Ulster Bank, Abercorn Square c1907

Looking Southeast from Canal Street | fullsize
Postcard published by E.R. Gray and Sons (divided back in red ink, unused)


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• c1861: Ulster Bank on Abercorn Square opens.
  Architect: Thomas Jackson
  Contractor Matthew McClelland
• 1876: Memorial to Major Humphreys is erected in Abercorn Square

Other identified buildings:

• Mahaffy & Co - General Grocer and Hardware Business
  1901 Census: 7 Abercorn Square
  1911 Census: 5 Abercorn Square
  Proprietor: William Edward Mahaffy
• Temperance Hotel
  1901 Census: 6 Abercorn Square
  1911 Census: 4 Abercorn Square
  Proprietor: Isaac Pollock

Related Documents:

1901	Census: House and Building Return (Ulster Bank - 9 Abercorn Sq.)

1901	Census  (Ulster Bank - Manager William Hoy, 9 Abercorn Sq.)

1911	Census: House and Building Return (Ulster Bank - 15 Abercorn Sq.)

1911	Census (Ulster Bank - Manager William Hoy, 2 Abercorn Sq.)

1913	McDonalds Directory

Related Images:
 

Castle Street pre Northern Bank

Looking Northeast along Castle Street sometime before 1922 | fullsize
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• 1922-23: Northern Bank opens new premises.
  Architect: Henry Seaver
  Contractor: Henry Laverty and Son, Belfast.

Related Images:

Hill's Chemist and Northern Bank c1925

Looking Northeast along Castle Street | fullsize

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• Hill's Chemist [first left].
  Established between 1870 and 1885. The building operated as a chemist shop until the late 1980's. The shop front, fittings and furnishings have been preserved at the Ulster American Folk Park. See related images below.
• Abercorn Arms Hotel and Post Office [distant left].
  1911: Architectural alterations
  
• Northern Bank, [first right]
  1922-23: Northern Bank opens new premises.
  Architect: Henry Seaver
  Contractor: Henry Laverty & Son, Belfast.
• 1931: Humphrey Memorial is removed from Abercorn Square.

Quote: Mr Curlyhill
I have just noticed that the bank in this photo on the RHS is actually the Northern Bank. The First Building on the LHS is Hill's Chemists, whose front and contents are now in the Folk Park.

Related Documents:

1901	Census House and Building Return (James Hill 2, Castle Street)

1911	Census House and Building Return (James Hill, 14 Castle Street)

1913	McDonalds Directory

Related Images:
    

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:

Christ Church on the Bowling Green c1912

Christ Church. Looking North from Barrack Street. | fullsize
On the left edge of the image, shown in the distance, is the Hibernian Bank on New Street.

Postcard published by Milton. Franked 1912 stamp removed

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Architecture:

• Cruciform church, with 3-bay arcaded nave, aisle and belfry tower with broach spire. 
• Architect: John Kennedy, Londonderry
  (described as 'Mr Kennedy of London' by mistake in the Irish Builder 1 Sep 1874)
• Contractor: James McClay, Strabane (cost £4,200). 
• 1874 17 Nov: Foundation stone laid by Duchess of Abercorn.
• 1879: Bishop Alexander consecrates the church

Christ Church (Church of Ireland in the parish of Camus-juxta-Mourne) opened in 1879. The church was built in memory of Rev James Smith; rector of the parish from 1835 to 1860. Rev Smith's successor, Rev William Alexander (rector 1860-1867 and husband of Cecil Frances Humphreys 1850) purchased the Bowling Green site.

Rev Alexander later became Bishop of Derry and Raphoe. In 1879 Bishop Alexander was asked to consecrate the church.

Related Documents:

1	Building of Christ Church 1874-1879  with letters to the Londonderry Sentinel

World History

• 1833-1850 Whilst living at Milltown House, Cecil Frances Humphreys (daughter of Major John Humphreys) writes many hymns which are now world famous:
  

Once in Royal David's City

Choir of King's College, Cambridge

All Things Bright and Beautiful


There Is A Green Hill Far Away.

Choir of King's College, Cambridge

• 1850 Cecil Frances Humphreys marries William Alexander (Camus-juxta-Mourne)
• 1896: William Alexander becomes Archbishop of Armagh
  

Newspaper Article:
Grey River Argus, 29 Nov 1911. (Page 8)

Related Websites:
www.strabane.derry.anglican.org

Related Images:

Temperance Hotel c1914

Looking Northeast from the Humphrey Memorial. | fullsize
This image was dated to circa 1914 in the Cooper Collection held by PRONI.

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Temperance Hotel and Cafe

• 1901: Isaac Pollock - proprietor (Census)
• 1905: Isaac Pollock - proprietor (Tyrone Trade Directory)
• 1911: Sarah E Pollock - proprietress (Census)
  

Related Images:

Provincial Bank and Belfast Bank

Looking South East along Main Street sometime before 1904. | fullsize

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Spires: left to right

• Town Hall (Market House) before the 1904 upgrade.
• First Presbyterian Church

1885: Belfast Bank moves from Bowling Green Square to Main Street (image right).

In the postcard view, the second building in from the left edge is the Provincial Bank. The Belfast Bank is shown near the right edge of the image. Two hotels are listed on Main Street in the 1901 Census. The hotel listed at 105 Main Street, was kept by Ellen Mc Elwaine ('Commercial Hotel' 1901 BPUD). The other, listed at 42 Main Street, was kept by Eva Thompson ('Victoria Hotel'  1905 Trade Directory). The edge of the Victoria Hotel can be seen on the right edge of the postcard. The Commercial Hotel is shown beside the Provincial Bank.

The building on the left, closest to the camera, appears to have Seed, or Feed, Merchant written on the frieze above the doorway. The signs on the windows are advertising flour.


Looking South East along Main Street sometime before 1904 | fullsize


Related Documents:

1901	Census: House and Building Return (Belfast Bank 43 Main Street)
1901	Census: House and Building Return (Provincial Bank 106 Main Street)

1901	Trade Directory

1913	McDonalds Directory.

Related Images:

  

Butcher Street and the Hibernian Bank

Looking Northwest along Butcher Street | fullsize

View on WhatWasThere

A group of young school boys stop to pose for the camera before making their way to class. Behind the group is the Hibernian Bank addressed at 8 New Street (1901 Census House and Building Return).

1985 the west side of Butcher Street was demolished to improve the town centre. This was carried out by Mr Billy Doherty, a local contractor.

Related Documents:

1	Butcher Street 1901 Census: House and Building Return Part1
2	Butcher Street 1901 Census: House and Building Return Part2

Fair Day c1920 from Abercorn Square

Looking Southeast

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• A Strabane hiring fair.

Fairs days:

• Feburary 1
• May 12
• August 1
• November 12
• First thursday on the other eight months.

Market days:

• Tuesday - farm and dairy produce
• Wednesday -flax

Dates quoted from ISBN 0850541263