Timeline

Timeline 1904

1915

Roberta (Ruby) Black is born in Larne on 30 October. She was the youngest of three daughters of watchmaker Robert Black and shopkeeper Robina Urquhart and grows up in Belfast.

1918

She leaves school at 14 to work in the Flax Control Board. She also works in clerical jobs at Blackstaff Spinning Company, Arnott’s Department Store and the Saxone Boot Shop.

Her father dies of cardiac failure, probably caused by alcoholism.

1929

She leaves her work at Saxone Boot Shop to emigrate to North America: she first lives in Canada and then New York. While abroad, she works as a domestic and briefly becomes engaged to a young man called Weldon.

1932

She returns to Belfast for a holiday, but meets John Hewitt at an art exhibition at the Belfast Museum.

1934

She marries John Hewitt. The couple later honeymoons in Paris and moves to a small flat at 45 Malone Road.

1938

She is one of the founders of the Edenderry Nursery School.

1940-57

Roberta aand John live in Mount Charles, off Botanic Avenue in Belfast.

1941

She is one of the founders of the Frederick Street Nursery School.

1957-72

Roberta and John live in Coventry and she becomes more active in politics, aligning herself to the local Labour Party.

1972

Roberta and John move back to Belfast and live at 11 Stockman’s Lane.

1975

Roberta passes away and the cause of death is Bronchopneumonia and a Brain Tumour.