Pagoda and gas lights c1935

Looking South | fullscreen

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• 
  1931: Abercorn Square is resurfaced with concrete.
  Humphrey Memorial is removed.
  
• 1932: Pagoda erected in place of the memorial.
• 1936: Town is connected to the electricity supply.
• 1968: Pagoda is removed
• 1991: New Pagoda (a tourist information centre) is added near the site of the original.

Related Images:

Publishing: Gray Printers (Gray & Sons)

Looking Southeast along Main Street 1956 | fullsize
Postcard published 1956 by Gray's Printers [Photo from Mr Curlyhill]


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• 1797: The Carroll and Foster printery is established. The printery publishes the Strabane Morning Post. Although hidden behind shutters today, a sign above the doorway in Gray's Printers states "Established 1797".
• 1822: Carroll and Foster become Carroll and Gray.
  Carroll provided financial support for the building of Saint John's Church, Townsend Street 1821.
• 1834: Carroll dies on December 28.
• 1835: Gray becomes the sole proprietor January 1.
  Gray is listed in the Trade Directory of 1839 in Main Street under John Gray, Printers and Stationers and Australian Agent
• 1887: Name changes to Gray and Co.

It is often claimed that John Dunlap started his apprenticeship at Gray's printery. Sadly this was not the case. John was born in Meetinghouse Street c1746, but at the age of 10 left Strabane to live in with his uncle William Dunlap in America. John served an apprenticeship under his uncle William who, at that time, was one of the leading printers in Philadelphia.


Looking Southeast along Main Street 1943 (gas street lighting) | fullsize
The street image shown above was reconstructed from a short sequence in a filmed documentary. Several  figures in motion, during this sequence, were repeated several times in the reconstructed image. The half man shown in the distance is actually the same soldier with the light shaded jacket shown twice in the foreground. This problem only affects objects in motion. Buildings are unaffected.

Related Video:

Video [cc]: Gray Printers 1943: The printer featured in the clip is Bobby Gray.
Bobby (Robert) is listed in the 1901 and 1911 Census.
(Look out for the damaged Presbyterian church shown at the start of the video)

Newspaper Articles:
Strabane Morning Post - Transcribed by Alison Kilpatrick

1812	July	28	Strabane Morning Post
1814	Dec	2	Strabane Morning Post
1815	Jan	3	Strabane Morning Post
1815	Mar	28	Strabane Morning Post
1815	Apr	11	Strabane Morning Post
1815	Apr	18	Strabane Morning Post
1815	Apr	25	Strabane Morning Post
1815	May	2	Strabane Morning Post
1815	Oct	31	Strabane Morning Post

Related Documents:

1	Early Strabane Newspapers and their Proprietors

Related Images:

Panoramic view from Strabane Bridge 1943

Looking East from Strabane Bridge 1943 | fullsize
This image was reconstructed from a short documentary film on the town dated 1943.


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1938: Accidental fire destroys the 1st Strabane, Presbyterian Church on Christmas day.


Related Maps:

Map: Ordnance Survey 1905

Related Images:

Gasworks near Park Road 1939

Looking East from Park Street (now Park Road) | fullsize
Sitting: John Magee, Paddy Rooney (manager), Charlie McBride
Standing: Johnny Gallagher, Jack Logue, James Ryan

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• 1902: Gasworks between Park Street (now Park Road) and the Canal opens.
  (By The Banks of The Mourne p113)
• 1936: Strabane connects to the electricity supply. 
• 1986 Aug 9: Gasworks closes. Manager Seamus McDevitt.
  (By The Banks of The Mourne p128)

1905 Ordnance Survey Map

Based on a quotes from Mr Curlyhill and Mr Anonymous:
The older Gasworks, shown 400 meters south of this location on the 1905 map, was converted to a Chemical Works. What the Chemical Works produced is unknown, however iron and magnesium sulphate found in this area may indicate that it produced fertilizer or vinegar.

Newpaper Article:
The Strabane Post. Nov 2010 page 18

Commodore Cinema

Looking NorthWest along Main Street: (electric lights) | fullsize
Published by Grays Printers 1956. [Photo from Mr Curlyhill]

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• 1913: Cooper family build the Pallidrome Cinema on Railway Road/Street.
  (Date supplied by Mr Curlyhill)
• 1935: Cooper family open the Commodore Cinema on Main Street. (Correct date supplied by Mr Curlyhill. See quote below)
• 1936: Town connects to the electricity supply.
  Douglas Cooper signs up to join the Air Force in late 1936.
• 1937: Douglas is awarded his Wings in June 1937 and assigned to RAF Station Waddington in Lincolnshire in October of that year.
• c1945:  Douglas Cooper returns to Strabane and becomes manager of the Commodore Cinema.
• 1970s: The Commodore Cinema closes.

The above view of Strabane Main Street came from a postcard published in 1956 by Grays printers. Valentine publishers also used the view in at least two other postcard designs.

• Valentine mixed view shamrock postcard No. R.5055 franked 1961 and sent from Coleraine.
• Valentine's standard postcard No R4307

From the other side. Looking Southeast along Main Street: c1940 (gas lighting) | fullsize

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Quote: Mr Curlyhill

Cooper opened the Commodore in 1935.

References: document of Dougie's Memories.

But films were being shown before this, particularly in the Recreation Hall in Sion Mills.

World History:
Cinema manager Douglas Cooper (Squadron Leader H.D.H Cooper) was a POW at Stalag Luft III (now Żagań in Poland) during World War 2. The camp was made famous by the films "The Great Escape" and "The Wooden Horse". Although Douglas did not take part in the actual escape, he did help to plan and construct the 'Wooden Horse'.

Download: Stalag Luft III for Google Earth 
Plan of Stalag Luft 3 projected on a topographic map from 1940. Red line indicates where tunnel "Harry" was built.



Movies: 

The Wooden Horse 1950 Trailer (Stalag Luft III)

The Great Escape 1963 (Stalag Luft III)

Related Images:

Abercorn Pagoda and electric lights c1956

Looking South from the Derry Road | fullsize
This postcard was published in 1956 by Grays Printers. [Photo from Mr Curlyhill]

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• 1932: Pagoda replaces Abercorn Humphrey Memorial.
• 1936: Town connects to the electricity supply.
• 1968: Pagoda is removed.
• 1991: A tourist information centre, designed to look like the old Pagoda, is erected near the site of the original building.
  

Electrification of Abercorn Sq, Fair day 1936

Looking North from Market Street c1936. | fullsize

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Photograph shows Abercorn Square connecting to the electricity supply.

• 1932: Pagoda replaces Humphrey Memorial.
• 1936: Town connects to the electricity supply.

Quinn Brothers Saddlers shop can be seen on the right.


John Quinn (Quinn Brothers Saddlers) c1950

Related Images:

Town Hall circa 1950

Looking Northwest from Upper Main Street | fullscreen

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• 1752: Market House opens
• 1904: Expensive controversial renovations are complete.
• 1972: Feb - Fire damages hall. [Boca Raton News - Feb 24, 1972]
  
• 1972: Oct - 50 lb bomb destroys hall. [The Hour - Oct 10, 1972 - page 2]
  Although no one was injured in the destruction, many of town's historical records were lost forever.
  

As the 1904 controversy faded from memory, the building was eventually looked upon with affection by most Strabane residents. The loss of the hall in 1972 was mourned by people from all sections of the community.

On a positive note:- The hall was the hub to a network of narrow streets. The destruction in 1972 enabled the town centre to open up. By 1985 an area consisting of Townhall Street, Market Street, and Butcher Street was demolished. A new shopping centre and car park was built on the site.


1905 ordnance map superimposed on 2010 Google Maps.
(Google Map POI icons are inaccurate.)


Newspaper Article:

NY Times, August 11 1912

Town hall clock used for target practice.

Related Images:
 

Town Hall

Looking Northwest along Upper Main Street c1940 | fullscreen

View on WhatWasThere

Postcard franked:  20 JNE 52

Smyth & Sons - Canal St (1865-1980)

Looking Northeast along Canal Street | fullscreen

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In 1865 Robert Smyth founded a mill in Strabane at the Canal Basin. Initially Smyths Mill produced 'Cookquick' Porridge Oats and animal feed. From the 1920s the mill concentrated on producing animal feed compounds up until its closure in 1980.

After partition, Smyths purchased an old flax mill in Ballindrait and named it Swilly Valley Mills. In 1995 Donegal Creameries purchased it. That mill was in production until 2000 when a fire destroyed the site. Daleside Mill was purchased soon after and production continues today under the name Smyths Daleside Animal Feeds.