16 Belfast’s Local History Magazine
Attack on Belfast’s North Gate by Cromwell’s troops
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TRAGEDY AT ‘ARCHIES DAM’ AND A STRANGE FIND OF SKELETONS! At the beginning of June, 1955 over a thousand people gathered to watch a policeman recover the body of 10 year old Kenneth Mann of Foreman Street, Belfast, from "Archie’s Dam". The debris filled 15ft deep dam was in fact a concrete tank of water for factory use which was a few metres off the main Antrim Road between Carlisle Circus and Churchill Street. Kenneth had gone there with two of his brothers and other boys who were fishing for sticklebacks.
His 16 year old sister Patricia had told him not to go there as it was dangerous, and their mother had forbidden them to go to the dam, but he went anyway. Tragically he slipped off the bank and into the water, pulling with him a friend Billy Williamson who had tried to prevent his fall by grabbing his hair. There was a struggle in the water and Billy had to let go of Kenneth and Billy was pulled from the water by a local worker, Mr William
McGarry of Cliftonpark Avenue, as he scrambled to the bank. By the time he was out of the water, Kenneth had disappeared. Mr James Robinson of Churchill Street was sitting in his house when he heard what had happened and rushed to the tank and dived into the muddy water but could find nothing amongst the wire, timber and tyres and was pulled from the dam. He was joined in the water by Peter Lynch of Lepper Street but he
Fire appliances begin the task of pumping out Archie’s Dam to search for the body of ten year old Kenneth Mann. Today the Edmund Rice Primary School (Pim Street) is built inside the dam and in this old photograph Victoria Barracks can be seen in the background. 3
got caught in barbed wire. Two firemen attempted to find Kenneth with safety lines strapped around them but when they too failed the fire service started the terrible task of pumping the water tank with suction pumps and draining the water into manholes on the Antrim Road. At the same time policemen from Glenravel Street put together a raft using an inflated inner tube and some timber and used a trolleybus pole as a grappling iron. It took over four hours before the body of Kenny Mann was recovered.
Lock-in with a difference Second appearance in court
Cable Shoes in North Street, Belfast advertised itself prominently above its main entrance "15 minutes service" indicating to the customers that they always delivered. One night in June the company relied on another quick service to help its workers. An employee had left the premises locking in four other employees to do some overtime and then forgot to return to let them out. The workers waited until after midnight and when they realised he was not returning they called the fire brigade who sent an appliance to the shop and five fire-fighters set up a 30ft extension ladder to an upstairs window and rescued the overtime working employees. The police were then called to drive two of the men home and the other two set off on their own to Strandtown. This emergency service took less than 15 minutes. 4
18 year old James Wallace of North Ann Street in Belfast was fined heavily after he appeared in the same court twice within three weeks. His first appearance had been on a charge of being drunk and disorderly and he was found guilty and fined 20s. In front of magistrate Dr J V S Mills weeks later the young man was charged with disorderly behaviour after he was sacked from his job on the S.S. Royal Ulsterman. Wallace had worked as an assistant steward on the vessel and was sacked and told to leave the ship immediately. He began to argue with the chief steward when he found out he would not be able to get his employment cards before leaving. He became so aggressive that the ship contacted the police using the 999 service and when the police arrived they saw Wallace in a heated argument. The magistrate decided that he had been too lenient with Wallace the first time in court and fined him a hefty ÂŁ5.
Horse loving Priest dies aged 94 The Very Rev. Canon Patrick Boyle, priest of St Teresa’s Glen Road, Belfast died at the age of 94. He was well known for making his parish rounds on horseback until well in his eighties and up until he died he used a pony and trap to make his parish duties. Originally from Ballymoney, he was educated at St Malachys College, Belfast, and the Irish College in Paris, where he was ordained. He was appointed to the parish of Derriaghy in 1905 and was instrumental in building St Teresa’s Church in 1911. He was a renowned judge of horses and exhibited at Dublin Horse Shows.
It was a Teddy Boy’s Picnic! "We in Belfast ought to be in the vanguard as far as the standard of entertainment in our city is concerned" stated Councillor J Dixon at a meeting of the Belfast Corporation in June 1955.
He was talking about a visit he had made to his local cinema to see Skeletons found at Queens University "The Wild One" when A brick family vault was found by workmen he gone only to see the who were digging up sewers close to the type of person who Students Union building, opposite the Queens was going to see such University Lanyon Building. Archaeologists at the University were of the opinion that the vault was built near a chapel which had once stood on the Students Union site. The vault was made from handmade bricks, contained four skeletons and was in good condition. The University had no record of any vault in the 1835 revised survey map.
a film. He was shocked to see how many Teddy Boys attended and he declared "We are fighting to have the scourge of these young men removed. They are going about the city bringing discredit not only to themselves but to Belfast." The meeting of the Belfast Corporation included a discussion about the banning of the film "The Wicked
Belfast youth electrocuted Seventeen year old James Galway of Ellen’s Court, Nile Street in Belfast died in hospital after he sustained severe burns and shock from 33,000 volts of electricity. Mr Galway worked as an electrician’s helper at the West Twin Island Power Station and he had been missed by the gang of men he worked with and a search was carried out. He was found by his workmates at the bottom of a 25ft gantry. He had been employed for just four months by the Harbour Commissioners and prior to this job Some people were not happy with the film Wicked Woman in June 1955 he had been a decorator’s helper. 5
Woman" by the Police Committee which was welcomed by the council. They were critical of the British Board of Film Censors who had given the film certification for viewing but the film was not allowed to be shown in Belfast, as it was believed that the moral affairs of the city would be damaged by the film. The film, directed by Russell Rouse came with the tag line, the ‘story no one dared to tell, until now’. The film is the story of a blonde floozy who drifts into town and
Even fewer people were happy with the Teddy Boys! gets a job as a waitress at a local bar. She sets her sights on the bar's handsome owner, who is married to an
Teddy Boys in clashes Bangor Borough Council discussed the problems of Teddy Boys arriving in the seaside town every Friday night on buses from Belfast. They created disturbances and held rowdy parties "with the sole object of causing as much trouble as they could". The local police found themselves unable to cope with the influx of visitors late at night and the council announced that the Minster of Home Affairs had promised to increase the police strength in the town by two constables. Belfast was also experiencing similar problems when rival gangs of Teddy Boys caused trouble in local parks and dance halls. In particular Ormeau Park was a favourite venue with Teddy Boy’s arriving in Edwardian style suits and having stand up fights in the park late in the evenings. The gangs had names such as the ‘Ivy Gang’, the ‘Markets Gang’, and the ‘Square Head Gang’. 6
alcoholic. Her plans are for the two of them to take the bar's money and skip to Mexico but a boarder at the
rooming house where she is staying discovers her plans, and comes up with a plan of his own.
Men with stolen lead surprised by caretaker Two men in their twenties were jailed for three months when they pleaded guilty at the Belfast Custody Court of stealing one cwt of lead, valued at £16. The men had taken the lead from the roof of a building owned by the Belfast Education Authority at Carolan Road in South Belfast. They were surprised by the caretaker of the site as they were about to wheel it away in a handcart. The caretaker phoned 999 and they were caught by the police as they tried to leave. The men were further charged with committing damage to the roof of the building to the extent of £13. The building they had damaged was the old caretaker’s residence which was in bad repair and was not occupied and it had been decided that it should be knocked down.
NEW CINEMA OPENS The Odeon Tivoli Cinema opened in Finaghy with a gala performance, the proceeds of which were presented to the National Playing Fields Association. The opening was attended by Lord and Lady Wakehurst, along with Viscount Bury, the president of the Playing Fields Association, Mr D Sloan, the builder of the cinema, the architect Mr D McNeill and Mr J Wright, the cinema manager. Telegrams of congratulation were received from numerous cinema personalities including Michael Redgrave and Sheila Sim, stars of the film "The Night my Number came up" which had its Northern Ireland
premier at the cinema. The cinemas design allowed for more space between the seating and the lighting was of the very latest type. Thick carpeting everywhere ensured silence underfoot and fresh air
was filtered and warmed before being pumped into the auditorium. Ceiling grilles provided a convenient outlet for stale air. Over 1000 patrons could be comfortably accommodated.
Death fall from staging A verdict of accidental death was recorded by the city coroner at the inquest on William Kerr aged 54 of Esmond Street in Belfast. Mr Kerr died when he fell from staging used by workmen repairing the rotary house roof of the Corporation Electricity Department at East Bridge Street. At the inquest evidence was heard from other workmen. James Donnelly, a glazier, told the coroner that he was working on the staging three planks wide and 30ft high. He handed a pane of glass to a glazier outside and had gone back to a pulley for another one when he heard a crash. He then saw a man just about hitting the floor. The outside plank near the opening was broken. Andrew Sloan who was a store man at East Bridge Street told the inquest that he issued brand new spruce for planking to the glazing firm and Vincent O’Rourke, who had helped to erect the staging had no doubt about the safety of the wood. Although the planking belonged to the Corporation they told the coroner that they had not authorised its use for this particular job and the men had just found the planking outside the building and decided to use it. 7
The huge vans which house the “Atoms for Peace” exhibition being manoeuvred into place on Blitz Square in High Street in June 1955. The exhibition is given by the United States Information Service in association with the UK Atomic Energy Commission. Blitz Square was so called because the area was destroyed during the German Luftwaffe bombing of the city in 1941 and is where the present River House stands. RIGHT - One of the items on display at the Atoms for Peace exhibition. It’s designed to protect the wearer from radioactive material yeah right!
June 1955 - Sheila, the Bellevue Zoo elephant keeping cool during the summer heatwave 8
June 1955 - Workmen lifting a wooden waterpipe which was found in a trench dug at the junction of the Grosvenor Road and Durham Street. The pipe (a hollowed tree trunk) is part of the remains of the old Belfast town water supply taken from the Blackstaff River down to the region of Barrack Street and laid in the late 1700’s
Police stand guard at the time office of the Belfast Harbour Commissioners on Queen’s Road where the body of Samuel Stranix was found. He had been murdered and no one was ever convicted for the offence. June 1955
June 1955 - Erection of new TV transmitter on Divis Mountain
June 1955 - The cortege leaving St Patrick’s parish Church, Newtownards Road, after the funeral service for the young Noble childred who were accidentally gassed 9
OLD BELFAST POLICE REPORTS On January 11th 1930 Constable David Ferguson and his brother James Ferguson appeared in the Belfast Custody court charged with stealing a suit of clothes from John Lewis, a tailor of Fleetwood Street, Belfast. The magistrate sitting during the hearing, Mr P J O’Donaghue described the case as "a great row over very little". It was alleged that James Ferguson visited the Lewis house in December of 1929 and giving his name as Mr Johnston he asked to be shown some patterns and cloth samples in order to have a suit made. He gave his address to Mr Lewis as care of Mr Swan of Hillman Street in the north of the city and the suit was ordered. On December 20th 1929 Ferguson (Johnston) was contacted and he called to try on the suit. He told Mr Lewis that he was waiting for his friend Mr Swan of Antrim Road Barracks and within minutes Constable David Ferguson arrived. James Ferguson at this time left his old suit behind and ran from the premises. Constable Ferguson was going to follow him when Gertrude Lewis, the daughter of John Lewis, tried to stop him from leaving and claimed that she was struck on the head by the constable. A week later Constable Ferguson called again at the house of Mr Lewis and offered Lewis £3 to settle for his brother but this was refused. In court Mr Lewis was cross-examined by Mr Graham who represented the Ferguson brothers and he read out to Mr Lewis a letter that he had sent to Lewis asking for repayment of a loan of £5 made by David Ferguson. This letter had been sent to Mr Lewis in June 1929 and Lewis admitted in court that he had ignored the letter. He also stated that he had also received correspondence from Mr Ferguson about a debt of £5 but had also ignored all requests for repayment. Mr Lewis had telephoned 10
Constable Ferguson and asked for the suit to be paid for as well as expenses but in court he could not make up his mind whether the suit had been stolen or not. Constable Ferguson confirmed that there was a debt of £5 owing to him from Mr Lewis and that no one had tried to stop him or his brother from leaving with the new suit. He vehemently denied striking Gertrude Lewis. The magistrate having heard enough of the counter claims dismissed all the charges against the Ferguson brothers.
Fuss about a Penny It was reported that there was a complaint of wasting public resources on trivial matters and an excellent example was the story of the Belfast penny. This penny had got embedded in a gas meter in the city and the corporation were called to try to get it out. It took three corporation employees two and half hours to get the penny out – seven and a half hours’ wages in all.
False Fire Alarm Alexander Orr of Victor Street was prosecuted in the Belfast Summons Court in January 1930 for having given a false alarm of fire from Royal Avenue. Orr was observed by James Mackie, a tailor of Donegall Street, breaking the glass disc in the fire alarm at the corner of Royal Avenue and Library Street. Orr was drunk and he was arrested by Sergeant William McCappin. Mackie had observed Orr leaning on the lamppost and the alarm being sounded as he left the post. Four fire engines turned out in answer to the alarm. Orr remembered nothing about the incident and admitted that
he had been under the influence of drink. Orr was fined 40s for giving the false alarm, with the alternative of one month’s imprisonment. For having been drunk he was fined 2s 6d.
guilty of four charges of theft from postal packets and asked for a further 15 to be taken into consideration. Toman was found guilty of opening a postal packet, not belonging to him.
Postal Pilfering
Vaccination Case Outburst
Three Belfast post office servants pleaded guilty to charges of stealing postal orders on several dates in 1929 and 1930 from Belfast postal offices. In court it was stated that all three men were on wages above £2 per week but that they all had got involved in betting and that some weeks they were each staking £4 per week at the bookies. They had stolen the money to finance their gambling habits. One of the accused had been acting as a bookmakers’ agent, which was a serious offence in his role as a postman. The sentences were two years hard labour on William McGarvey of Victoria Avenue, three years penal servitude on Thomas Parkinson, the bookies agent, of Madrid Street and nine months hard labour on John Toman of Rockview Street. McGarvey had committed two charges of taking money and postal orders from postal packets. Parkinson was found
"O Mother of God, O Sweet Infant Jesus, my beautiful wife lies in prison; my beautiful baby, torn from its mothers breast, lies crying at home!" These extraordinary words came from Mr John Lessels of Bangor in as strange scene at Kirkpatrick Memorial Church during Sunday worship. Mr Lessels was the husband of Mrs Faith Lessels who was incarcerated at Armagh Jail in January 1930 for failing to comply with the vaccination law in Northern Ireland. The mother of eight unvaccinated children, Mrs Lessels objected to vaccination on conscientious grounds. Unlike Great Britain, the Northern Ireland vaccination regulations did not include a ‘conscience clause’. There were many protests in support of Mrs Lessels imprisonment, which included a telegram read out at a gathering at Belfast Custom House from George Bernard Shaw who supported the stand of Mrs Lessels.
Mrs Faith Lessels was incarcerated at Armagh Jail
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On Friday 4th February 1910 an unusual case came before the Belfast Summons Court. Hugh Lavery, a spirit merchant of May Street summoned Sergeant Hugh Vaughan of Musgrave Street RIC Barracks on a charge of having assaulted him on Sunday 31st October 1909. Lavery’s story was that at around 10.45am he had returned from church and was standing outside his brother’s premises when Sergeant Vaughan came round the corner of the street in a very excited state. He walked about 3 metres
past Lavery but then returned and asked Lavery what he was doing with the doors open of the pub and asked him to close them. Lavery pointed out to him that they were not his doors and the sergeant said he would call for constable Dignan. Vaughan asked him again to close the doors and when Dignan arrived the policemen asked to search the premises. When the police got inside they rushed to the back of the premises and the sergeant got behind the bar. Lavery tried to get behind the bar counter first and caught the sergeant
In the Belfast custody courts on Friday 18th February 1910 James Allison was put forward and charged with having attempted to commit suicide at Vicarage Street, Belfast. A local policeman, Constable Fitzpatrick had found Allison lying on a couch in the kitchen. He brought Allison to hospital and when the doctors revived him he promptly arrested 12
Musgrave Street R.I.C. Barracks with his finger and thumb by the cape. The sergeant then turned round and twisted Lavery’s right arm with both hands. The wrench gave Lavery a lot of pain and he had to be seen by a doctor. Lavery then went to Musgrave Street barracks and made a complaint stating that he had gone behind
him. Allison gave a statement when cautioned telling the police that he was unemployed, had two small children and had no way of supporting them. The day before he tried to commit suicide he had received a summons for non-payment of his rent. Allison’s father in law had called the police to the house when he found Allison with a gas tube round
the counter as he had left some money there and he wanted the sergeant to account for his conduct. In the summons court it was put to Lavery that he was insinuating that Vaughan was a thief and that he had also obstructed Vaughan from carrying out police business; the court dismissed the case.
his neck and his face over a gas ring. Robert Mackey his father in law took the tube from around his neck and made him sit down on the couch but Allison was shouting that he would kill himself no matter what anyone did to try and stop him. Allison was sent to the workhouse to recover and Mackey was commended for saving Allison’s life.
John Mawhinney, a strongly built man, from Clonallen Street, appeared in the Belfast Police Court on 11th February 1910 charged with assaulting his wife. Constable Dowd told the court that he was passing the accuseds' house when he heard screams of "murder" and when he broke open the door Mawhinney’s wife rushed out. Her face was covered with blood and she claimed that her husband had "done time" on previous occasions for beating her, and this time had made another unprovoked attack on her. "We have got a strong hand as well as you," said Mr Brady the magistrate
as he sentenced Mawhinney to six months in jail. Alexander McCartney and Annie Lavery pleaded guilty in the custody court on Thursday 10th February 1910 to stealing a coat, the property of William McCleery, in Divis Street. It appeared from the evidence that McCleery, who was from Cornleck, Portadown, came to Belfast for the Belfast Fair. Going along Divis Street he took off his coat to pawn it, when McCartney and Lavery attacked him and took possession of the coat. Each prisoner was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment.
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The Belfast Lying in Hospital which stood on Clifton Street where the garage is now situated. This building was destroyed in the civil war which gripped Belfast in 1922 (See page 18)
White washed cottages in Barrack Street. Mid 1950’s
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The old General Hospital which stood in Frederick Street where the government offices are now situated. This later became the Royal Hospital and when it moved to the west of the city became the Royal Victoria Hospital
White’s Tavern Mid 1950’s 15
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Advertisement of 1872 for Walker’s Oyster Rooms in Winecellar Entry. FACING PAGE - Winecellar Entry in the mid 1840’s. The building to the right is White’s Tavern. There are many arguments over which is the oldest pub in Belfast and to settle them all this is it White’s. Old maps and title deeds prove this. BELOW - Belfast map of 1791 showing all the High Street entries including Wineseller.
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WHEN ONE TO MANY LED TO HARD LABOUR At Belfast Crimes Court James Steenson, no address given, and Albert Kennedy of Hunter Street in the Sandy Row area, were charged with assaulting Constable Albert Johnston, with damaging his uniform and with damaging a door in the licensed premises of Michael Caulfield in Albion Street on Tuesday evening, August 6th 1935. In court evidence was given by Constable Johnston and also by the publican Michael Caulfield on behalf of the prosecution. Michael Caulfield recalled that on the day of the assault the two accused walked into
his pub, the worse for drink and with another man ordered three glasses of water. He gave them the water and one of the men left. The two accused remained in the pub, standing at the bar counter and asked Caulfield if he would stand them a drink. Caulfield told them to go home and to come back when they could "stand". The men were not well pleased but they ordered a glass of beer and as Caulfield was afraid of any trouble erupting he served the beer and asked his assistant to get the police. When Constable Johnston arrived the trouble started.
Constable Johnston arrived at the bar and saw the two accused at the counter. Caulfield again asked them to leave but they refused and then the policeman asked to leave, and put them out of the bar. They came back in and both the accused assaulted the policeman. Steenson tried to get the policeman’s revolver from its holster and Kennedy took his baton. Constable Johnston managed to get his baton back and hit Steenson with it to prevent him from taking his gun. Kennedy attacked the policeman again, tearing at his belt, and during the fracas the
Constable had one of his fingers injured. Constable Johnston shouted to Caulfield to get more police as he managed to hold the prisoners until more police arrived. Caulfield told the court that he knew Kennedy and Steenson well, they often came to his pub for a drink and he had never had any trouble with them before. He submitted to court a receipt for ÂŁ4 for the damage caused to his premises. The accused gave no evidence in their defence and both men were sent to prison for two months with hard labour and ordered to pay all costs incurred.
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ABOVE - Robb’s Department Store, Castle Place, in the mid 1950’s. BELOW - Castle Junction at the turn of the last century
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Robinson & Cleaver Department Store from the grounds of the City Hall in the mid 1930’s
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Excursion ends in Heartbreak on Belfast Lough
There was a tragic ending to a boating trip to Carrickfergus in 1923 when three persons, Mrs Isabella Duff, aged 35, of Kyle Street, her daughter Molly Duff, aged 4, and Stewart McCaw, aged 32 of Connsbrook Avenue, all in Belfast, were drowned in the Musgrave Channel, in Belfast Lough. A party of twenty had left the Queens Bridge (pictured above) Belfast at a quarter to four and were enjoying their afternoon outing, and did not leave Carrickfergus on the return journey until almost nine o’clock in the evening, and it would take them at least until half past eleven before they would arrive in Belfast. The motor boat, the Moonshine, that they used, was a converted 22
sailing boat and had been purchased in 1919 by Mr William Proudfoot of Park Avenue in East Belfast and he accompanied the party on the trip. Mr Stewart McCaw of Connsbrook Avenue was attending to the engines and the small party, many of whom were children, were mostly drawn from Kyle Street and its surrounding area.
used to ferry the party to the shore.
All went well until the Musgrave Channel was reached and it was here where the moorings of the boat were that it was decided to land the passengers. The tide was almost full in and when the Moonshine came to her anchorage, a cot which was a small flat bottomed boat was
The third boat load was made up of Mrs Duff and her little daughter, Mrs Agnes Crooks and her daughter Jean, Mrs Morrison, Miss Mina Barnes and Mr McCaw. As Mr McCaw stood up and pushed off from the motor boat, an oar broke and Mr McCaw was thrown forward.
Mr McCaw acted as an oarsman and the day-trippers were taken off in groups. Two lots were made of this journey without any incident, but it was on the third journey that the accident occurred, which threw a terrible sadness over the East End of Belfast and in particular Strandtown.
This had the result of setting the row boat rocking and the passengers, fearing that something serious had happened, rushed to the oarsman. That was the fatal move, for in less than a minute everyone fell into the water, the boat sank and all the passengers tried to cling to Mr McCaw. The women and children screamed and above their cries could be heard the voice of Mr McCaw, "For God’s sake, let me go. Give me a chance, and I will save you", but his efforts were in vain and he could not shake off the drowning passengers who were pushing him under the water. He was taken down by sheer weight of numbers, still shouting to the others to have patience but he never rose above the surface of the water again alive. From the shore the members of the first two parties viewed the awful scene and many of the men stripped off their clothes and without waiting dived in and made through the water to rescue the struggling passengers. Foremost among the rescuers were the two young sons of Mrs Crooks aged just 10 and 14 who managed to get their mother out of the water. They then went back in and rescued their sister. Another heroic rescuer was Mr William Montgomery of Hills Avenue who kept returning to the water and got out Mrs Morrison and Miss Barnes but there was
no sign of Mrs Duff, her daughter or Mr McCaw, who seemed to have vanished into the dark water. The police arrived on the scene and a police patrol boat assisted by using its searchlight. They discovered Mrs Duff who was barely alive but after she got onto to the motor boat she died, from shock and immersion. The body of Mr McCaw was found the next morning, the body of Molly Duff was recovered some days later. Mrs Duff’s husband was a ships painter who was on his way to Calcutta when the tragedy happened. Mrs Duff was the daughter of Mr and Mrs James Monaghan of Cheviot Avenue and she was also survived by three other children, Isabella aged 17, Janet aged 14 and William aged 9. Mr Stewart McCaw, the boatman, left a widow and four children. The eldest child was only seven years old when his father drowned and the youngest only three months. Mr McCaw was thirty years of age and was employed as an engine fitter at the Queens Island and was also a ‘B’ Special constable.
were nearby, jumped into the water to join in the rescue work, but he was seized by cramp, and had himself to be assisted into the motor boat. One of the motor boat passengers had a lucky escape as when the third load of trippers was being taken off, she asked McCaw to take her aboard but he advised her to wait for the next boat, humorously remarking that if she got into the small craft it would be sure to sink. At the inquest the coroner Dr Graham described the event as a most tragic occurrence. He said that there used to be many drowning at Sydenham, but in recent years there had been significant improvement. This he stated was due to the fact that more people were learning to swim. The Swimming Association in the city had taken the matter up in recent years and that people who got into trouble were often saved by learning to swim. If Mr Montgomery had not been a swimmer the lives of other people might have been lost. He spoke highly of Mr Montgomery and the many others who had helped on that dark night and recommended that he his name should be put forward to the government for some kind of recognition.
Eyewitness to the terrible event recalled that during the time the people were struggling in the water an ex soldier named The jury and the inquest returned Mason, who was employed as a a verdict of death caused by watchman at the oil tanks which drowning. 23
In January 1935 an inquest was held at the City Hall in Belfast in relation to the death of Mrs Sarah Yeats of 25 Avoniel Drive. On Sunday 23rd December 1934 a policeman in duty, Constable William McAndrew was on duty at Castle Junction in the city centre. He saw a man running across the street and as he looked in that direction he saw a car suddenly stop and then a crowd gathering. The incident was over 50 yards away and he decided to investigate further and walked towards the crowd. As he got closer he saw the car stationary, facing the city hall on the tramline. A woman was lying underneath the car with her head facing in the direction of Castle Place and her face was on the ground. 24
The policeman called for some help from the men in the crowd and with several of them he managed to push the car over on its left side and lifted up the woman and placed her in the car that had knocked her down. She was rushed to the Royal Victoria Hospital, semi conscious, only able to give her name and speak a few other words, before she lost consciousness. Mrs Yeats died a few days later from the injuries she sustained. William Clark, a clerk who lived at Albert Street in the city had witnessed the whole accident. He was working and heard the horn of a motor car sounding and at the same time he saw a man and woman attempting to cross the road. The man ran forward to cross but the woman
hesitated and the right wing of the car, which was going towards the city hall, struck the woman and knocked her down. The whole thing happened so quickly that the driver could not have avoided the accident. The coroner expressed sympathy to the family of Mrs Yeats and the jury returned a verdict of accidental death. On the same day an inquest was held in Crumlin concerning the death of David McClelland of Fortuna Street who was fatally injured when he was knocked down by a bus as he cycled from Belfast to Crumlin. Albert Gillespie of Main Street in Crumlin was the conductor of the 5.40pm bus from Crumlin to Belfast, Thomas McWhirter was the driver. The
bus was only a mile from Crumlin when the bus stopped suddenly and the conductor felt a jerk. He got out and went to the front of the bus where he saw the driver who told him he had run over a man. The man was under the bus behind the front wheels, his head turned towards the left side of the bus. They managed to get the man out from under the bus but he died from the injuries sustained in the accident. Other drivers on the road gave evidence at the inquest that Mr McClelland had been cycling almost in the middle of the road and visibility on that day was very poor and the bicycle had no lights. At the inquest the coroner thanked the Belfast Telegraph who had circulated a description of Mr McClelland as he had no identification
on his body when he was involved in the accident and this led to his early identification as his wife Elizabeth had told the coroner that she saw the description of the unknown man who had been killed near Crumlin. She knew
immediately from the description that he was her husband and she took her car and went to Crumlin where she indentified his body. Her husband always went for a run to Crumlin at Christmas time. Mr McClelland was a
smith’s helper and worked in the shipyard. The inquest found that the bus was on the correct side of the road when the incident happened and when the vehicle was examined it was found to be in good order. The jury
returned a verdict that the deceased was struck by a bus on the Glenavy Road and his death was due to shock following a fracture of the base of the skull and laceration of the brain and multiple injuries over the body.
Jail for Rioters
A riot in Carlisle Street in west Belfast on the 16th July 1935 led to the arrest of nine men from the locality. The accused appeared in court in August 1935 and they were named and dealt with by the court as follows: Hugh McConkey from Wall Street, Fred Douglas from Wall Street, Ernest Fowler of Carlisle Street and Robert Willis of Carlisle Street were all convicted and sent to prison for three months with hard labour each. Joseph Millar of Carlisle Street and George Douglas of North Boundary Street were convicted and
bound over. James Warnock of Herron’s Row, Fred Warnock of Beresford Street and Charles Graham of Beresford Street were found not guilty and discharged. At their court appearance evidence was heard from the Crown that a large crowd had gathered at Carlisle Street and threats were made to many of the residents of that street. Mrs Lily Heron of Carlisle Street was called to evidence for the defence. She told the court that she was a Catholic and that on the day of the riot she had
been very frightened in her own home. The sister of Joseph Millar had come to stay with her to make her feel safe and that she had seen Millar at his own home, protecting it and that he had helped to protect her from the mob until after 10 o’clock that night. She did not see him get involved in any commotion on the street. Three other residents of Carlisle Street confirmed the evidence of Mrs Heron and supported Millar’s alibi. Ernest Fowler, another of the accused was English and had lived in Belfast for nine years. 25
He had served in the army and admitted to helping to build the arch for the 12th of July celebrations but told the court that he did not get involved in local politics. He said he was with Willis, another of the accused, during the riot and had stayed indoors the whole time. Another of the accused George Douglas told the court that he had suffered from tuberculosis for eight years and had been called into the hospital on
the 16th of July. During the riot he was waiting to be admitted to the sanatorium and he was in fact not even in Carlisle Street on that day. Charles Graham by the time he appeared in court was already in jail as he had got three months at an earlier Commission and six months at the Court. He knew nothing a about a riot in Carlisle Street, claiming to be in jail at the time, a fact that was confirmed by local police.
The magistrate Mr O’Donaghue summed up by stating that there was very confusing evidence, much of the witness statements were conflicting, and it was not clear to him what had gone on in Carlisle Street on that evening in July. All he knew was that there was a great deal of terror in the area, on both sides, and that it had been exacerbated by the erecting of an arch in the street, as to who had started it, he could not tell.
Suspicion of Poisoning at Carrickfergus In July 1874 a curious case came before the coroners court in Carrickfergus. It related to the sudden death of Maria Simm, who died on the night of Tuesday, 6th of January at her home in the Albert Road, Carrickfergus. Although her death was sudden it caused no suspicion and she was buried the day after her death on the 7th January. There were rumours about the town of Carrickfergus as the week went on but it was only on the Friday of that week that the coroner was approached by a Mr T French, a magistrate from Sligo, who sent him correspondence relating to the matter which had been given to him by Maria Simms sister, Catherine. Catherine had been staying with her sisiter in Carrickfergus for some time before her death, Catherine was normally resident in Sligo and had returned there as soon as her sister was buried. 26
The letter contined information to the effect that Maria Simm had been poisoned by her husband, James Simm, who was the captain of a coal vessel which traded between Carrickfergus, England and Scotland. The letter also stated that Maria had told her sister Catherine that she had been poisoned, and that the doctor who attended her before she died told her that she had been poisoned. Mr T French requested that immediate enquiries and proceedings be brought, Catherine herself offered to fund the case against her brother in law to the sum of ÂŁ50, a considerable amount of money at this time. Mr Trench wrote that he knew Catherine well and had no reason to disbelieve what she had told him and considered that prompt action shoult be taken to resolve the matter once and for all, to quell the rumours in the district.
The coroner on receipt of the letter had passed on its contents to the local police who carried out a full investigation and having reported to the coroner he ordered that the body of Maria Simms be disinterred. The new inquest into the death of Maria Simm opened on April 29th 1874. After the jury was sworn in the coroner detailed all of the unfortunate circumstances which had led to this unusual inquest. Captain James Simm was present as he had been summoned by the coroner. Several witnesses were questioned who stated that Maria had been addicted to drinking for many years and that her husband had treated her with the utmost kindness and consideration. Dr Josias Patrick was also questioned as he was the doctor who had attended Maria in the weeks up to her death and was the doctor who was mentioned in the letter from Sligo. He told the court that he had first visited her in early Janaury when he treated her for inflammation of the stomach, which he diagnosed as being caused by her excessive drinking of hard liquor. He did confirm however that any or a great number of poisons would also produce the same symptoms as that of alcohol, but he had no reason to think that any other poison save that of spirits were given to Maria Simm. Dr Patrick believed that Maria had died as a result of her alcohol abuse. He related to the court his last conversation with Marias sister when she asked him how it was that her sister was dying and he told her that it was due to the amount of hard spirits she drank. Catherine then suggested to him that there must be poison in the spirits and he todl her that it was poison itself when taken in sufficent quantity. At this point the jury decided that they had had enough of the evidence and handed in the following verdict:
"That Maria Simm died, on 6th day of Janaury 1874, at her residence, from inflammation of the stomach, induced by the excessive drinking of alcoholic liquors, and we hereby exonerate the husband, James Simm, from all balme." The coroner then announced that Captain Simm should leave the court without a stain upon his character. He also explained why he had not issued a warrant for the arrest of Captain Simm and stated that he was anxious to spare his feeling until the coroner had more evidence in the case. He concluded that the rumours about the conduct of Captain Simm should stop and the inquest was closed. The body of Maria Simm was reburied the same day.
ON SALE IN ALL LEADING CITY NEWSAGENTS FROM JUNE 27
BELFAST’s BODYSNATCHERS rankenstein, D r a c u l a , Werewolves, all these Hammer horror characters spring to mind whenever the word `graverobber' is today mentioned. The reason for this is because, like the previous characters, we believe that graverobbing is a piece of pure fiction created by one of the many horror writers, but nothing could be further from the truth. Graverobbing really did occur and, as any medical historian would confirm, it was a very important part of medical history and led to many anatomical discoveries. Those of us who know that graverobbing occurred automatically assume that it occurred in either Britain or Europe, but just like many other places Belfast also had the same problem in the early part of the 1800s. In the late 1700s and early 1800s the medical profession was very much in its infancy and the
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doctors of the period badly needed dead bodies on which to carry out experiments so that they could fully understand the workings of the human body. The legal supply of these dead bodies was those who had been hanged for very serious criminal offences and because these hangings were far and few between the supply was totally useless for anatomical
dissection. Not only were the bodies of hanged criminals scarce, but the anatomists were not free from the vengeance of the families and friends of those hanged. A new demand for dead bodies was now created among those within the medical profession and it was this need which gave birth to a new crime "Bodysnatching." This new crime consisted
in the removal, from the grave, of bodies which had recently in-terred and were therefore 'fresh.' Although it was the period between 1790 1830 which saw the dramatic rise of bodysnatching it was not the first case. The first official notice of it occurring is contained within the minutes of the Edinburgh College of Surgeons of May 20th 1711. It reads as follows; Of late there has been a visitation of sepulchres in the Greyfriars churchyard by some who, most unchristianly, have been stealing, or at least attempting to carry away, the bodies of the dead out of their graves. The reason for this particular case of graverobbing is unknown, but up until the demand of the early 1800s incidents such as this were very rare. When the new demand arose it was mainly carried out by gravediggers and anatomy students. At this period the law surrounding this crime
was a total mess. Because the body was not regarded as property those caught could not be prosecuted, however, if they took the shroud they were charged with the lesser charge of theft. Soon after high prices began to be paid for these corpses and whenever this happened more and more criminals became involved in the
activity. These people soon became known as 'Resurrectionists,' ‘Crunchers,' and ‘Burkers.’ The latter was a direct allusion to the infamous Burke and Hare who, in 1827, extended their conception of the activity to murder. William Hare ran a tramps lodging house in Tanner's Close,
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Edinburgh. At Christmas 1827 an old man died in this house owing Hare the sum of ÂŁ4 for rent. Family and friends made ready for the funeral and it was at this stage that Hare struck up an idea to make up for his loss. He went out and informed his friend William Burke that as there was no prospect of him getting his money back legally they should take the body and sell it to one of the schools and that both of them would gain from it. The pair then returned to Tanner's Close, unscrewed the lid of the coffin, removed the body and replaced it with bark and stones. They then refastened the lid and after concealing the corpse in a bed, accompanied the bark and stones to the cemetery to see it decently buried. Burke and Hare later took the body to a Dr. Knox and sold it for ÂŁ7.10s, Hare receiving his ÂŁ4 with Burke taking the balance. This was a new twist to bodysnatching and it was a twist which went on to lead to nine murders. 30
The plan they had masterminded was simple. Once a tramp lodged in Hare's house who had no family or friends, Burke and Hare
would treat them to drink and then murder them by suffocation so as not to mark the corpse. They would then approach Dr. Knox and sell it. These
murders continued for some time and their last was to be a big mistake for the pair due to the fact that their victim was a very well known character around Edinburgh. "Daft Jamie" (as he was known) was a harmless inoffensive man who generally strolled the streets. He was constantly taunted by local children whom he would chase and because of this action everyone knew him. After Burke and Hare killed him and sold him to Dr. Knox he was recognised by the doctors door keeper and by several of his students. The police soon received a 'tip off' and when they did they raided the doctors school at 10 Surgeons Square where they found the murdered body of a woman named Mary Doherty. Burke and Hare were soon arrested. At their trial in 1828 Hare turned King's Evidence and Burke was sentenced to death by hanging with The remains of William Burke. the order that his body be The skeleton of the notorious murderer was preserved after handed over for public his execution and dissection anatomy. Dr. Knox
escaped prosecution due to the fact that he stated that he was unaware of the bodies origin. Hare was released because of his 'services' in the prosecution of Burke and it is unknown what became of him, however, it is believed that he was blinded by an angry mob and later died a pitiless tramp in London. In Belfast the bodysnatchers stole from all the graveyards; Shankill, Friar's Bush, and mainly the New Burying Ground, (Clifton Street.) It is unknown just how many bodies were stolen because of the way the crime was carried out. The bodysnatchers would come into the graveyard in the middle of the night, look for a fresh grave and dig it up. They would then remove the body from the coffin, refill the grave and then place the body in a barrel and sell it. Because there was no local demand for dead bodies the Belfast bodysnatchers had the added problem of shipping the bodies to the areas where the demand 31
Graves such as these in Dublin’s Glasnevin Cemetery were not for decoration but to prevent bodysnatching. Similar designs can be seen in Belfast’s Clifton Street Graveyard 32
was, either in Dublin, London, or Edinburgh and because of this numerous corpses were discovered in transit. The bodysnatchers shipped the bodies in brine as bacon and most of those discovered coming from Belfast were from the burying ground at Clifton Street. An example of this is when the body of a man named John Fairclough was found in Warrington in 1828 and this was proved to have been stolen from what is now Clifton Street Cemetery.
Four years before this the bodysnatchers had dug up the wrong grave in this cemetery as the following appeared in the Belfast Newsletter on the 20th of January 1824.
There are many recorded incidents of bodysnatching occurring in Belfast and many of these are publicly reported in the Northern Whig newspaper. One
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such case which appeared in this paper is of particular interest due to the manner in which the bodysnatchers were caught. The report informs us of the appearance in court of James Stewart, James Pemblico, and Robert Wright who were all charged with attempting to steal away bodies from the New Burying Ground on the night of the 24th of November 1827. The report states; Between five o'clock. and six on Monday morning, the watchman at the cemetery was accosted by one of the prisoners who asked him did he ever 'rise a body' as it was a proceeding which gave him much delight. The watchman surprised at the question, immediately entered the graveyard but found all right and on his return he was told that if he would consent to join in the work money and drinks would be given to him in abundance. Determined to detect the persons who attempted to bribe him from 34
his duty, he manifested an inclination to come to terms and subsequently made an appointment to meet his unknown friends at a public house in Park Lane at 10 o'clock. He met the three prisoners there, who treated him with ale, entered fully on the subject, discussed the pleasures of bodysnatching, and promised to give him two sovereigns for allowing them to enter the churchyard in the night. This he agreed to and received a sovereign on account. He informed Mr. Kilshaw, his employer, of the matter and in the course of the day five constables were placed to watch. Needless to say the bodysnatchers were arrested and the watchman commended for his action. Unfortunately this prosecution did not discourage other bodysnatchers from invading the burying grounds as the many reports in the Northern Whig between the years 1824 - 1832 show.
As could be expected the families of those recently buried were on the defensive to protect the bodies of their recently deceased loved ones. Most of them kept watch on the graves at night until the bodies were in such as state of decomposition that they were totally useless to the surgeons. Other families hired watchmen to do this for them and it was not uncommon for these watchmen to enter the burying grounds armed. This system seemed to be a success and prevented the actions of the bodysnatchers. One problem which was not addressed was the fact that these men were patrolling an empty graveyard in the middle of the night and before long they were going to get extremly bored. The watchmen at the New Burying Ground were now using their guns to pass the time. The watchmen would place targets on top of tombstones and fire at them and because the
Clifton Street ground was surrounded by open countryside at this period no one heard the shooting. Soon after they were discovered and the following appeared in the Northern Whig on Monday 16th February 1832; POOR HOUSE BURYING GROUND. We have been requested to state, that, in consequence of those persons lately interred in the PoorHouse Burying Ground, having been in the habit of firing guns, charged with slugs and bullets, which sometimes alarmed the neighbourhood and passengers, and also injured the tombs and headstones in the grounds; the Poor House Committee lately came to a resolution, that they would employ two responsible persons, for whose faithfulness they required considerable security, and for whose correct conduct they feel themselves accountable, to watch the graves of all persons buried in these
grounds; and who will require but a trifling remuneration. They will be well armed; and will have watch dogs constantly with them. This arrangement, if faithfully adhered to, will give a general satisfaction, and relieve the minds of many families. Everything went to plan and the watchmen employed by the society appeared to be doing a good job in preventing bodysnatching, how ever, a year later there was cause for an investigation when these two 'responsible persons' were
caught firing their guns in the same manner as those they had replaced. The following is the report on the matter as it appears in the minutes of the charitable society; Poor - House 27th February, 1833. At a special meeting of the committee held for the purpose of inquiring into the circumstances connected with firing shots in the graveyard on the night of Monday last, one of which struck the barrack and entered through one of the windows of the room in which the soldiers were sleeping. Two soldiers of
A Coffin Guard which was secured around the coffin to prevent the body being removed. This one was recovered at the Clifton Street Cemetery and is now on display in the main hall of Clifton House 35
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the 80th regiment deposed that about half past twelve on Monday night, the 25th inst., a shot was fired from the rear of the barracks, which entered through the centre pane of of the windows, and that at about two o'clock, four o'clock and six o’clock the shots were repeated but they do not think any struck the barracks. On the whole they are sure that about six shots were fired. After having heard the statement of the men
who were on watch on Monday night, the 25th inst. - viz., John Mc`Ilwain and James McFarlan fired several shots on Monday evening unnecessarily, thereby causing both alarm and danger, thereby acting contrary to their orders, and in consequence thereof the committee be summoned for Saturday to take into consideration the propriety of not allowing firearms to the watchmen in future.
Eventually the Society became completely frustrated with the system of watchmen guarding the Clifton Street ground. This led to the withdrawal of the watchmen for good as they could not be trusted to keep or protect the ground satisfactorily. After the watchmen were withdrawn the families once again began to take various measures to protect their graves.
The old Belfast Poorhouse (with spire)
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One family made a steel frame which later became known as a 'coffin guard.' This was an apparatus (used quite successfully) to prevent the removal of a dead body from its coffin and was a cage like framework into which the coffin was placed. Bars were then bolted across the top and the coffin was placed in its vault or buried. Other attempts to stop bodysnatching by other families ranged from the construction of secure tombs to the placing of large slabs 38
across the grave and many of these can still be seen today in the Clifton Street ground. The crime of bodysnatching ended as suddenly as it had begun. In the early part of the 1830s a bill was passed legalising and regulating the conduct of schools of anatomy and surgery and at a stroke the operations of the resurrectionists was over. Today it is easy to see that bodysnatching was an unnecessary evil and one that thrived on the
anomalous nature of the law. One authority on the subject and of early medical history has written of the whole episode; There was little choice in the matter. It was either a violation of graveyards so that the profession of medicine might rest on the sure ground of a knowledge of human anatomy, or that ignorance should prevail and medicine fall to the level of quacks and charlatans.
200 YEARS OF BELFAST HISTORY
Visit the most historic site in Belfast
CLIFTON STREET GRAVEYARD SEE THE OLD BELFAST POORHOUSE Not a pleasant place to be in Victorian times! VISIT THE GRAVES OF THE FOUNDERS OF IRISH REPUBLICANISM Did you know that they were all Presbyterians and Freemasons! THE CHOLERA PITS Where the remains of thousands of victims of this horrific disease lie buried THE GRAVE ROBBERS Discover why corpses were stolen from this very cemetery and sold THE FAMINE GRAVE See Belfast’s largest remaining grave from the period of the Great Hunger And lots, lots more ranging from the founders of the worlds oldest newspaper to the inventor of Christmas cards
EVERY SUNDAY AT 11am MEET OUTSIDE St ANNE’S CATHEDRAL Cost £7 £10 tour includes local history booklets and DVD of the Belfast Prison tour 39
ON SALE EVERY MONTH IN ALL LEADING NEWSAGENTS
Old Belfast is published by the Glenravel Local History Project as part of our Belfast History Project scheme www.glenravel.com
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