rosse. quite matched by his photographic Dublin in 1850 and it looks as if he William Parsons, the third Earl, ability in this case. was based there for a few years, as was a notable amateur his oldest children were all born in It looks like Talbot was travelling photographer, who was also an 4 acquaintance of English pioneer of County Dublin. There is no record quite a bit but it was not unusual of his involvement in photography for professional photographers to photography Fox Talbot (probably no family connection of Abraham until 1857, when the papers travel in order to procure some mention him in relation to a court business, and many were semi- Talbot's). The Earl's wife Mary case. According to The Freeman's itinerant. Photography was an was an even more accomplished photographer than her husband: she Journal, Talbot, an 'artist increasingly competitive business. photographer' then residing in The1850s marked the start of a had been elected a member of the Parsonstown (now known as Birr, period of expansion for commercial Dublin Photographic Society in 1856 and would go on to win a County Offaly), was suing Foster, photography. The daguerreotype lithographers, of Crow Street, was quickly being supplanted by silver medal from the Photographic Dublin for breach of contract: paper photography, which had been Society of Ireland for her work in the 1860s. Whether Abraham greatly improved by a new 'Mr John Eyre, of Eyrecourt Castle,

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Talbot knew the Rosses personally men" of Armagh Cathedral Choir' support- usually an iron sheet, so or was hoping to benefit from their and commented on this 'valuable that the negative against the dark patronage or the presence of their addition' to the 'model choir': background appeared as a positive entourage, we do not know. image. One drawback was that, 'Mr Abraham Talbot, of Dublin (...) because it was a camera original, is an alto singer of great power and He must have led quite a nomadic the picture was usually reversed; compass, and much sweetness of existence since, before reaching photographers sometimes fitted tone. His singing has frequently Armagh in 1860, he had also spent their camera with a mirror or prism attracted public attention, and in time in Clonmel and Cashel, to correct the image. This was 7 Dublin his vocal performances Co.Tipperary. probably what Talbot meant by have drawn forth most creditable 'non inverted.' 'Chromo' pictures Armagh's 'model choir' observations in the leading were images which had been tinted. newspapers’.11 The ecclesiastical city of Armagh, This type of photograph - which also a garrison town and home to a He is listed by Rogers as one of the later became known as 'tintype' - county gaol and various other paid members of the Cathedral would have been fairly quick and institutions, would have been a choir, along with musician Charles cheap to produce as the negative very attractive destination for a Wood and Rogers himself, and as a was the end product and there was commercial photographer at the member of the choir, benefited no need to print out. time. Clergy, army officers and from a house on Vicar's Hill, various local officials and their By November, Talbot had moved where he seems to have resided families were all potential clients. his operation to 1, Vicar's Hill, until 1862.12 where a 'glass operating room' had There may have been other reasons ‘A triumph of photographic been erected at the back of his why he chose the city, and one of art’ house. His main business was them was musical opportunities. photographic portraits. The When Talbot started to advertise From the mid-nineteenth Century, advertisement in the paper his photographic services in the there was a revival of choral explained that the light in the studio summer of 1860, he was operating services in the Anglican Church. was 'peculiarly adapted to the from 43, Market Street. The Services at Armagh Cathedral were purpose of portraiture'; the premises were located at the corner sung daily and the choir at Armagh premises were kept warm by a of Scotch Street and Market Street. Cathedral was reputed for its very stove, so that he had 'every means In the mid-1860s, they were high standard. The choir consisted of following his artistic pursuits in occupied by Michael Talbot & Co., of two vicars along with a number winter as successfully as in merchant tailors, clothiers and of paid lay choristers. According to summer.' The notice further outfitters, possibly a relation.13 Rogers, it was at the time boasted that he was able to take 8 considered a 'model choir.' This photographs 'instantaneously'. An was a period of popularity for vocal example of his craft was displayed music. Numerous music societies in his studio: a picture of 'a baby, - mostly choral groups - had awake, only three months old' - appeared in Dublin and other Irish something unthinkable a few years towns, as the rising merchant and earlier, and truly 'a triumph of middle classes took an interest in Photographic Art'! Talbot was 9 the arts. Abraham Talbot himself selling his photographs from 2s 6d was a member of the Madrigal upwards (around half a day's wage Society (created in Dublin 1846) for a skilled workman)15, which Ulster Gazette, 4 Aug. 1860 and the Glee Club. He may also was only a fraction of the cost of a have sung at St Patrick's Cathedral Talbot's first notice in the paper picture a decade earlier. Pictures Dublin. Before coming to Armagh, advertised: 'Non inverted could be printed on paper or leather he was already a reputed singer, enamelled chromo photographs.'14 and he was also selling miniature who had been performing in Enamelled pictures were obtained photographs on brooches, pins and concerts throughout Ireland.10 A by a process similar to the rings. The fact that he was still short article in the Ulster Gazette in collodion. The wet plate was offering his services as an artist - June 1860 announced his replaced by a black enamelled copying, cleaning and restoring appointment to the 'staff of "singing

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paintings - would suggest that he needed to supplement his income from photography and singing.16

Photographers of the period had a constant need to chase new customers and reinvent themselves in order for their business to survive. His venture into photographing public buildings for Edward Rogers' s book would have allowed him to market his wares more widely. By the summer of 1861, he was on the move again, this time to Belfast. To build up custom, he had first targeted a sample of wealthy and influential patrons by taking a picture of the

County Courthouse and arranging The Observatory, vignette photograph by Abraham J. Talbot (1860). Other illustrations in the library copy include: the Bar- racks with a view of Armagh, the Palace, Armagh Public Library, St Mark's Church, St Patrick's Cathedral (Church of Ireland). for each of the County Antrim judges to be presented with a 'beautifully executed photograph of Musical and scientific and offering in his studio 'a the County Courthouse'. Both entertainment beautiful carte de visite portrait of judges, according to the That was not the end of his Mr Henry Kayers, the celebrated newspapers, 'expressed themselves 22 photographic career, however, for violoniste'. Collecting carte de greatly pleased with the style and he was still listed as a 'portrait visite portraits of royalty and accuracy of the picture'.17 Talbot, painter and photographer' based in celebrities and displaying them in according to a notice in August 61, Bridge Street, Belfast and resident special albums would have been a was only in Belfast for a few weeks on the Ormeau Road in the Belfast popular hobby then. Business must and was operating from Donegal directory for 1863-64,20 and in not have been that brisk since, by Square. This time, he was October 1864, he was opening a January, he was announcing advertising a 'new style in artistic new carte de visite studio on the reduced prices on all his wares, as photographs of Gentlemen's Diamond in Derry.21 well as offering his services as a residences', which, he claimed, had portrait painter once more.23 By already 'procured for him a Carte de visite pictures were a new, March, resourceful as ever, he had considerable amount of patronage'. smaller format of portrait mounted devised a new way to boost his Clients could procure a framed on a card. Several negatives were income: a night of 'grand musical & proof and two copies for one taken on a single glass plate, which scientific entertainment', which guinea - the equivalent of at least a brought down the cost of took place in the Londonderry week's pay for most people. He production drastically. They were Corporation Hall. The programme further announced that he would be very popular, as they could be had combined music and songs with a attending the Royal Agricultural for as little as 12s 6d per dozen display of his photographs, a 'grand Show, 'for the purpose of taking (roughly half a week's pay for a exhibition of local celebrities, photographs of animals, machinery, working man), and were the reason views, &c., &c. (...) which will 18 etc...' Again, this would have for a boom in commercial appear more than Life Size, on a targeted the wealthier public, as the photography in the 1860s. Indeed, Screen Nine Feet in Diameter'. The Royal Ulster Agricultural Society Talbot had to compete with several seats ranged in price from 2s to 6d, was run by gentlemen, who still other photographers in town, which so within the reach of the general owned the majority of agricultural is probably why he had to boast of public. No doubt he also intended land. Talbot's claims of his 'new and scientific system of to be selling a few carte de visite 'considerable patronage' must have producing portraits' to attract pictures at the interval.24 The been slightly exaggerated, for he custom. He was also making the following year, there is no trace of declared insolvency the following most of his musical connections him in the Derry directory, so it year.19

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looks like this last venture just was Canon W.E.C. Fleming for his help (1815-1888). not enough to keep the business with sources on the Cathedral 23LS, 6 Jan. 1865. afloat. Choir, Libraries NI for permission 24Londonderry Journal, 8 March to reproduce the photograph. The last trace of his life as a 1865. photographer in Ireland is a report A Record of the City of Armagh 25Saunders's Newsletter, 25 July of a court case against a John can be viewed at the Irish and 1868. Burns, his landlord, in July 1868. Local Studies Library, 39 Abbey 26http://www.smcsociety.co.uk/ He was then working as a Street, Armagh. Tel: 028 37527851. history/the-college/ 'photographic artist' in County 27City almanack (1910). Wicklow. His rent was in arrears References: and he had been expelled from his 1According to the census of 1881- lodgings.25 91, he was born c.1827, so the age would match. Further reading: By 1871, he had moved on to 2Proceedings (1839); Strickland Chandler, Edward, Photography in England. The English census lists (1969), ii, pp 579-591. Ireland: the nineteenth Century, him as a chorister living in Tenbury Dublin, 2001. 3 Wells, Worcestershire. Tenbury Belfast Newsletter (BNL), 20 Sept. 1839. Fleischmann, Aloys, 'Music and Wells was a fairly small place but society, 1850-1921', A new history 4 was home to St Michael's College, www.familysearch.org . of Ireland, ed. by W.E. Vaughan, a school with a choir which was 5Freeman's Journal, 5 Feb. 1857. vol. vi: Ireland under the Union II, dedicated to 'form a model for the 1870-1921, Oxford, 1993 6Maguire (2000), p 4. daily choral services of the McKee, Joseph, The choral 26 7 (Anglican) Church'. Maybe that 'Bankruptcy and insolvency court', foundation of Armagh Cathedral, was the reason for his move, since BNL, 3 Feb. 1862. unpublished M.A. thesis (QUB), the choir included a few lay men as 8Rogers (1861), p36. 1982 (Robinson Library). well as the students. According to 9Fleischman (1996). Maguire, W.A., A century in focus: the census, his son William had by photography and photographers in 10King's County Chronicle (KCC), then become a photographer. The the North of Ireland, 1839-1939, 24 Sept.1856; Evening Freeman, family eventually moved to Belfast, 2000. 13 Dec. 1859; Kerry Chronicle, 21 Battersea, London, and he Dec. 1859; KCC, 18 Jan. 1860. Proceedings of the Royal Dublin continued to earn a living through a Society Nov.1, 1838 - June 26, 11Ulster Gazette (UG), 9 June combination of photography and 1839. 1860. painting until at least 1901. By that Rogers, Edward, A record of the 12Rogers (1861); McKee (1982). stage, a widower, he had moved to city of Armagh from the earliest Surrey with his daughter Melecina, 13Armagh Guardian (AG), 12 July period to the present time, Armagh, who ran a stationery business, and 1861. 1861. her family; he died there a few 14UG, 4 Aug. 1860. Strickland, W.G., A dictionary of years later, in 1910. Irish artists, Shannon, 1969. 15http:// By that stage, Edward Rogers had www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Belfast and Ulster Directory, 1863- already passed away. He died in currency-converter/ 64. 1895. His death, unlike Talbot's, 16UG, 24 Nov. 1860. City almanack and street directory, Armagh, 1910. was widely reported and in 1910, 17AG, 9 Aug. 1861. some of his books were still being Armagh Guardian, Belfast 18Northern Whig, 9 Aug. 1861. reprinted.27 As for Talbot, it is Newsletter, Freeman's Journal and likely that both his vocal 19'Bankruptcy and insolvency court', Ulster Gazette (Irish and Local performances at the Cathedral and BNL, 3 February 1862. Studies Library) his photographic studio had already 20Belfast and Ulster Directory, 1863 Other newspapers and English long been forgotten in Armagh. -64. census 1871-1901: www.findmypast.co.uk. 21Londonderry Sentinel (LS), 29 Thanks are due to P. Rowan for Oct. and 18 Nov. 1864. drawing my attention to Rogers' 22Probably German violonist and book and its illustrations and to composer Heinrich Ernst Kayser

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The Pavilion: a Picturesque inspired suburban Regency Villa by Kevin Quinn

This article is a short architectural study of ‘the Pavilion’ which was located on the site of the new Southern Regional College. The article will focus on its possible architectural influences, the building’s probable interior plan, a description of its outbuildings and grounds, and a brief study of the lives of its residents.

At the time of writing (October 2018), it is impossible not to notice the construction of the new Southern Regional College while driving along Lonsdale Road. Its construction is on a large scale when compared to the original build on this site; a ‘Regency Villa’ Fig.1 Plan of the Pavilion and Grounds from the 1870 Auction Particulars. Armagh County Museum Library known as the Pavilion, built by (Patterson). The Pavilion was built in the early 19th Century. The term William Whitelaw Algeo in 1809. in 1809 costing £ 8000. This sum ‘Regency’ refers to the Prince In 1961, a few months before its would be the equivalent of Regent, George Prince of Wales demolition, the then curator of the approximately £650,000 today. (1811-20) who would later become Armagh County Museum, Mr George IV. The ‘Regency House’ T.G.F. Patterson, writing in The The approximate location of represented a new type of Armagh Guardian, described the the Pavilion and its grounds. (See Fig. 1) architecture which drew on a wider Pavilion as “a delightful bit of range of sources and styles than architecture”. The Pavilion was approximately earlier Georgian architecture. An situated on the site of the lower expression of this new break in Captain William Whitelaw block of the recently demolished Alego, 1780-1850 architectural style was the Further Education College, at the development of the suburban villa William Whitelaw Algeo belonged junction of Lonsdale Road and of which the Pavilion is an example. to a Co. Leitrim family which had Lisanally Lane. It was built close to emigrated from in the 17th an area known as ‘the Commons’ The Pavilion; a product of Century and settled near which incorporated part of the ‘Picturesque’ architecture (See Fig. 2) Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim. His townlands of Knockamil, military career brought him to Knockamble and Knockmeala. The From around the 1790s, a new Armagh City as a Captain in the latter townland was known as ‘the artistic concept and style emerged in 82nd foot Regiment (Patterson, p. hill of the honey’ (Rodgers, p. 49) architecture in England. The 126) while also holding rank as due to the amount of bees that were ‘Picturesque ideal’ emphasised the Lieutenant in the local Yeomanry found there. The grounds totalled value of irregularity and asymmetry (Stuart, p. 564). In May 1804, he nearly 30 acres. in art. This marked a break from the married Margaret Livingstone of Neoclassicism of the early Georgian Armagh, the second daughter of Regency architecture period which emphasised Robert Livingstone who was agent Regency architecture refers to a new “formality, proportion, order, and to the Charlemont Estate style of architecture which emerged exactitude”

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thin glazing bars divided sash windows into twelve or more rectangular panes.

The large, curved, ‘bow’ windows found at the Pavilion are an example of the French influence. French windows and doors were typically placed on the front ground rooms to provide direct access to the gardens, as was the case at the Pavilion. Chinese influence can be seen with the use of pavilions and the curved iron roof covering the veranda both resembling aspects of Fig.2 Front elevation of the Pavilion demonstrating its strong picturesque influences . Probably from the early 1900s. Photographer unknown. Google Image. Public Domain a ‘Pagoda’. Another strong influence found at the Pavilion was (https://www.britannica.com/art/ Picturesque architectural ‘Gothic’. It was a style best suited picturesque). In this way, influences found at the for the picturesque effect. It was Pavilion (See Fig. 3) architectural beauty was equated achieved by placing doorways and with buildings in a natural The most glaring picturesque windows in ogee or early Tudor- landscape. “For influence found at the Pavilion was style four pointed arched openings. example, medieval ruins in a its irregular, asymmetrical, and Examples at the Pavilion are the natural landscape were thought to uneven facade. Despite the windows in both Pavilions and the be quintessentially introduction of this new style, the main doorway entrance. Further picturesque” (ibid.). As a result, earlier Georgian style still Gothic influence is found with the picturesque architecture was less determined aspects of the structure. portico of four columns supporting formal. Smaller, irregular structures At the Pavilion, the top of facade the Grecian influenced entablature. such as the Pavilion were an was finished in typical Georgian example of this type of informal style with the parapet hiding a low Exterior details from architecture. Such structures often photographs and auction roof. The roof was hipped plans appeared in the work of landscape construction aligned to the ridge painters who wished to portray the and tall enough to contain attic The original construction was a beauty of architecture in a natural rooms. Georgian specifications also central block linked to side setting. Picturesque architecture continued to determine the pavilions. Both pavilions had doors was also less expensive and is Pavilion’s window proportions; to the side which opened on to a perhaps a reason for it being particularly popular in Ireland.

Through this movement, the traditional vernacular architectural forms, continental styles from Europe, and more exotic elements such as Indian verandas and towers (such as those found at the Pavilion) could be combined and incorporated into Regency domestic architecture. Among this variety of styles and forms are Grecian, Gothic, Old English, and Swiss chalet designs. The Pavilion is an example of the coming together of these new architectural Fig .3 captures the variety of the romantic picturesque styles (combining Grecian, Gothic, European, Indian and Chinese influences. influences) that made the Pavilion’s front facade unique. Photograph Pre-1907/8 ( Lonsdale Street constructed 1907/8). Photographer unknown. Google Image. Public Domain

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veranda on the right and a was; “a front pew in the Gallery of Armagh, as ‘Captain Algeo’s conservatory on the left. The St Mark’s Church... [which] will be Walks’… For home and distant central block consisted of two small sold on the first day.” prospects, is not to be excelled, enclosed courtyards; the larger of when seen is best described.” the two was square and the smaller Outbuildings with hot house Change of ownership in 1850 rectangular in shape. Enclosed The Pavilion had substantial th courtyards were not influenced by outbuildings with some remnants On December 28 1850, Captain any particular style or period. The still surviving today located at the William Whitelaw Algeo died. He central block was two storeys in turn in for the Youth Centre on had left Armagh in early 1850 for height, the second floor containing Lisanally Lane. Compared to the health reasons described at the attic rooms. A drawing room with 1870 auction particulars, the 1850 time; “Captain Algeo is leaving three large slightly curved sash sale provides more detail on the Armagh for indisposition”. He was windows, and French styled glazed outbuildings: “In the yard there was buried in St George’s Churchyard, doors which opened on to a stabling for seven horses, a coach Ramsgate, Thanet District, Kent, covered veranda linked the right house, harness room, neat dairy England. The Inscription on the pavilion to the centre. The left fitted with marble slabs and stained headstone reads: “The Pavilion th pavilion was linked to the centre by glass windows, milk and beef cow Armagh, Ireland. Late Captain 8 either a second drawing room or houses, barn granaries, and store Garrison Battalion. Who departed dining room with a double door houses.” Interestingly, the 1850 this life in the 70th year of his age. opening on to a conservatory which map shows a hot house (or Deputy Lieutenant and Magistrate.” contained, according to the 1850 greenhouse) which had been totally Concerning the new owner of the auction description; “400 of the removed by 1870. A closed Pavilion, the Newry Telegraph of choicest home and exotic plants.” carriage and a threshing machine January 1851 states: “December 1st were some of the larger items for Interior details from 1850 and 1850, a Mr Strong, son of Sir J. M sale. 1870 auctions Strong-Bart and agent for The building consisted of hall and Landscaped gardens and Charlemont Estates, has taken the entrance hall, two drawing rooms vinery Pavilion for his future residence.” It appears that Mr Strong never took (one larger than the other) with The 1850 auction map shows a up residence as the house was both described as large and lofty substantial landscaped garden to leased to the Society of the Sacred which would suggest that both were the front of the outbuildings. It is Heart Nuns in 1851. probably positioned to either side quite possible that this is the vinery of the entrance hall linking the that is mentioned in a few of the The Pavilion Convent and centre to the pavilions. The 1870 contemporary sources. Just on the School for the Society of the auction describes numerous boundary with the Observatory Sacred Heart Nuns, 1851 - apartments. Some of these grounds, there was an elongated 1856 apartments were probably situated earth embankment surrounding a In 1850, Dr Cullen, Catholic in both pavilions and some in the pool of water which was referred to Archbishop of Armagh (1850-52) middle to rear of the central block as the horse pond. Directly to the invited the Society of the Sacred opening on to the courtyards. It is front of the Pavilion was a Heart Nuns to set up a convent and probable that the servant quarters gravelled forecourt with an avenue school in Armagh. Primate Cullen were located in the attic rooms. leading on to the Mall. The avenue was able to secure the Pavilion for Several excellent bedrooms are along with other gravelled the society on a yearly lease of £ listed in 1870. The 1850 particulars walkways were skirted with 136.00 per annum. The Society list a library containing over “600 landscaped trees and shrubs. The took up residence on the 2nd volumes and a cellar containing 1850 auction describes the grounds October 1851 and began adapting Madeira, Hock, Port and Sherry.” in the following way: the Pavilion and outbuildings for Seventy three oil paintings and use as a convent and school. By engravings were being auctioned “The Pavilion... tastefully laid out 1853, a children’s poor school had described as “of a superior terraces, ornamented with the been established with a daily description...well worth the choicest shrubs, and delightful attendance of up to 300, a day attention of connoisseurs”. The last walks, so well-known to every school for 40 children, and a of the particulars on the auction list inhabitant and stranger visiting boarding school which

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accommodated 18 children. On Orangemen celebrating one of their purchasing the place in which they Sundays 400 mothers of local feasts, came to our door, about 80 resided and known as the Pavilion, families came to have an hour’s of them during the night trying to they commissioned their solicitor to instruction in their faith. frighten us by their shouts and purchase the property which he did, cries. Suddenly we saw them going but instead of handing it over he ‘Divine Protection’ at the away so suddenly, they said that retained it for himself and the Pavilion Convent - Accounts and testimonies from the having seen a beautiful woman in ladies were obliged to leave” letters of past pupils the heavens dressed in blue carrying a child in one hand and the The annual letters of the Society Sister Phil Kilroy’s “The Society of other hand stretched over the roof recount that the solicitor bought the Sacred Heart in Armagh 1851-59 of the house, they lost all Pavilion in 1855 and warned the (pp 350-361) provides accounts of enthusiasm over going over to the Society that he would give only a the convent through letters from convent. This fact is recounted in month notice when he wanted to past pupils on their time at the two Protestant newspapers”. take over the house instead of the Pavilion Convent. One past pupil original agreed three months. In described her time and the However, Sister Kilroy finds no July 1856, the new owner informed conditions at the Pavilion with documented evidence for the that he wished to take up residence fondness: “To my happy days in trespassing on the 12th July 1854. but would wait another year. By Armagh which began in a charming She continues: November 1857, the society had suburban residence close to the best moved to 2 Charlemont Place with part of the city, fine extensive “The two papers published in a poor school continuing at 24 pleasure grounds for recreation... Armagh at this period were the Abbey Street. our chapel opened out on the side Armagh Guardian and the Gazette. of the vinery.” However, the past Unfortunately, the early copies of The Stanleys the Gazette have been destroyed by pupil continues to say; “the By the late 1850s, the Stanleys fire but those of the Armagh community had to dine in the were resident at the Pavilion. Guardian are still extant. There is kitchen quarters and on a very poor According to the Newry Examiner nothing at all about this incident in fare. The school fitted into two dated 3rd August 1854, the Pavilion July or December issues for 1854”. houses...one was utilised as a was sold by private contract as it dormitory”. The description of the A copy of the 1854 Gazette exists was unable to meet the asking chapel opening out to the side of on microfilm. There are no entries price: the vinery and the school fitting for either month reporting the into two houses would suggest that “The auction of the pavilion above occurrences. In any case, the school and dormitory were realised good prices. The furniture according to the Sister Kilroy; “in located in the outbuildings. and other effects sold were of a 1854 a statue of Mary was placed superior description. The bidding in the front of the Pavilion in Another two accounts from past for the house and demesne, did not, thanksgiving for her protection”. pupils describe some strange however, come up to the occurrences at the school: Society asked to vacate the auctioneer’s mark. These will be Pavilion Convent in 1856 in sold by private contact”. “One incident is imprinted on my controversial circumstances collection. Devout persons from the With the death of John Stanley in city often attended holy mass, and According to the Society there was 1873 the Pavilion was back on the about the time of the Immaculate a verbal understanding in 1851 that property market. Conception it was declared by them the Pavilion would be on a yearly and early tradesmen they saw a lease to them and if the property The Lonsdales Lady and infant in her arms up in was ever put up for sale, the By the latter part of the 19th century the sky... directly over the vinery”. Society would have first offer. James Lonsdale (1826-1913) from According to the memoirs of a Loughgall was now owner This apparition was later said to friend of the Mother Superior occupant of the Pavilion. The ‘Lord have provided divine protection to Madam Croft writing in 1875: the tenants of the Pavilion: Belmont in Northern Ireland blog’ “After a very short period they provides some insight into the “In July 1854, the Protestants of became tenants from year to year. financial rise of the Lonsdales: this County, known by the name of When they were determined on

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“James Lonsdale was a substantial whilst waiting on the fire brigade 1940s. The last owner was W.G tenant farmer at Loughgall. In the and police to arrive. A local Davidson of Drumadd House who 1860s, however, he realised that newspaper recounts the incident: owned the building until a vesting rather than just produce and sell order was made for the his own butter; it would be much “They found a prepared fire of construction of the technical and shrewder to buy other farmers’ paper matches and firelighters secondary schools. The last butter for the English market. He under the stairs in the entrance tenants to reside there were established butter depots in hall, in a kind of press and this fire Samuel Kane, County Drainage Armagh and other parts of Ireland. had ignited the side of the press Inspector, and a Miss Maxwell Ca. 1880 he moved the centre of and stairs. Apparently, however, living in a separate wing. The his operations to Manchester and the smoke caused by the fire Local paper reported on the day of began to import produce from the lighters was so great in the their departure; “last to leave Empire. His two sons, John and confined space that it smothered tearfully, just a few days ago, was Thomas, joined him in his the flames and so held back the Miss Annie Maxell, member of an enterprise which became very progress of the fire. The fire old Armagh family.” successful financially”. brigade arrived late.” Suffragette literature and envelopes marked Demolition, summer of 1961 His son John (1849-1924) became ‘votes for women’ and “Ulster In April 1961, County Museum High Sheriff of County Armagh in women are entitled to vote as well Curator, Mr T.G. F. Patterson, was 1895, MP for Mid Armagh 1899- as Ulster men” were also scattered interviewed for the Armagh 1918 and Lord-Lieutenant of around. One piece of literature had Guardian for a column entitled County Armagh (1920-24). In the ‘Women’s Social and Political ‘Here and There’. He described 1911, he was created a baronet and Union’ written on it with a picture the demolition of the Pavilion to in 1918 was elevated to the of a lion chasing a mouse. This make way for the new Technical peerage as Baron Armaghdale. In referred to ‘the Cat and Mouse and Intermediate schools as a 1907, due to political expediency, Act’ of 1913 which allowed “tragedy”. He considered it, along he financed the building of imprisoned Suffragettes who went with some councillors, as not a Lonsdale Street which was named on hunger strike to be released good site for schools. They were after its benefactor. From late when they became very unwell of the opinion that the site was 1916 to early 1918 he was the and to be arrested again when they more suitable for recreational leader the Unionist Parliamentary had recovered. ‘playing fields’. Along with the Party, temporarily replacing Pavilion, the right hand side of Carson who had joined the war The Police also found fresh tyre Lonsdale Street and the ‘Catch-my cabinet. He died in 1924 without marks on Lisanally Lane which -Pal-Hall’, the local Temperance an heir. It appears that the Pavilion they traced as far as the Portadown Hall, had to be demolished. The was rented from 1924 onwards as road before losing the trail. The left hand side of the street his wife remained in London until paper also reported that Mr remained until making way for the her death in 1937. Lonsdale was residing in London at the time and that he had lent the new Lonsdale Road in 1984. Both Attempted arson on the Pavilion to the Unionist Medical schools opened in May 1966. Pavilion by militant Board as a residence. Suffragettes Three Georgian glazed The Pavilion, 1924-61 windows rescued from the In July 1914, militant Suffragettes skip (See Fig.4) known as the ‘Furies’ because of Over the next 37 years, the A characteristic feature of the their violent acts attempted to burn Pavilion had a number of owners. Pavilion was the wide Georgian down the Pavilion. In the early Some owners resided there and glazed windows with curved hours of a Sunday morning, an others put it out to let. George sashes which were fortunately engine driver called Mr Scott was Crozier, a local solicitor, was the salvaged during demolition and returning home from work along occupant in the 1920s and 1930s. incorporated into the music room Lisanally lane when he noticed A Rev A.F.B Tunstall was a tenant of the new school. This was to smoke rising from the Pavilion. in the late 1930s. The McVitty later become the board room of Raising the alarm, he, along with family who also own The City the Armagh Intermediate School. local residents from Lonsdale Bakery cafe or CB Cafe in Scotch They were recently removed for a Street, attempted to tackle the fire Street were owner occupants in the

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Secondary Sources Stuart, James. Historical Memoirs of the CIty of Armagh, Newry 1819, p564. www.historyarmagh.org Links historical sources. Rogers, Edward. A record of the City of Armagh from the earliest period to the present time. Armagh 1861. www.historyarmagh.org Links Historical Sources. Preserving the Past, Armagh Campus. Southern Regional College. 2018 Ferres, Timothy William. The Lonsdale Baronetcy. Lord Belmont in Northern Ireland Blog. August 2017. Paterson, TGF. Armachiana, Vol, xxv. P31. Armagh County Museum Paterson, TGF. Armachiana, Vol xxi. P8. Armagh County Museum Paterson, TGF. Armachiana, Vol iv. P64. Armagh County Museum Paterson, TGF. Armachiana, Vol xiv. P126. Armagh County Museum Kilroy, Sister Phil. The Society Fig.4 The Picturesque French influenced slightly curved sash windows (one of three) being successfully removed before demolition of the old secondary school earlier this year. Photograph courtesy of Armagh SRC. of the Sacred Heart in Armagh 1851-1859. In Seanchas Ardmacha, Vol 9. No.2 1979. pp second time to escape the arrival of References 350-361. the wrecking ball. They are now in Primary Sources Armagh Guardian. Sale by the hands of Historic Environment Auction. July 1850. Division storage facility at Moira Court of Chancery Ireland. In awaiting restoration, hopefully to the matter of James Sloan, Armagh Guardian. Furies in Armagh. July 1914. return to Armagh to adorn a new Petitioner; Margaret Algeo & others Respondents. Regulation setting. Act, 1850. Section 15. Armagh Armagh Guardian. Here and County museum. now. Pavilion Demolition as a Fortunately, strict architectural Tragedy. April 1961 conservation laws exist today to Court of Chancery Ireland. Ewart, Hampton. Ewart’s protect architectural gems such as County and city of Armagh. The Mansion House and Demesne Armagh. Armagh Gazette. the Pavilion. This was not the case Lands Known as the Pavilion. November 1993 in 1961, and unfortunately, Mr May 1855. Armagh County T.G.F. Patterson’s calls to preserve Museum History & Heritage. Picturesque. www.askaboutireland i.e. this ‘delightful bit of architecture’ Landed Estates Court, Ireland. went unheeded resulting in the loss Rental and Particulars of the Domestic Architecture 1700 to of a very unique part of Armagh Pavilion and Grounds. 1960. University of West City’s architectural heritage. September 1870. Armagh England, Bristol. 2011 County Museum.

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County Armagh Families by Gerry Oates

The following essays are part of Liddesdale and Teviotdale. An England in 1603 he was obliged to the on-going series of articles on early rent roll of the local lordship pacify the region. He began by local surnames published in this recorded the term locus Croyser ruthlessly uprooting the Riding magazine in recent years. (Croziers’ place) c. 1376. A Clans. In the decade after 1603 William Crosier was professor of when the power and the social Crozier philosophy in the newly founded system of the Border clans had university of St. Andrews in 1410. been dismantled, many sought Sir William Petty’s ‘census’ of Others of the name, it is claimed, refuge from persecution in Ulster Ireland, taken in c. 1659, lists were among the so-called Tyndale where they settled under the terms Crozier as one of the principal rebels resettled there in 1540. of the Ulster Plantation. By the English names in Co. Fermanagh. These were followers of the early mid-seventeenth century, Croziers, Four centuries later Irish reformer William Tyndale (c. 1494 Elliotts and Nixons were among genealogist Edward Mac Lysaght -1563) whose English translation the principal names in Co. (1978) noted that Crozier, apart of the Bible appeared in 1534. Fermanagh. From Fermanagh from the Belfast urban area, was Croziers and others eventually more numerous in Co. Armagh In Liddesdale the Croziers formed spread into Cavan, Monaghan and than elsewhere in Ireland. The alliances with the Armstrongs, Armagh. surname Crozier, however, has a Elliotts and Nixons and were much older pedigree which begins prominent among the Riding Clans In Co. Armagh the surname with the Norman conquest of of the Borders. South-west of their Crozier is not evident among the England in the late 11th century. territory lay the Debatable Land, a early undertakers or settlers of the ‘buffer-state’ between the 17th century. No Croziers appear in Reaney in his ‘Dictionary of kingdoms of Scotland and England the early 17th century ‘Census of British Surnames’ traces the first whose inhabitants were noted for the Men & Arms on the Estates of record of the name to Eynsham in their lawless behaviour with the English & Scotch Settlers in Oxfordshire and a certain William constant raiding on both sides of Co. Armagh’ of 1630. The Hearth le Croyser in 1264. The name is of the border. The warlike Riding Money Rolls (1664-65), Petty’s Norman-French origin with its Clans were known by several ‘census’ of 1659 and the rent rolls basis in Old French crois ‘cross’ designations: the Border Reivers, of the See of Armagh (1615-1746) which gives the form croisier the Steel Bonnets, the Raiders. do not record the name in the ‘cross-bearer’ and suggests an Among the more notable Croziers county. Croziers are again occupational name for one who whose deeds are still recounted are noticeably absent from early 18th carried a bishop’s cross, or crozier, Ill Wild Will and Nebless century records. in church processions. Early (Noseless) Clemmie of 16th century English versions of the surname notoriety. In Co. Armagh the name Crozier include Croyser (1264), Crocer begins to appear in the latter half of (1305) and Croser (1393). From The origin of the Border troubles the 18th century and particularly in the above it is assumed that the can be attributed to the political the neighbouring parishes of first Croziers arrived in England vacuum created in the region after and Ballymore. A from France at some period after Edward I’s invasion of Scotland in Robert Crozier of Clare, the Battle of Hastings (1066) and 1296 and the subsequent retaliatory Tandragee, was named in a petition William the Conqueror’s raids by Scottish armies. The presented by the Protestant occupation of the English throne. Border region became an economic Dissenters in 1775. Armagh wasteland notorious for its pillage assizes indictments include another From England Croziers made their and bloodshed and gave rise to William Crozier who appeared as way north and to the Scottish unchecked rustling, robbery and plaintiff at the summer assizes of th borders and by the 14 century blackmail. When James VI of 1768 and a Moses Crozier in 1780. were among the early settlers in Scotland became King James I of John and William Crozier of

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Mullaghbrack were awarded distinguished naval career he Dynes spinning wheels by the Irish Linen became a noted polar explorer and Board in 1796 in a government- researcher participating in six In their publications on Irish sponsored initiative to promote the exploratory expeditions to surnames both Mac Lysaght and de local linen industry. the Arctic and Antarctic. In 1845, Bhulbh agree that Dynes is an Crozier joined Sir John Franklin, in English name of French origin from Crozier occurs more frequently in HMS Terror, on the Northwest Old French digne ‘worthy, th 19 century Armagh records. Tithe Passage expedition. After honorable’. Reaney, writing on returns for Drumcree parish in 1828 Franklin’s death Crozier took English surnames, agrees with the recorded three Crozier households command of the expedition in French origin but suggests that in Cannagola More townland. 1847. The last message from HMS possibly a number of distinct Griffith’s Valuation (1848-64) Terror was in April 1848 and the surnames have become included 28 Crozier holdings fate of the expedition remained a ‘inextricably confused’. As well as distributed mainly in the adjoining mystery until September 2016 digne he proposes Old French parishes of (7), when the wreck of the ship was deigne and doigne meaning Kilclooney (6) and located off King William Island in ‘haughty, reserved’ as possible Newtownhamilton (7). Elsewhere the Canadian Arctic. Francis sources and to these he adds Old there were four Crozier holdings in Crozier was elected a Fellow of French deien, dien ‘’. Kilmore with individual households the Royal Astronomical Society in in Mullaghbrack, Ballymyre and 1827 for his valuable contribution In addition, Reaney lists the Keady parishes. to astronomical and magnetic surnames Dain, Daine, Daines, studies during his three expeditions Dayne, Daynes, Deyns, Dines, The census of 1911 produced a to the Arctic. He was also elected a Doyne, Dyne as emanating from more accurate assessment of Fellow of the Royal Society in the above Old French sources. Crozier numbers. The distribution 1843 in recognition of his Among the earliest recorded within the county indicated a shift outstanding work on magnetism references to the name are Robert from the mid-Armagh parishes to during his penetration of the le Dine, Surrey (1201), Richard le the urban centres of Lurgan (53), Antarctic pack ice. Digne, Surrey (1222), and Gilbert Portadown (24), Armagh (10) and le Dyne, also recorded as Dynes, in West Newry (27). Croziers, More recently, John Baptist Crozier the Court rolls of the Manor of however, were still numerous in (1911-20) was archbishop of Wakefield, Yorkshire (1275 & Lisnadill (32) and Killevy (17), but Armagh & Lord Primate of All 1284). less so in Tynan (8), Ballymyre (4), Ireland from 1911 until 1920. He Keady (3) and Ballymore (2). was not, however, a native of Co. Mac Lysaght also claims that Dyne Armagh but was born in Co. Cavan without the final ‘s’ occasionally In 1911 there were 19 Croziers of Fermanagh ancestry. During a occurs as a synonym of Doyne, an resident in Seagahan (Lisnadill), distinguished clerical career he was early anglicised form of Dunne. now the site of the Armagh & appointed chaplain to the Lord The Gaelic name Ó Duinn (Dunne) District reservoir. In 1947 the Lieutenant of Ireland in 1891 and represents one of the chief families Croziers of Seagahan established was elected to the Royal Irish of Leinster whose ancestral the present quarrying and Academy in 1916. His son, Major territory was in the present-day Co. engineering firm of W. J. & H. General Baptist Barton Crozier Laois. Early anglicised forms of Ó Crozier in nearby Outlack. For served with distinction in World Duinn include Doyne and Dyne more than 70 years Croziers of War 1 and was awarded the Order before it was standardized as Outlack have been among the of the Crown of ; in France he Dunne. The pronunciation of Ó leading firms in the construction was made a Chevalier of the Duinn in Leinster would and civil engineering sectors in Legion of Honour. approximate ‘O Dine’ and the Northern Ireland. practice of adding final ‘s’ to Primate Crozier died on 11 April, Gaelic names which had discarded Among the more famous Irish 1920 at the archbishop’s palace in the prefix Ó might explain the Croziers is Capt. Francis Rawdon Armagh and is buried in the present version Dynes. However, Moira Crozier. Born in grounds of Armagh cathedral. Reaney has shown that Dynes with in 1796 he joined the Royal Navy final ‘s’ also occurs in the Court in 1810 at the age of 13. During a Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield as

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a variant of Daine as early as 1275 William Dynes were found guilty of they became disaffected. as well as the later variants Dyne, being ‘papists bearing arms’, an Doyne. It is unlikely that versions offence introduced in the Penal The surname Dynes has been of the English surname would Laws of 1695; Jacob Dines and recorded in the north Armagh area th appear with prefix Ó in Ireland. John Dines were sentenced for since the mid-17 century and is The Elizabethan fiants of 1602 ‘insulting a magistrate in the prominent in Mac Corry’s studies th include pardons granted to execution of his duty’ at the Lent of The Montiaghs and of 18/19 Connchor oge O Duyne and assizes of 1772; and at the Lent century local parish registers. Tirrelagh oge O Duyne of session of 1777 Richard, Jacob and Griffith’s Valuation (1848-64) Portnelligan, Tynan parish, and the Henry Dynes were charged with recorded 39 holdings in the name Co. Armagh Depositions of 1641 ‘rescue’, the crime of forcibly Dynes /Dines in the parishes of The indicted a Michael Doine, also freeing another from arrest or legal Montiaghs, Drumcree, Seagoe, recorded as Duyn, as a rebel under custody. Tartaraghan, Killyman and Sir Phelim O Neill on the outbreak Shankill. The census of 1911 of the Rising against the plantation Forenames such as Alexander, confirmed the surname as settlements. Petty’s ‘census’ of Meredith and Jacob, in particular, predominantly an Armagh one and Ireland c.1659 recorded six of the above Dynes /Dines concentrated in the northern landholders named O Duyne in the offenders normally indicate a parishes of Shankill, Seagoe and barony of Oneilland and in 1664 planter background, yet the charges The Montiaghs with a religious the Hearth Money Rolls included against them would suggest the breakdown of approximately 60% an Edmond oge O Dunn of same persons were anti- Catholic, 40% Protestant, Cannagola More, Drumcree parish. establishment and opposed to the apparently a result of the 1768 th The Franciscan petition of 1670-71 Plantation settlement of the 17 defections. also included John and Edd Doyne century. Keenan in his history of states: “The Dines The question of whether Dynes is a and a Patrick Mc Doyne in the joint native Gaelic name or of Planter parish of Clancan/Loughgall. were Catholics but the following members of the family ‘went over’ origin is still to be resolved with The problem with the surname to the Established Church in 1768, certainty. Ó Duinn (Dunne) which Dynes in Co. Armagh is to establish according to the so-called ‘Convert produced the early anglicised forms whether it is derived from a native Rolls’ - Thomas, Meredyth, (O) Doyne, Dyne could possibly be Irish source or is of English origin. William, Valentine, Arthur and a source, but the connections John Dines.” More than a decade between Ó Duinn (Dunne), O The barony of Oneilland East is earlier, the Co. Armagh Poll Book Duyn, Doyne etc. and Dynes are where the surname Dynes occurs includes Arthur Dynes of too tenuous to be reliable. most in 17/18th century historical Lisnamintry, Seagoe, and Oliver Interesting figures were published records. Henry Dynes of Dynes of Crossmacahilly, in the Crossmacahilly, Seagoe parish, in 2014 regarding the numbers of same parish, as eligible to vote in persons named Dynes in the British paid six shillings tax on three the election of 1753 when Francis hearths in 1664 and the Brownlow Isles: N. Ireland (322), Republic of Caulfeild and William Brownlow Ireland (16), England (290), Estate papers show that a John contested the Armagh seat for the Dynes leased half of Derrytagh Scotland (92). Further afield, the Irish parliament in Dublin. Both figures were USA (1002), Canada townland, Montiaghs parish, in Arthur and Oliver must have been 1694. The 18th century Armagh (290), New Zealand (144) and members of the Established Australia (89). With the exception assizes indictments include Church, for voting rights did not accounts of 25 persons named of the USA, Northern Ireland extend to Roman Catholics or other recorded more persons named Dynes, Dines and Dyans who th Dissenters in 18 century Ireland Dynes than any other region. appeared as both plaintiff and and would suggest that Dynes was accused between 1745 and 1786. A a surname of planter background. number of the cases suggest that However, if those accused of being Rolston / Roulston / several of the name found ‘papists bearing arms’ and Rolleston themselves politically at odds with ‘insulting a magistrate in the The Rev. Richard Rolleston, from the authorities: at the Lent assizes execution of his duty’ were of Rolleston in Staffordshire, was of 1767 Arthur, John, Thomas, planter background it would be among the earliest settlers to arrive Meredith, Alexander, James and interesting to know how and when

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in Co. Armagh some time in 1610 branch of the family died out. Rolston. The distribution of the during the first phase of the However, according to English tithes’ records covered the parishes . Described as genealogist, Ken Rolston, of Drumcree, Tartaraghan, The a Cambridge graduate, who was an Elizabeth’s brother Arthur Grange, Eglish, Clonfeacle, ordained, but possibly Rolleston survived the 1641 Loughgall, and unbeneficed, clergyman, he was massacre and migrated south to Newtownhamilton. the son of Rev. Edward Rolleston, Cos. Offaly. of the parish of Rolleston, Grifith’s Valuation (1848-64) and accredited with being the The surname Rolleston does not provides a little more content and inventor of a power-driven appear in the Co. Armagh Hearth includes 32 entries under a range of sawmill. Money Rolls of 1664-65 or other spellings. Rollestone with 23 17th century records relating to the entries was most common and Richard and his wife Elizabeth, county. However, records from the located in Tynan, Eglish, Loughgall also Rolleston by birth, arrived in 18th century list the surname under and Drumcree parishes. There Ireland with two children and a range of spellings – Rolleston(e), were eight Rolston(e) holdings in Elizabeth's brothers John and Rol(l)ston(e), Roulston(e) and Ballymore , Armagh and Arthur Rolleston in 1610. Under Ralston among others. It is Loughgilly; Roulston was recorded the terms of the Plantation Richard probable that others of the name once in Corcrain, Drumcree parish. Rolleston received a grant of 3,000 settled in Co. Armagh in the later acres in the townland of Teemore plantations of the 17th century. The In Bassett’s ‘Armagh’ (1888) in Mullaghbrack parish. In 1611 Manor of Armagh rent roll of 1714 Andrew Rolston, proprietor of The he purchased another holding in lists a James Roulston as an under- Armagh Mill Bakery, in English Drumcree townland which he later tenant of the archbishop in Street, and Robert H. Roleston, sold to Richard Cope and William Tullykevan townland, Clonfeacle, Keady, grocer and provision Obins. The portion purchased by and the Co. Armagh Poll Book of merchant were recorded among the Obins eventually developed into 1753 includes a John Ralston of local prominent business the market town of Portadown. Tray townland, Eglish parish, enterprises. Richard Rolleston died c.1637. among those entitled to vote. As mentioned earlier, Arthur Towards the close of the century, With the rising of the native Irish Rolleston who survived the 1641 leases granted by the Charlemont massacre migrated south to Co. against the planter settlements in estate include a ‘three-lives-lease’ 1641 many of the early settlers and Offaly. A descendant, Col. Francis to one Alexander Rolston of Rollestone, a known Jacobite, later their homesteads were swept away Drumatee, Mullaghbrack, in 1795. in an initial wave of unbridled settled in Co. Tipperary and his violence. Elizabeth Rolleston, Rolston /Roulston in its varied grandson, Francis Rolleston, came Richard’s widow, living in forms is more evident in the early into possession of Franckfort Castle Marlacoo at the time, was taken part of the 19th century which and estates in Co. Offaly, by prisoner and imprisoned in the Earl suggests that many of the name had marriage in 1740. Two of the of Bath’s mill at Clare, near settled in the county in the previous Franckfort Castle family served as Tandragee. In her deposition of century. Thomas Rolston of County Court judges in Tipperary August, 1642 she recounted how Richhill appears in the Armagh and in Mayo. Thomas William she had been attacked in her home, Presentments to the Grand Jury in Rollestone (1850-1920), a son of robbed of goods to the value of 1816 as a sub-constable for the Charles Rolleston-Spunner a £940, and how her late husband’s barony of Armagh; a later edition distinguished County Court judge house and books were burned and of these Presentments include a for Tipperary, achieved renown in crops destroyed. Four of her sons Sam Rolston of Keady fulfilling the literary circles in both Ireland and were killed by the insurgents and same role. The Tithe Applotment England. He founded the Dublin her brother, Raphe Rolleston, was Books (1825-40) recorded 25 tithe University Review in 1885 and hanged at . After the payers named Rolston (13), published Poems and Ballads of destruction of 1641 the only Roulston (3), Rollestone (5) and Young Ireland in 1888. His best surviving grandson of Richard Ralston (2) with individual entries known work, The Dead at Rolleston died while still a minor under Rolstin and Rolliston. The Clommacnoise, appears in the and with the death in 1683 of latter two entries occurred in Eglish Oxford Book of English Verse. In Susanna, his only daughter, that parish alongside four named London of the 1890s Rollestone

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was a founder-member of the Irish lands of Ralston near Paisley. A Spinning Wheel Premium Lists, Literary Society and clashed with Nicholas de Ralstoun of Paisley was 1796 (PRONI) W. B. Yeats who remembered him recorded in 1272. Later records Petition of Protestant Dissenters, as an ‘intimate enemy’. In Ireland 1775 (Armagh County Museum include Jacobus de Raulyston, Library) he was involved in the early years Paisley, 1346 and John Raleston, Murray, L. P: ‘Co. Armagh Hearth of the Gaelic League and was also of Paisley, in 1488. Ralston is Money Rolls, 1664’ (Archivum known as an aristocratic nationalist, undoubtedly a distinct surname of Hibernicum, Vol. 8, Dublin, 1941) poet, scholar and mystic; he had Scottish origin, later recorded as Griffith’s Valuation (1848-64) eight children, from two marriages. www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith- Rowlston, Rowlestone, Ralstoun valuation and Roulston which means that in In 1911 Franckfort Castle was still Keenan, P: ‘The Parish of Seagoe, some instances in Ulster it might Part II – Some Historical in the possession of the Rollestones have been absorbed by Rollestone/ Notes’ (reprint), Craigavon and the census of that year recorded Historical Society, 2012 Roulston(e) at some period. the following numbers for the Petition of Protestant Dissenters, various spellings of the name: 1775 (Armagh County Museum Sources Library) Roulston (507), Rolston (176), Griffith’s Valuation (1848-64) Roulstone (70), Rolleston (49), Reaney, P: ‘A Dictionary of British Surnames’, London, 1976 www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith- Rollston (18) and Ralston (46). valuation Bell, R: ‘The Book of Ulster Only entries under Rolston (48), Surnames’, Belfast, 1988 Campbell, P. J: ‘The Franciscan Rollston (16) and Roulston (2) were Petition Lists, Diocese of Armagh, Black, G. F: ‘The Surnames of 1670-71’ (Seanchas Ard Mhacha, recorded in Co. Armagh. Rolston Scotland’, Edinburgh, 1999 Vol 15, No. 1, 1992) was evenly distributed between De Bhulbh, S: ‘Sloinnte Uile Hunter, R. J: 'The Plantation of Armagh city and the parishes of Éireann’, Foynes, 2002 Ulster: the story of the English', Mullaghbrack, Loughgall and The Woulfe, P: ‘Sloinnte Gaedheal is Belfast, 2012 Gall’, Dublin, 1923 Grange; Rollston, on the other hand, Mc Gleenon, C, F: ‘A Very Mac Lysaght, E: ‘The Surnames of Independent County’ (Ulster was confined to Pollnagh townland, Ireland’, Dublin, 1973 Historical Foundation, 12) Tynan parish, and there were two Mac Lysaght, E: ‘More Irish Bardon, J: 'The Plantation of Ulster', recorded as Roulston in Killeen, Families’, Dublin, 1996 Dublin, 2011 Lisnadill. Cottle, B: ‘The Penguin Dictionary Charlemont Leases, Co. Armagh, of Surnames’, London, 1967 1750-1829 (Armagh County Reaney, in tracing the origin of the Hanks, P/Hodges, F/Mills, A. / Museum Library) Rollestone name, maintains it is an Room, A: ‘The Oxford Names Rogers, E: ‘Topographical Sketches English habitation name from any Companion’, NY, 2000 in Armagh & Tyrone, 1874’ (Armagh County Museum Library) of number of places named Mills, A. D: ‘Dictionary of English Place-Names’, Oxford, 1997 Paterson, T. G. F: ‘Co. Armagh Rolleston /Rowleston in Bassett, G. H: ‘Co. Armagh 100 Depositions, 1641’ (Armagh Co. Humberside, Leicestershire, Years Ago’, Belfast, 1888 Mus. Lib.) Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire or Co. Armagh Presentments, 1816-17 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Herefordshire. He also alludes to (Armagh Robinson Library) Francis_Crozier its many and varied spellings - Gillespie, R. ‘Plantation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ John_Crozier_ Rolleston, Rollston(e), Roleston(e), Portadown’ (Review, Vol. 9, No, 3, Craigavon, 2010) (archbishop_of_Armagh) Rolston(e), Roulston(e), Rowleston F. X. Mac Corry: ‘The Montiaghs of nationalarchives.ie (e), Rowlestone etc. – and notes that North Armagh 1609-2009’, Lurgan, http://www.genealogy.com/forum/ the first record of the name occurs 2009 surnames/topics/rolston/195/ in a Leicestershire pipe roll of 1170 F. X. Mac Corry: ‘Journeys in Co. http://www.surnamedb.com/ - a Simon de Roluestone. He Armagh & Adjoining Districts’, Surname/Rolston#ixzz5VbvWlTJ7 Lurgan, 2000 further explains that all of the above http://landedestates.nuigalway.ie/ Co. Armagh Tithe Applotment LandedEstates/jsp/estate-show.jsp? place-names stem from Old English Books (PRONI) id=584 Hrólfr + tun (‘Rolf’s farm’). Co. Armagh Poll Book, 1753 http://forbears.co.uk/surnames/ (Armagh County Museum Library) dynes Finally, the appearance of Ralston, Livingstone, P: ‘The Fermanagh alongside Roulston/Rolston etc., Story’, Enniskillen, 1969 suggests a distinct surname. Black Leslie, J. B: ‘Armagh Clergy and in ‘Surnames of Scotland’ Parishes’, Dundalk, 1911 maintains that it derives from the Tithe Applotment Books, Co. Armagh (PRONI)

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Armagh Cricket Club by Brian Weir

for the first four seasons were destroyed in a fire in 1854.

The Armagh Cricket Club itself was formed in 1859 at a meeting which, according to local legend at least, took place in a house in Russell Street and games were arranged wherever the club could find a ground and a team to play. During the next decades friendly matches were played, mostly against local sides. It must be The Mall looking east understood that cricket was an evolving game and such No-one will ever know for certain parkland, though in private refinements as restricting teams to when cricket was first played in the ownership. eleven players per side and the use cathedral city of Armagh but on of a scorebook instead of cutting 29th July 1845 the “Armagh By 1845 The Mall seems to have notches into a handy piece of wood Guardian” reported that cricket had been at the disposal of Mr were still some way into the future, been played the previous week on Wiltshire, owner of the Beresford as was the idea of playing a new cricket ground on The Mall. Arms Hotel, who is credited with competitive games. The current home of Armagh having leased the central area of The Mall “for the playing of Cricket Club is thus a contender An unusual feature of the early cricket”. In the absence of the for the oldest cricket ground in years was that when the Cricket formation at that time of a cricket Northern Ireland. Club was eventually able to secure club it is not clear to whom he a lease of The Mall the lease The Mall itself is a flat area of land could have leased it but 1845 contained a clause requiring the just to the east of the city centre. It seems to have been the year when Club to keep trespassers off the was known originally as The it became a cricket ground. ground. One person refused to Commons and from 1671 to 1773 leave the pitch and the case it was used primarily as a At the time Armagh was a eventually led to a court case with racecourse for horses. Garrison City and an early game the trespasser being fined for daring Contemporary maps show that the was between soldiers and local to set foot on the Mall. course followed roughly the line of inhabitants so the military would have been experienced cricketers modern roads which surround The Most of the games in the 1860s while the locals had not yet formed Mall. They were laid out in the were against local sides such as a cricket club and had quite a bit to shape of a coffin to remind the Monaghan, Aughnacloy, Gilford, learn about the new game. A citizens of their mortality! The Newry, Moy, Loughgall, Richhill significant development occurred central area was swampy ground and in later years teams like when The Royal School Cricket so quite apart from the morality of Annvale, Milford and Glenanne, Club was constituted in August gambling on the outcome of races, most of whose players would have 1850. The basis of the Royal the area was perceived by been mill workers. The Armagh School CC was a group of teachers Archbishop Robinson to be players by contrast were drawn with pupils playing a relatively damaging to the health of the local largely from the upper classes of minor part, or at times no part. population so he closed down the society, one of whom, John Stanley The club continued to exist for racecourse and set about later, as Sir John Stanley, became a many years although all its records reclaiming the land which became judge in the High Court of India

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where he served as Chief Justice of Fusiliers who “attended on the only Cup and friendly matches for the Allahabad High Court. ground and discoursed a select eight years. The last of those years, programme of music”. The fact 1911, was significant in that the Among the other players were Sir that Armagh could beat such a team first pavilion was built on The Capel Molyneux, Edward S Obre, as Ulster CC suggested that they Mall. In 1912 Armagh returned to Robert Templer (ancestor of Field were strong enough for the biggest the Senior League though only Marshal Sir Gerald Templer), clubs to take notice. Cooote, Anderson, Forbes and Henry St George and the Earl of Tarleton remained of the 1903 team Gosford all of whom played their Events such as the Armagh Archery and the club had limited success for part in the life of the city and Championships got as much press the next three years, following district far beyond the cricket club. coverage as cricket, though most of which the Great War ended cricket Other players at various times the archers were also cricketers and until 1919. included the headmaster of the archery seems to have been equally Royal School, the governor of the preserve of the landed gentry. Armagh returned to the Senior Armagh Prison and more than one On another occasion a cricketer, W League in 1920 and had one good Vicar-choral of St Patrick’s F Templer won the Armagh Lawn season followed by three years of Cathedral. Tennis championships, watched by struggle but in the mid-1920s the “a large and fashionable team’s fortunes improved and One of Armagh’s best cricketers in attendance, representatives of all Wilfred McDonough and Charlie the early years was John Fox from the leading county families being in Raynor were on the fringes of the Castle Dillon who after leaving the attendance”. In the late 1880s other Ireland team with Milford man Bob city became the first Armagh man cricket teams were playing locally McKinley also making a good to play for Ireland and later became including Drumcairne, Gillis and contribution. A new name in 1925 the first Ulsterman ever to play in Armagh Amateurs whose team had was a very young Robert Barnes an English county side when he been formed to introduce cricket to who came into the first team at the turned out for in working class men who perceived age of 14. In 1926 Armagh came the absence of W G Grace. that they would not be welcome in second in the league for the first As well as local and military Armagh Cricket Club. time, repeating that achievement in opponents Armagh by now were 1927 before taking the coveted In 1888 came a development which senior league title in 1928. Bobby playing against the famous North of changed cricket for ever, the Barnes scored his 1000th run that Ireland club and other opponents introduction of the Senior Cup, the such as and Lurgan. On year, a remarkable feat for a first ever competitive cricket in the schoolboy. McKinley, Barnes and one occasion they almost beat Province. Armagh reached the North but when they had taken McDonough were the leading semi-final in 1888 and qualified for players in that memorable year. seven wickets it was time for the the final in 1889 and 1890, though last train to leave for Belfast and most games were still friendly Armagh finished in mid-table for the game had to be abandoned! matches. A Senior League came the next two years but in 1931 were next though with the majority of again champions of the NCU Cricket was covered in local newspapers in very little detail, an clubs being within 20 miles from Senior League, winning eight of example coming in 1880 when Belfast. Armagh felt that the their ten games. Bobby Barnes, travelling commitment would be about to leave for university, was readers were told that a large crowd watching a game against the Royal too great though they did join the both the leading batsman and the Tyrone Fusiliers on The Mall was league for three years from 1901 top bowler with McDonough and entertained by some top class with some good individual Bob McKinley also to the fore, bowling and also by the Armagh performances by players with together with two newer players, growing reputations such as Ernest Harry McCauley and Billy Light Infantry Militia Band under Bugle Major Cloughley, with more Lowndes, Bob Forbes, Terry McKinley. The team reached the detail about the excellence of the Tarleton, Max Anderson, Bertie Senior Cup Final again (and lost Coote and on occasions William again) in 1932 and were in the top music than of the cricket. In 1890 the top Belfast side Ulster CC came McCrum who played when Milford half of the table for most of the rest to Armagh. The local press CC had no game. Armagh finished of the 1930s, with Bobby Barnes third, fifth and sixth but then being replaced by his brother reported that Armagh won the game and listened to the 3rd Royal withdrew from the League, playing Jackie, though both he and the third History Armagh No. 14 - Vol. 4 No. 2 - December 2018 32

friendly matches in 1942 and not at all in 1943 though cricket was totally overshadowed by the news that Jackie Barnes had been killed in England. He had been expected to be one of the pillars of the team when the war ended (his total of wickets puts him in Armagh’s top ten, even 75 years after his death).

Armagh were back in the Senior League in 1947 and had a good season though few of the players came from Armagh. While the captain, Terry Grainger, would have argued that reaching the 1948

The 1928 team Senior Cup Final and losing by the narrowest possible margin, justified brother, Stanley Barnes had played season. The under-15 team reached in the short term the policy of with Bobby on one occasion, the the final of the Graham Cup and all recruiting players from far and first time three brothers had seemed to be so promising for wide, the consequence was that a represented Armagh together. Armagh Cricket. whole generation of young men in Armagh were lost to cricket and the Against Queen’s University in But 1939 turned out to be the peak; years that followed were years of 1937 Jackie Barnes took nine in 1940 the team struggled. Rev struggle, though one last Cup Final wickets for four runs, a feat Bobby Barnes was now an ordained was reached in 1952. In 1953 unequalled by any Armagh player clergyman and would live away Armagh won only two games and before or since and helped achieve from Armagh for the rest of his life, lost their Senior League place for selection to play for Ireland George Livingstone had moved to the first time since 1912. Although alongside Bobby. work in Birmingham, Charles they returned in 1955 a further Raynor had left and Harry relegation followed in 1957 and The 1939 season was another McCauley played only once. while they came close to winning memorable one as Armagh won Jackie Barnes was the leading the second tier in 1958 no-one twelve games out of 14 and were batsman and also the leading would have guessed that it would Senior League champions again. bowler but with the country at war take sixty years to win the second Star performers that year were the future would be very different. league again and return to the top Bobby Barnes, Jackie Barnes Harry 1940 and 1941 were difficult years section for one season in 2018. McCauley, both McKinleys and and Armagh CC played only two other Milford men, David Carson and George Livingstone. The final game was in Belfast and the champions came home with the trophy by train to Armagh where they were met by Milford Flute Band. As they followed the band through a crowd of cheering supporters the Cup was carried to Market Square by McKinley and Barnes. In the square McKinley addressed the crowd, thanking the band, the supporters and the people of Armagh. The players had appreciated the way the city had stuck by the team during the The old pavilion

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A Halloween tale . of gunfire, clergy, police and medical men laying a ghost at a lake by Eric Villiers

With ghost tours of Armagh now by the contents and the various been discovered the presence in it an established event on the city’s names dropped into the piece, it of so many local names is of growing list of attractions for clearly gave a certain amount of interest: Cassy McHugh, Sam and citizens and visitors alike – humorous pleasure to its readers as Tommy Pillow, Mr Kane, Annie anchored of course by the most it pokes fun at their neighbours. Farnham, the policemen, the famous local story of them all The priests, etc. Green Lady of Vicar’s Hill – it is It may well be that it was written to perhaps appropriate just after be sung locally at parties marking All in all it suggests that at some Halloween to remember another Halloween, so it could have been a point in the relatively recent past it local tale which has only just come ballad rather than a recitation. was well known and widely to light. circulated, and interesting enough In either event, if the torturing for a local family to store it safely Unfortunately the only words to force a rhyme or three, in a biscuit tin that served as the documentary evidence for this yarn was a crime then our anonymous family’s archive. is a very old A4 sheet onto which balladeer might well have been someone has attempted to record guilty of a capital offence – judge Here it is as it appears on a dog the event in poetic terms. for yourself. eared typewritten script, minus a word or two that have been lost to Although to be fair it is closer to Nevertheless our pen-smith did wear and tear of the folded page it doggerel than verse, it appears to produce a decently long story even was written on: have been penned or at least refers if he had to force in rhyming words to events that occurred after 1920 to end each line of his neatly HENDERSON’S GHOST punctuated quatrains. and the partition of Ireland. In a nice little cottage not far from the lake, Under the title “Henderson’s It’s a pity the author did not sign If you want to go there you’ll make Ghost” the unnamed author of the the work but if it is a tiny bit no mistake, piece sets out unexplained activity malicious in its intent, then that’s There lived an old lady both hearty that happened at Halloween at a understandable. At least they did, and hale, cottage, which seems to have been or someone did, go to the trouble And we wish her long life may her near Lowry’s Lake off the when typing it up, and if the scary blood red capital letters used for health never fail. Hamiltonsbawn Road. ~~~~~ title are anything to go by they Some few months ago she was In 19 stanzas the author relates intended their drama to be served living alone, how a series of ghostly happenings up with a fair portion of ridicule. When her daughter and grand- culminated in the police, a priest, a daughter both arrived home, minister and a doctor being called The tone of the verses suggests that They engaged a young maiden the in or arriving in an effort to get to a whole bunch of gullible people house-work to do, the bottom of quite a few puzzling had been well and truly conned or And the boys soon discovered ‘twas incidents – at one point the local fooled into believing in paranormal Cassy Mc. Hugh. constabulary engage in a activity. The fact that community leaders and dignitaries are at the ~~~~~ melodramatic chase across fields The district was quiet, the boys heart of the story and the butt of and a shooting at miscreants, which they were slow, the joke, suggests mischief was if true could have had dire results. So the girls at some tricks said being done on paper as well as one they’ll have a go, Whether this piece of folklore has Halloween night. The doors then were rapped, and survived beyond the typewritten the tables and chairs, verse is doubtful, although judging While the story has only recently

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Went banging through the kitchen went into smash. So accompanied by Annie the priest like hounds after hares. ~~~~~ did arrive, ~~~~~ The C. O. cried “Halt” then the And with candles and cross and The sport it began on all rifles they spoke beads they did strive, Hallowe’en And from that day to this no more To lay down the Ghost, but it When the goats were let out, and windows were broke, couldn’t be done these ladies tied in, For the Ghost was so frightened it As this frolicsome Ghost was At least so twas said. Tho’ some stayed in the house, enjoying the fun. had their doubts And if the B. men went in, was quiet ~~~~~ That they were not all in at least as a mouse. The good Dr. Johnston came down one was left out. ~~~~~ the Lough Lane ~~~~~ Miss Kilpatrick of Woodside just And for company brought with him Then a window was broken and called for to know his friend Mr Kane, Cassie did run If all of the ghost stories she heard And said that their troubles he soon To bring old McCutcheon to join in could be so, would allay, the fun; She unharnessed her Danny and As the Ghost could not trouble He went rushing down to see which left him well tied, them after that day. one was broke But the Ghost let him loose when he ~~~~~ She yelled “go to Heaven” girls got her inside. The Rev. Dowling then walked out this is no joke. ~~~~~ of town, ~~~~~ Then Cassie ….. wondrous shout, To try and assist with this Ghost of The brave Serg’t Smith who carries She said the ghost must have let renown the post, Danny out, The trio of clergy all did their best Called on his rounds to see the new So they searched round the yard But could not compete with this Ghost, and got him alright. troublesome guest. And great was the panic in the As the Ghost had made sure that ~~~~~ district around, the gate was shut tight. But the neighbours got tired and Though no real Ghost in the place ~~~~~ soon took the huff, could be found. She then saw a picture move down So then the ghost decided it had ~~~~~ on the wall, enough, Their fears to allay he would do his And it stuck “wid a spit” for fear it So they finished it up and a holiday utmost, would fall; took, And bring up the B’s to frighten the She then heard some knocking and And now they declare it was a huge Ghost listening for more, joke. So with Constable Barkley and But found ‘twas the girls who were ~~~~~ Beck he did go, knocking the floor. Accompanied by Sinton and their ~~~~~ While it does not come anywhere C.O. The Pillows were frightened, as near the fascinating story of the ~~~~~ they had the land, Vicar’s Hill ghost that has haunted With Constable Barkley acting as Says Tommy, Come home boy, and the nightmares of thousands of guide, we’ll ask “our Sam” Armagh children down the He said he would show them the And get his advice as to what we generations, Henderson’s Ghost best place to hide, should do does have appeal – perhaps Over hedges and ditches he never As the Ghost might attack us if we someone out there knows a little bit once stopped ventured through. more about the story’s origins. Till some of the Constables very ~~~~~ For those interested in finding out The good mother Farnham came near dropped. more about the mysterious Green over to boast, ~~~~~ Lady, I can heartily recommend a At last in the darkness they dropped That Father O’Callaghan could lay well researched and finely written to the ground, the ghost book by Sean Barden: The Green With the rifles all ready they made If they would believe in his powers Lady Mystery: The Vicar’s Hill not a sound, supreme, Murder published recently by When all of a sudden they heard a He could send the Ghost home to Armagh County Museum. loud crash, the land unseen. And some of the window panes ~~~~~

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Irish Street: plenty to be proud of despite poor press by Mary McVeigh

Irish Street was like the Wild West However, Head Constable Magee quarter – men who exercise a if you were to believe the press and was not for turning, and instead deterrent influence over the police in the closing decades of the directed his ire at the ‘Irish Street rowdies’ it nevertheless claimed 19th century. In February 1889 the quarter’. His views did not go that the Irish street ‘quarter’ was the Armagh Standard claimed that Irish unnoticed and so some 50 or so rowdy part of the city and court Street was ‘the most rebellious and residents added their names to a records could prove this. It pointed disorderly district of the city’ and letter which the papers referred to out that whilst the ‘brutal attack’ alleged that some years ago the as a ‘memorial’. This was sent to was carried out by a man who was authorities were ‘compelled’ to the Inspector General of the Royal not resident in the area, it did not establish a police barracks there ‘on Irish Constabulary at the Phoenix accept he was a stranger to it as account of the murderous attacks’ Park in Dublin. The Belfast stated in the memorial but alleged that were made on passers-by. It Morning News published the he had ‘very many friends’ there was only the presence of the police document, which strongly refuted because people gave evidence on barracks which now prevented the the Head Constable’s statement and his behalf when his case was being occurrence of similar acts, the paper called for a public withdrawal of it. heard. No sympathy had been declared. Head Constable Magee It pointed out that the inhabitants of shown for the policemen who had asserted that the police were Irish Street were ‘peaceful, orderly been sent in to perform ‘an arduous ‘unmercifully beaten in that and law-abiding citizens and no duty’ and whose persons bore quarter’.1 In fact the Dublin Daily resident therein has for many years marks of the violence with which Express’s Armagh correspondent and for long anterior to the advent they were treated. “Intimidation in who could well have penned the of Head Constable Magee in one form or another is the Irish Armagh Standard’s vitriolic views Armagh been charged with Nationalist’s policy,’ it asserted.4 blamed the political situation, assaulting the police or annoying namely the campaign for Home them in any way – nay, more the The Armagh Standard went a step Rule, for the mayhem in Irish very opposite has been the case, as further by attempting to cast Street: “… For the last eight years it on several occasions they have aspersions on the character of has been observed that when the assisted the police in arresting Patrick Corr, the main signatory of Nationalists are most violent in their disorderly persons’. It went on to the memorial by declaring that that resistance to the constitutional add that the person charged was he had behaved badly on a train authorities in the South and West of ‘not a resident of Irish Street at all, journey. It asked: “We wonder if Ireland, the number of violent nor even of the city of Armagh, but this is the same Patrick Corr of assaults on the police in Irish Street, an entire stranger from a distant Armagh who was summoned to a Nationalist stronghold in Armagh, town’.3 Enniskillen Petty Sessions last largely increased,” it stated.2 month for insulting the Rev Mr The memorial certainly did not pour Bradshaw, a Protestant clergyman, All this caustic comment came oil on troubled water as far as the in a railway carriage and, if we about after two Keady men local Unionist press was concerned. mistake not, he was also summoned appeared at the local petty sessions Whilst the Armagh Guardian did no by the railway authorities for giving court on charges of being drunk and more than report on the petty a false name?”. It alleged he disorderly in Irish Street. They sessions the other two papers, the managed to get everything hushed apparently gave false names which Armagh Standard and the Ulster up by claiming he had a sick wife did not do them any favours with Gazette with which it later merged, and paying £4 expenses. “Being the the result that they were each spared no effort in directing saviour of the inhabitants of Irish sentenced to one month’s invective on the Irish Street folk. Street is he at the same time the imprisonment. The solicitor of one Whilst the Ulster Gazette admitted disturber of the peace in a railway sought some leniency for his client that there were ‘very respectable carriage?” It would seem that the who suffered from ‘delicate health’. and law-abiding men resident in this Armagh Standard had no qualms

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about adopting a partisan approach when it came to Nationalism or those who were perceived as supporting its campaign for Home Rule.5

‘Sick’ policemen

It was just the following year when Irish Street police barracks was in the news again but this time it had nothing at all to do with the residents. Instead it was to do with the health and wellbeing of the constabulary. Apparently there was ‘scarcely a policeman who came there from the country but took fever’. When the matter was raised at a meeting of the Town Irish Street Halt. Looking north on Keady Line at Irish Street Halt, Loco No.1 Commissioners in October the local Armagh County Museum collection Medical Officer, Dr Gray did not accept that the cause of the railway station at Irish Street on the prizes’ were to be on offer to attract 8 illnesses suffered by the policemen new line to Keady and on to both growers and buyers. after coming to Irish Street had Castleblayney. It would seem that Irish Street men went to war something to do with milk supplies initially there was a question mark as suggested by the Town Clerk. over the need for a train stop there. The Nationalist leanings of some of He said that the police were Thus in the summer of 1904 there its residents did not deter men from supplied with milk the same as was ‘an influential meeting of Irish Street from fighting in the their neighbours, and there was no Armagh merchants’. The outcome First World War or indeed could other case of fever in Irish Street – was a deputation led by the actually have been the reason some in fact there had not been a case of Unionist MP, Sir James Lonsdale, joined up. They may have typhoid fever in Irish Street for to the directors of the Great answered the call from John years. It was the newcomers from Northern Railway who made the Redmond, the leader of the the country that took in the fever to case that it would be ‘exceedingly Nationalist party, to defend small the barracks. The neighbours all inconvenient for both passengers nations like Belgium and bring the around were perfectly healthy, he and goods traffic’ it there was not a cause of Home Rule nearer. 6 added. A ‘bad smell from the station at Irish Street. The result Alternatively, they might have sewerage in the house’ was also was that on a Monday morning in joined the army for economic cited as a cause for concern. The June 1909 the first train on the new reasons bearing in mind that work Town Clerk suggested that the line made its way from Armagh to was far from plentiful in Armagh. barracks should be moved to the Keady with a stop at the Irish Street The main sources of employment 7 stone yard at the corner of Irish halt. were the textile factories and mills Street. Dr Gray agreed to seek to The alleged unruly behaviour of the which were vulnerable to have this carried out. By the end of residents did not discourage those fluctuations in demand and general the century the barracks had indeed in authority from trying to revive labouring work on buildings and been transferred to this site from the Flax market in Irish Street. By farms. Some could have seen the the east side of Upper Irish Street. the end of the 19th century it was army as a means of adventure and a chance to escape what they saw as Train stops at Irish Street ‘practically closed’ apparently due to competition from foreign their dreary, humdrum existences in Despite Irish Street’s reputation for imports but in 1901 a local a small country town. Whatever the rowdiness in some sections of the committee was formed to restore it reasons were for their involvement press there was support from major to its previous importance. too many never came home. It business interests right across all Competitions with ‘valuable cash should be noted that it is only in sections of the community for a recent years that there has been any

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real acknowledgement of the French colours. All the people in strong resistance to the imposition significant contribution made to the the neighbourhood went to the of conscription. Sadly in the war effort by those from a Catholic funeral and the Mass. His grave following year the paper reported: or Nationalist background or efforts will always be honoured. He did “Another Armagh man who has taken to collate their stories.9 not suffer at all and died a glorious made the supreme sacrifice is Pte. death. I offer you my very deepest Patrick Kearney, Royal Irish Among those who lost their lives sympathy. The lady’s name is the Fusiliers. He joined the forces at on the battlefield was Patrick Marquise de Vasteyrie and if you the outbreak of war and was with Carson, a young joiner who was wish to write to her I shall be the 10th Irish Division during the born in Irish Street in 1879 and 20 pleased to forward the letter.” fighting at the Dardenelles. He also years later married Lena Mills in St took part in the evacuation of Patrick’s Catholic Cathedral. He Four years later his younger Gallipoli. Afterwards he was sent was 35 years old, father of five brother Eugene received an award to France where he was killed”. children and living in Belfast when for bravery but not for conduct on The paper also noted that his he enlisted. He joined the Sixth the battlefield. He saved a young brother who was with the Battalion of the Royal Irish lad from drowning in the river Australian forces was ‘lying in Regiment where John Redmond’s Callan and thus was presented with hospital severely wounded in both brother, Willie, was a captain. He a certificate from the Royal legs’.12 died in the trenches in France in Humane Society.10 June 1916. A few months later his Not all who lived in Irish Street widow received his personal effects The Kearney family was recorded were Nationalists or belonged to which included his identity disc, a in both 1901 and 1911 censuses as the . One young handkerchief, his pipe, envelopes, living in Irish Street but by 1916 man who died, aged 27, as a result photographs and Rosary beads. Six had moved to Navan Street. It was of war wounds sustained in months after his death Lena died cited as an example to others in the Mesopotamia was Lee Rice, a and the orphaned children were Armagh Guardian’s recruitment member of the Church of Ireland. brought to live in Armagh and to be drive. This was the paper’s rallying In the 1901 census he lived in looked after by Lena’s sister Mary cry: “Mrs Kearney, Navan Street, Upper Irish Street with his uncle, Ellen Fields and her husband Jack. Armagh, has a right to be the also Lee Rice who was a flax proudest woman in it. She has no merchant. He was an officer with Another poignant tale was that of less than five sons fighting for the Royal Navy Transport but prior Peter Leo Reilly of Lower Irish Ireland. Joseph is a Sergeant in the to the outbreak of war had Street. He had been a private in the Australian Forces and was recently belonged to the Merchant navy and Irish Guards for three years and home on leave. William is in the had travelled extensively. He saw was on the reserve list when he was Irish Fusiliers wounded; Patrick is service in the Persian Gulf and his called up for service in the war. He in France with our Irish Fusiliers; ship was under fire on many was killed very early in the conflict, James with the Irish Fusiliers in the occasions. His funeral to St Marks in September 1914, aged just 23 Salonica Force, twice wounded and in Armagh was accorded full years. Prior to his enlistment he Henry with the Inniskillings in military honours with a firing party 11 worked as a clerk at the railway France.” It is interesting that the of the Royal Irish Fusiliers and station in Armagh. Shortly after his paper claimed the Kearneys were with a large and representative death his mother received a letter fighting for ‘Ireland’. Had they public attendance. A member of the from the Hon. Mrs Ernest Guinness come from another part of town or Presbyterian church who lived in in Dublin: “I have received were of a different religious Irish Street and survived the war particulars about the death of your persuasion would a different was Thomas McClelland who had son from a lady who lived close to approach have been used? By this worked as a postman according to where he died. She asked me to tell time the attitude of many within the the 1911 census. He received his relations and I have just got Nationalist community towards the several military medals. your address from the Colonel in war and involvement in it would London. Your son was buried with have been affected by the aftermath Conflict for a different cause the rites of the Catholic Church. of the Easter Rising and the harsh There was a Requiem Mass for him treatment of those who participated Some Irish Street residents were with a catafalque before the altar it it, particularly its leaders. It involved in a very different war just and candles around it and the certainly contributed towards the a few years later, the fight for

History Armagh No. 14 - Vol. 4 No. 2 - December 2018 38 independence from Britain, the Frank Donnelly during summer and Larne Workhouse until February or Anglo-Irish war of 1919 to 1921. autumn of 1920 there were a March, 1923. He mentioned that a Two men who played prominent number of raids on the postal ‘few Cumann na mBan girls’ were roles as officers in local I.R.A service. He took part in one when in the car and one of these later activities were among those who the mail was seized from a horse became his wife so it was not all gave detailed accounts of their drawn postal van, taken to a hut bad! involvement to the Bureau of outside the town where the letters Military History in Dublin which were opened read, stamped with the has collected over 36,000 pages of words, ‘censored by the I.R.A’ and witness statements from over then brought to a postal box at seventeen hundred people who took Umgola for collection part in the conflict. They were James Short of Lower Irish Street Nowadays it is difficult to who was First Lieutenant of the comprehend that often their main Armagh Company in 1921 and mode of transport was the bicycle. Frank Donnelly of Upper Irish James Short instanced a time when Street who took over as O/C of the he was involved in transporting Armagh Battalion in the same ammunition from Belfast. It took 4 year.13 Both started out in the Irish or 5 round trips by bike to collect Volunteers and the I.R.B in 1916 the packages of bullets. When the and would seem to have been Armagh men went to raid mainly engaged in the early stages Newtownhamilton police barracks in drilling and training. Frank in 1920 they cycled there and back Donnelly observed that ‘the spirit of and although they did not manage James Trodden the men at Easter week was the to get any arms the operation was James Trodden, an ideal that that the younger deemed a success because the unrepentant Republican generation aimed at’ and they had barracks was burned to the ground. some differences in approach to the The attempt to blow up the barracks An Irish Street inhabitant who was older men whose past experiences in Irish Street also in 1920 was a leading figure in Republican had taught them to be cautious at all certainly not regarded as a triumph. political circles in Armagh was times. Frank Donnelly recorded that the James Trodden, owner of a garage explosion did more harm to the and taxi business in Lower Irish Theirs was guerrilla warfare fought houses opposite than it did to the Street. He was on the platform party by limited numbers and an obvious barracks and caused a lot of broken to greet Michael Collins when he lack of resources. They blocked windows in the vicinity. came to Armagh in 1921 but there roads, cut telephone and telegraph was a traumatic end to the day for wires and were on raiding parties James Short, in his submission, him when his car was fired upon by seeking arms and ammunition, not described how, on the evening prior opponents to Collins. He was always with great success. A major to the General Election of 1921, he driving supporters home to operation directed by Frank Aiken survived an assassination attempt Poyntzpass when over 50 bullets which included men from South by a member of a ‘murder gang’ struck the car. Fortunately no-one Armagh as well as the local units to from Dublin led by a man named was injured but the car suffered obtain U.V.F guns from the Cope Igoe. At that time posters were put extensive damage for which he was residence at Drummilly proved to up throughout Armagh warning the awarded £12.10s at the local Petty be fruitless and a raid on the home I.R.A that if they did not cease Sessions court.14 He was back there of a Major Boyle just netted 2 pairs operations ‘serious reprisals’ would again in November in what surely of binoculars, a Sam Brown belt occur. Frank Donnelly was arrested even then must have been a most and ‘some large rifle ammunition in May 1922, when the car in which contentious case. He was fined £3, suitable for elephant shooting’. On he was travelling was intercepted by not an insignificant sum at that one occasion a comrade of James Special Constables who discovered time, certainly more than the Short was seriously wounded when 200 rounds of ammunition in it. He weekly wage of many. His offence, a group of them, all unarmed, got four months imprisonment but it was said in court, was that he had managed to disarm 2 Special just a few days after his release he ‘some characters- believed to be constables at Umgola. According to was re-arrested and interned in Irish’ printed on his motor cars. The History Armagh No. 14 - Vol. 4 No. 2 - December 2018 39

prosecuting solicitor said that English was the language of the country and the laws of the country were carried out in that language. ‘Irish was never the recognised language,’ he asserted.15 This case undoubtedly raises some pertinent questions. Was this an isolated case where the intention was to make trouble for the individual, to harass him or was it common practice to prosecute anyone who displayed any sign or notice in the ? It certainly merits more research.

James Trodden was obviously a seasoned political activist. He Upper Irish Street chaired meetings, delivered Armagh County Museum collection speeches and was election agent for 8 th Republican candidates at various not give up his political activities. Northern Whig, 11 December, 1901 elections, notably in the 1925 In 1935 he was again speaking at a 9 Stormont elections for Eamon Republican meeting in Irish I am really grateful to Joe Center Street.18 for all his help in supplying this Donnelly who later went on to be a information. His new book: Fianna Fáil Minister in Dáil At the outset the intention was to “Armagh dead in the Great War,” Éireann and in 1933 when the should be of interest to all sections look at Irish Street up until the late of the community in Armagh. It can Republican candidate P.J. 1960s but space and time decreed be obtained from the Fusiliers McLogan succeeded in winning the otherwise, thus this article covers Museum South Armagh seat. However, one just over half a century of some 10Ulster Gazette, 20th July, 1918 speech he made caused him to be aspects of Irish Street’s past. sentenced under the Special Powers 11Armagh Guardian, 7th November, Unfortunately this meant having to 1916 Act to 6 months imprisonment with defer looking at social issues such hard labour. In February 1933 a 12 th as housing, unemployment and Ulster Guardian, 8 September, 1917 celebration with bands and a poverty and perhaps some more bonfire was held at light-hearted aspects of life such as 13BUREAU OF MILITARY outside Markethill to mark the social activities and sport. All for HISTORY 1913-21: Statement by Fianna Fáil victory and DeValera witness, Doc No.WS534, James another day! Short as its leader in the Dáil Éireann elections of the previous year. References Statement by witness, Doc No. According to the police, James WS941, Frank Donnelly 1 th Trodden in his speech to the Armagh Standard 8 February, 14 1889 FITZGERALD, D., Michael Collins assembly ‘made false statements in Armagh, wwwhistoryarmagh.org 2 th likely to interfere with the success Dublin Daily Express, 8 February, 15 1889 Drogheda Argus and Leinster of the R.U.C.’ What he said was Journal, 5th November, 1921 that two men currently imprisoned 3Belfast Morning News, 14th 16Northern Whig, 25th March 1933 in Belfast jail were there because February, 1889 17 the police who gave false evidence 4Ulster Gazette, 16th February, Belfast Gazette, June, 1933 against them, instead of being in 1889 18 th Belfast Newsletter, 4 November, uniform, should be serving 5Armagh Standard, 22nd February 1935 sentences for perjury.16 Just months 6 th later he was declared bankrupt Belfast Newsletter, 26 August, 1904 which would seem to suggest that the prison sentence affected his 7Armagh Guardian, June 1909 business.17 In spite of it all he did

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Armagh City Steam Laundry - through the eyes of the workers by Sean Barden

As outlined in the first part of this was not as good as nowadays meant averted.5 article ( History Armagh Vol. 4 that accidents were not uncommon. No.1) Armagh Steam Laundry Despite improvements in factory existed for forty-four years from One of the most serious occurred on safety it was inevitable that laundry 1907 to 1951. During that period it April 9 1932 on the road between workers suffered accidents at the employed many hundreds of local Omagh and Newtownstewart when Tullyelmer facility. The heavy workers and was one of the main a local carpenter William calendars consisting of massive sources of employment for Armagh Monaghan was struck and killed rotating cylinders that could smooth women. By the mid 1920s the instantly by one of the Armagh bed sheets in seconds, could also be 3 laundry had become firmly laundry vans. The following March devastatingly dangerous if workers established at Tullyelmer on the a laundry man found himself in got too close. On 28 February 1940, outskirts of the city with a growing court after his van was in collision seventeen-year-old Brigid Johnston workforce, fleet of vans and offices with a cyclist in Ballygawley and of Gillis Row on Loughgall Road 4 at 3 The Seven Houses in Upper had to pay a twenty shilling fine. was injured when her right hand got English Street.1 caught in a machine. The following In the past when the laundry March she was awarded £700 Incidents and Accidents premises had operated as a mill it compensation in the High Court.6 had suffered from several fires and During the twenties the laundry had this risk was no less now as it was The chances of falling victim to expanded its reach and by 1926 processing hundreds of flammable crime especially during the vans were collecting from textiles daily. On the night of May 5 unsettled period of the early 1920s customers in ‘Londonderry and 1932 what the owners had hoped was also something laundry van district weekly”2 There were risks would never happen occurred when drivers had to be wary of. On 27 having a fleet of vans on the road fire broke out in the drying sheds. September 1923 van drivers John because pressure to collect laundry Luckily the flames were quickly Sleeth and Michael Fagan were on quickly in an era when road safety quelled and a potential disaster their way to Armagh on the Newtownhamilton road near when they were held up by five armed and masked men. Although the thieves made off with only £12 it was reported that Fagan had been struck on the head with a revolver.7 It appears the robbery was an opportunist incident perpetrated by a gang who were taking a convenient opportunity to grab some quick cash.

Crime came to the laundry’s doorstep eight years later in 1931 when the laundry was deliberately targeted in a gun attack. On the evening of December 21 eight shots were fired into the factory office, luckily the place was empty at the Armagh City Steam Laundry vans and drivers at Tullyelmer c1923 time and the papers could offer no Armagh County Museum collection

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piece of blackguardism”.8

Work and play at the laundry The community of workers at the laundry were not only washing and ironing together but socialising too. On December 3 1937 when the laundry held a dance in the City Hall the event attracted over 400 people. The crowd was strengthened by a party of Erne Laundry workers from Enniskillen. The Armagh manager, Mr Millar had previously worked in Fermanagh and both laundries were by this stage, owned by a Mr Thomas Hunter. The City Hall was specially decorated with the livery colours of the Armagh and Staff of the Armagh City Steam Laundry at their annual re-union 12 October 1923 Enniskillen laundry vans and Music Armagh County Museum collection was supplied by Mr F Donaghy's laundry not just working long shifts sugar home. We took the wrong band. but fondly remembered the fun and turn and we landed in Emyvale and The Armagh Guardian reported that banter of the workplace too. we went round and round a wall local men Joseph Digby and Patrick and we couldn’t find the road into Men worked in the wash room with Cartmill took charge of the Middletown. And when we got into the women but they were in the evening’s events and both Joe and Middletown we phoned the minority, usually hauling heavy wet Tommy Murphy entertained the laundry. We were supposed to start blankets and curtains into and out crowd with songs. Prizes for at half one on a Monday, what we of the big wash drums. ‘At the back dancing were won by Peter Fields were doing was half one. And we of the calendars there was these big and Miss A. Campbell, George phoned him and told him that we drums, what we would say was big Houlihan and Miss Casey and the had got lost and that we were in washing drums and Davey Kennedy enjoyment continued until 4.00am.9 Middletown and we’d be in as soon and them looked after them[…]’ as we could and he said ,“You can Even considering the hard work She recalled how one of the men take your cards on Friday.” He and length of the working day one rose through the ranks. ‘Mick was an oul bleart an oul bugger former employee thought she was Lappan he was the washhouse man oul _____[...] an he says you can lucky to get a job there and not in and he turned to be the foreman…. get your cards on Friday, so when one of the local mills. The nature of He lived in the house at the Friday come I had a job in laundry work necessitated a clean laundry.’ She recounted with some Portadown laundry and Lilly was environment that was warmer than glee one day during the War years going to munitions somewhere in a draughty weaving factory or when she and some fellow workers Lancashire, somebody she knew spinning mill. It might not have got the DKO or Dirty Kick Out all had got her a job. So the two of us been as cold and dirty as a mill but because a pre-Christmas smuggling into the office to Leila Vallely on it was just as noisy with washing excursion to county Monaghan the Friday and we got our pay machines and smoothing calendars went wrong! envelopes and we said, “Do we get constantly at work. The same our lying week, our money owed to employee said her mother would ‘We went to Monaghan the us?” She says, “What for?” and I complain that even at home her Monday before Christmas to get says, “We’ve got the sack, sure he daughter habitually shouted just as butter and stuff, and we always told us on Monday to get our cards she did at work to be heard above wore pleated skirts that went out on Friday.” “O God”, she says “I 10 the din of the machines. She had over the saddle of the bicycle so don’t know …”, you see I worked lively memories of her time at the you could take the butter and the in the laundry office with Leila

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Vallely. It was the time Maureen linen belonging to hundreds of them and there was Lilly Orr and Burn was off in the receiving office customers. Concentration was the Margaret McVeigh and me and we and somebody was off and they put key and unlike some of the other took out the washings they were me in it. But I got more pay than jobs in the laundry if your attention crawling and we threw them back they got, for the laundry workers slipped items could go astray. in and we went till look for Miller got more pay than the office and we couldn’t get him, and Mick workers. She said to me, “I’ll have ‘I was a checker and a packer I Lappin he wasn’t as high up then to see Millar” and Millar came out checked army and I checked and he was sort of over the and he says, “What do you two domestic and I packed both. I never checking and we said “We refuse think you are playing at?” And I was on the calendar and I never to handle that” . It was an awful says, “You told us to get our cards was on the ironing…You had your shame too people lapped their on Friday so I want our cards”. He pen and your marking ink and you things in a pillow case or lapped says, “Forget about it my bark’s marked on the corner of the clothes them in a tablecloth and put a pin worse than my bite.” I says, “No, and that wouldn’t come out, if in them or maybe a bit of string I’ve got a job” and Lilly says, there was something delicate you round them […] and poor innocent “I’ve got a job” and I was in would have marked it on tape and people was getting their washing Portadown laundry on Monday stitched it on, you know like a sent back. And none of us wore morning…’ delicate lace. rubber gloves for you couldn’t with Say for instance ______was down the needle, if you had socks you She found the management at had to stitch the number on them if Portadown easier to negotiate with with her mother and she used something of her mother’s and she you had jumpers you had to stitch and even managed to get them to the number on them with coloured pay for her dinner on occasions. sent it in in her washing, you’d have to put the other name on. thread. Some laundries had a label ‘Well the oul fella that owned it oul When we were in Portadown and some sort of a wee machine Spence Bryson …well he was a laundry whenever there was any that would tab them on […] we just real oul gentleman, the man that confusion situation as regards had to stitch them on.’ owned it. And he said to me one people’s numbers, washing Shifts were long and near the end day, “Would you work for us this numbers, they’d always come to me of the week everyone was impatient evening” and I was in the packing and ask me, is there a connection to get away from the laundry to room at this stage and I said to there. There could be two numbers socialise with friends. But if a van him, “No I can’t work I have to go and it could be a mistake, driver arrived with a batch of home to get my dinner…” He somebody checking, somebody’s laundry then it had to be washed. owned the laundry and he had a laundry there would maybe talk factory across the road. And he and look at somebody else’s piece ‘I wouldn’t like to say five days or says to me if, “I buy you your there, you know through talking.’ six because some Thursday nights dinner would you work”, so I said, you weren’t home till eight o’clock “I will” so he gave me the money Although checking wasn’t as and some Friday nights you didn’t and I went to ______And got my labour intensive as washing or know if you were going to see home dinner cheaper and kept the rest of ironing there could be some nasty at midnight. And you still had to go the money. And I got my dinner surprises. in on a Saturday to pack things. every Saturday when I worked and ‘I didn’t mind the checking out but Paul Hanratty would come for our ____ were all raging and I didn’t like the checking in, you Portadown laundry and you had to Peggy Hannon and them all.’ got some very dirty cloths and you have them on a certain day. Jimmy Mackle, he was a van driver he had Soon after she went to work in had to handle them, and you got some awful things in some of the his on a certain day, Vincent England but after the war came Gibney, he took his on a certain back to Armagh and was soon back washings. We used to get Belfast washings […] There was an agent day, he might have a couple of in Tullyelmer from where she’d them to do. Tommy Gray, a wee been sacked a few years before. in Belfast […] and he collected the washings for Armagh laundry. And ginger fella, he worked on the vans Her area of expertise was packing too. and checking which was so we’d get the washings in and important when keeping track of they’d all go into big wooden skips Maureen Donnelly and a crowd of thousands of garments and bed and I can remember us starting to them always came in and they

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they were going anywhere. And I fortnight ago the works were closed Acknowledgments remember them saying to Tommy down and their staff paid off. Some Gray “take us in the length of the of the machinery has been I received valuable help when chip shop” […] and he took them transferred to Newry and the rest writing this article from the Irish down and he put them out on the will be sold, and already the and Local Studies Library in Mall and he wouldn’t let them back premises have been advertised for Armagh. I should especially thank in the van, and he came back about sale. those employees of Armagh Steam ten minutes after and he lifted them Laundry whom I spoke to, whose and he left them in the Moy. And The Armagh receiving office and memories helped enormously bring there was murder! There was no delivery staff in Armagh will be the human story of the laundry to checkers that evening, it was a retained, and as many of the works life. Thursday evening and stuff had to staff, as possible will be offered References be ready […] Tommy was terrible work in Newry, where already some headstrong and Maureen Donnelly of them have started. It is rumoured 1Urban District rate book for and them had oul shoes on them, that a bid has been made for the 1919 in Armagh County 11 oul slippers on them, and them left premises for a canning factory. Museum collection [ARMCM. standing in the Moy and it would 169.1962] The closure was brought to the have foundered you and them with 2 attention of politicians at Stormont Londonderry Sentinel, 24 July no coat nor nothing on them. 1926 by Socialist MP for Belfast Falls Tommy didn’t care if he lost his job Harry Diamond who asked what 3 or not that was the kind of him.’ Derry Journal, Monday 11 April steps had been taken by the 1932 Ministry of Employment to find Closure 4 work for the workers who had been Northern Whig and Belfast Between 1930 and 1950 the Post, 22 March 1933 paid off. The reply revealed that consolidation of the dozens of small only two had found jobs since the 5Northern Whig and Belfast independent electricity companies closure.12 Post, 7 May 1932 in Northern Ireland into just a few 6 big players meant that a reliable The former workers fared as best Northern Whig and Belfast grid was reaching most of the they could and Mr Millar the Post, 8 March 1941; Belfast Telegraph 7 March 1941 laundry manager looked to the population. After the War social change and technological future for opportunities and opened 7Larne Times, 06 October 1923 developments led to increasing a dry-cleaning business behind the 8 sales of cheaper domestic laundry office in College Street Northern Whig and Belfast Post, 22 December 1931 conveniences such as electric called College Cleaners. Soon two cookers and washing machines. All local businessmen Jimmy Moore 9The Armagh Guardian Dec 3rd these factors would ensure the and Barney Rafferty did indeed 1937 demise of Armagh Steam Laundry. open a fruit canning operation in the 10 premises, calling it RafMore Interview with former laundry After the boom years during the war Canners Ltd proving that there was employee the demand for the laundry’s still a life for the old Tullyelmer 11Armagh Guardian, 29 June services fell away and by June 1951 weaving factory premises. 1951 the workforce was reduced to just twenty. In June that year the It may have closed 67 years ago but 12Belfast Newsletter, 28 June Armagh Steam Laundry finally the Armagh Steam Laundry at 1951 admitted defeat and closed its doors Tullyelmer was an Armagh for the last time. On the 29th June institution that for 44 years was an the local newspaper reported that: important source of employment and for the few surviving Armagh City laundry has changed laundrymen and women is still a hands and the works at Armagh are source of fond memories and great advertised for sale. The business stories. was purchased recently by the Newry Steam Laundry and a

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It ’s not so unusual to say hello: Armagh couple meet 60s icon on Primrose Hill by Kevin Quinn

When I meet up with my mates

Desi ‘Pokey’ Devlin and Rory ‘Momba’ Johnston for a few drinks, it’s nearly always guaranteed that there will be a ‘reminiscing session’ before the end of the evening. Someone usually kicks it off with the classic opener; ‘do you remember that time…’ and with that line, a wave of memories comes flooding back. Within a few minutes, we are all perched on the edge of our seats waiting our turn to recall events, experiences, truths (or half-truths!) from our childhood, teenage years and early adulthood. Most of the stories we have all heard before. Interruptions are frequent as we often need to correct each other if Fig. 1 Photograph of Pat and Madeline Devlin from 1958. By kind permission of the Devlin family. bits are added or bits forgotten. But, occasionally a clinker of a but as the driver’s window was Well… (As you can imagine) a story emerges which we have not lowered, a familiar face came into very shocked Mrs Devlin heard before, such as the night view. It was Jim Aiken2, the music exclaimed: Pokey said, “Here’s one about the promoter and first cousin of Mrs night my Ma and Da met .... on Devlin. When Jim recognised his “Oh my God, Pat! It’s Tom Jones!” Primrose Hill”. After hearing the cousin, he exclaimed: Mrs Devlin, rather taken aback by story, I knew straight away that the the encounter, managed to make story was destined for print. “What has you out at this time in the morning?” conversation with the pop star by In the early hours of a July morning remarking: in 1967, Pokey’s parents, Pat and “We’re just making our way home “There are a lot of boys in Armagh Madeline Devlin, were making from a house warming party” singing your songs.” their way down Primrose Hill1 to replied Mrs Devlin. their house in Navan Terrace. They “Well… Do you know this fellow in “That’s great to know” was the had attended a house-warming the back seat?” asked Jim. reply from the Welsh crooner. party at a friend’s house in upper Dawson Hill and had left shortly As Pat and Madeline opened the “It was lovely to meet you” before 2 am. About halfway down back passenger door to peer in, the continued Mrs Devlin after a brief Primrose Hill, a car which was passenger who had been sleeping pause. driving up the hill unexpectedly woke up slightly startled. Sitting up “And you too…” the star replied as pulled up beside them. At first they in his seat, the passenger held out the brief but exciting conversation were a bit startled as it was no his hand to greet the couple and came to a close and Mr Jones tried ordinary jalopy, but rather a dark- courteously said, “Hello, pleased to to get back to some much needed coloured Jaguar. They thought the meet you”. shut-eye. driver intended to ask for directions

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Ballroom in Ballymena later in the week. A surprising feature of Tom’s appearance at the ABC was that he performed two shows on the one night, the first starting at 6:45 pm and the second at 9 pm. So, with such a demanding schedule coupled with all the travelling, it was not surprising he was sound asleep by the time he reached Primrose Hill.

References

1Primrose Hill is one of the oldest streets in Armagh and was a main thoroughfare through the town until the construction of the ring road in the late 1960s/early 1970s. It dates back to 1618 when it was known as ‘Monaghan Street’. By 1760, it was known as ‘Belnayleg Street’ then ‘Charter School Lane/Poor School lane ‘in 1766. By 1767, it reverted back to ‘Belnayalea Street’ but with a slightly different spelling. By 1794, the street was known as ‘Primrose Lane’ after Lady Fig .2 Photograph of Jim Aiken and Tom Jones at the Television Club in Dublin during the promotional tour in July 1967 Primrose. Lady Primrose was the daughter of Dr Peter Drelincourt After a few brief pleasantries go back to sleep” was the rather (Dean of Armagh 1691-1722), and between the cousins the car pulled disappointing answer from the widow of Hugh, 3rd Viscount off, leaving a slightly mesmerised considerate Mrs Devlin. Primrose. Her mother left an Pat and Madeline to continue with Following this chance encounter on endowment to found the once what they had thought was going to nearby Drelincourt School. By Primrose Hill, family folklore be a quiet, uneventful walk home. 1834, it was known as ‘Primrose added another snippet to the tale. Street’. Finally, in 1856, it was Next morning, at breakfast time, The classy Jaguar had apparently known as ‘Primrose Hill’. With the Mrs Devlin excitedly proclaimed: stopped off at Jim Aiken’s mother’s redevelopment of the area in the home in Jonesborough earlier that late 1960s/early 70s, it was “You’ll never believe who we met evening for a cup of tea. The idea renamed for the ninth time and last night on Primrose Hill!” of auctioning the best china teacup became Culdee Street. which Tom Jones had allegedly “Who Mum?” was the immediate 2Jim Aiken was associated with response from the children. drunk from was suggested by an uncle of Jim Aiken. bringing some of the biggest music “Tom Jones!” declared the still star artists to Ireland from the 1960s to struck Mrs Devlin. In July 1967, Tom Jones was on a his death in 2007. Born in ten day promotional tour of Ireland. Jonesborough, Co. Armagh, he With this proud declaration, a The tour was the follow up to his was educated at St Patrick’s bombardment of questions blockbuster hit, the ‘death row College Armagh and played senior followed. The oldest sister who had ballad’, ‘Green Green Grass of for Armagh. His a poster of him on her bedroom Home’ which was in the charts for mother was born and raised in the wall asked if they had managed to five months and spent seven weeks Convent Lodge located at the entrance to St Catherine’s school get his autograph. at number one. Tom’s opening on the Convent Road. show was in the ABC cinema in “No, he looked tired so we let him Belfast, followed by the Flamingo

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2017 Outing to Glasnevin Cemetery and the Boyne Centre

2018 Outing to EPIC, the Irish Emigration Museum and the Jeanie Johnston Tall Ship

Una Boylan, a valued member of the committee of Armagh and District History Group passed away in March this year, 2018. She will be sadly missed for her enthusiasm and commitment and, above all, her unfailing good humour and ready wit.

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An Armagh History Group Publication History Armagh No. 14 - Vol. 4 No. 2 - December 2018 48