W. Griffin, Fruit Merchant c1900

Looking Southeast along Railway Road | fullsize


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Distant spire: Christ Church, Bowling Green.

• 1891: Telephonic communication between Strabane and Derry is established (reference Derry Almanac 1892 - fact supplied by Mr Curlyhill)
• 1913: Cooper family or Burroughs establish the Pallidrome cinema on the Railway Road.

The name on the building on the right edge of the postcard appears to be W.Griffin. William Griffin is listed  in the 1901 Census as a fruit merchant at 15 Railway Road. In the same census Mathew McSwiggan (Railway Bar) is listed at 14 Railway Road. In the 1905 Tyrone Trade Directory William Griffin is also listed as a fruiterer on the Railway Road.

Related Documents:

1901	Census: House And Building Return (William Griffiin , 15 Railway Road)

Related Images:
  

Convent of Mercy Before Demolition

More than 25 photographs of the Convent of Mercy in Strabane, have been geo-positioned and uploaded to the WhatWasThere website. These photographs were taken in the 1990s, shortly before the demolition of the site. Evish Grove estate now stands on the site of the old convent. What follows is just a small selection of the images now available on WhatWasThere.













Images by Mr P. McDaid; supplied to the blog by Mr Curley Hill.

Downloads
 If you wish to inspect the location of the images in Google Earth, a KML file is now available for download. Alternatively you can view the Map from your browser.

Android users can click on the Convent Map link.


Related Images:

Canal Basin

Looking SouthEast along Dock Street | fullsize


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Spires left to right:
o Church of the Immaculate Conception
o Christ Church

• 1796: Strabane canal is completed.
• 1962: Although the canal's official closing date was 1962, it had fallen into disuse as far back as the 1930s.

Related Video:

Photogrammetry test on a single image (post 1932). [Accuracy rate is low] Now that I have the 1905 Ordnance Survey map, higher resolution satellite imagery of the area, and a few more photos of the canal, I may take another stab at this someday.

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:

Knockavoe viewed from Lifford late 1880s

Looking East from Lifford late 1880s (approx 200 yards SW of Lifford bridge) | fullsize
Image supplied by Mr Curlyhill. The original metal sign can be found at the UAFP.

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• 1894: 13-16 July: The Finn Valley/Donegal Railway line converts to 3'0" narrow gauge. 
  A new railway bridge constructed over the River Mourne opens. (see Donegal section)

For a more accurate location see the Photo History Map, or load the BlogPhoto.KML file into Google Earth.

Quote: Mr Curlyhill
My deduction of this is that it was a promotional item issued by a Wine and Spirit Merchant called Sproule and McIvor. They were in existence in 1882 but no Longer in the 1890s.
The last recorded name of Sproule & McIvor was between 1891 and 1892, thereafter it became solely McIvor.  This is my deduction of the drawing being done in the late 1880s. 

Building locations: extrudes from the 1905 ordnance survey in Google Earth. Strabane Bridge is represented by the horizontal box at the bottom of F,G and H.

It is possible that the large building on the extreme right edge of the Sproule and McIvor poster, (also shown as the marker labeled 'H' in the Building locations 3D reconstruction), is the tower at Saint John's Church. Saint John's was built in 1827 on the current site of Strabane Grotto. A tower was added to the church in the year 1837. (See related document: Christianity and Catholicism in Strabane before 1895)

• Narrator: Sister Ursula (Convent of Mercy)
• Audio Source: Mr Curlyhill
• Song Lyrics: Willliam Collins
• Closed captioning is available at Youtube.com.

The lyrics to the song "At the foot of Knockavoe" were written by William Collins. Collins was born in Strabane in 1840 and emigrated to Canada at the age of 15. Later he moved to Cleveland and enlisted in the Federal Army. He fought in both the American Civil War, and in the Fenian Raid of Canada. After the wars, he wrote several books of poems. Collins also wrote for the Boston Globe and the New York Globe.

In recent times, the words from Collins's poem "At the foot of Knockavoe" were put to music by Strabane man and local musician, Joseph Gormley.

Related Documents:

1	Christianity and Catholicism in Strabane before 1895
2	Annals of The Four Masters Transcribed by Michael Harron, MSc, MSc
3	A Sigh For Old Times William Collins poem of Strabane.

Here is the download link to the Battle of Knockavoe points-of-interest file.
To use: Open the file inside Google Earth.


Knockavoe battle analysis by Mr Curlyhill | click image for fullsize


Related links:
Strabane District Council - William Collins
Death notice of Sr Ursula Mc Hugh Dec-20-2010

Related Images:

First Presbyterian Church 1872-1938

Looking West along Upper Main Street c1890 | fullsize

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			Architect: John Guy Ferguson (Frazer Ferguson & Frazer) Contractor: McClelland & Co, Derry Spire: 104 feet Capacity: 750 worshippers 500 persons on the main floor and 250 on the end gallery
1871	Sept		Foundation Stone Laid by Miss Houston, Lifford
1872	Oct		Church opens. Rev James Gibson was the first Minister.

The cost of the new church was estimated at £4000, £3000 of which had been raised by the time the foundation stone was laid. The church basement contained a large hall which had a capacity for 400 people. The hall was used for the Sabbath school and public lectures.

• 1693:  Presbyterian Meetinghouse near Orchard Street opens.
  The old Meetinghouse near Orchard St. is shown on Griffith's Valuation Map c1850.
• 1872: A new Presbyterian Church on Upper Main Street  opens, replacing the old Meeting-House near Orchard St.
  The old Meetinghouse  is converted to a school.
  
• 1911: 40 years after it was first proposed, Strabane's two Presbyterian congregations unite. Ministry: Rev. Edward Clarke Rev. Charles Toland
  
• 1938: Accidental fire destroys the church on Christmas day.
• 1939-57: The congregation worship at Leepers Brae Presbyterian Meetinghouse.
  
• 1957: New church opens on the Derry Road. The bell from the old church is placed in the tower of the new building.

Interior view from the gallery: First Strabane Presbyterian Church.


Timeline 1659-1911: First Strabane, Ministers

1659			Rev. William (Robert) Keyes (Patrick Street)
1660			Rev Robert Wilson
1692	Dec	21	Rev William Holmes (Orchard Street)
1717			Rev Victor Freguson
1766	Feb	6	Rev William Crawford
1789	Nov	10	Rev William Dunlop
1821			Rev John Alexander Adam
1828	Mar	20	Rev William Mulligan
1833	Mar	30	Rev Alexander Porter Goudy D.D.
1859	Sept	26	Rev James Gibson D. D. (Meetinghouse Street)
1878	Dec	11	Rev John MacDermott D. D.
1881	Sept	29	Rev John Irwin D. D.
1891			Rev Edward Clarke (United Charge)

Download: StrabaneFirst-PresbyterianMinisters.csv

Related Books:
Through All The Days - A Presbyterian Heritage, Strabane 1659 -1994.

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:

Church of the Immaculate Conception c1915

Looking South below Church View, on Parochial House grounds. | fullsize
[Image taken from a giant card print by Gray and Sons c1915.]

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			Site: Five acres (approximately), purchased in 1870, from the estate of Captain Fitzmaurice, R.M. cost £1,100. Foundation stone: 9 Nov 1890 - laid by Most Rev Dr O'Doherty, Lord Bishop of Derry. Dedicated Sunday 15 Sept 1895: by Most Rev Dr O'Doherty, Lord Bishop of Derry. Parish Priest: Very Rev. Hugh O'Hagan Caretaker (1901): Annie Timoney
Architecture			Architect: William Hague Builder & Contractor: Robert Collen Church Street, Portadown Altars: James Pearse (see below: General Irish History) Ecclesiastical & Architectural Sculptor 27 Great Brunswick Street, Dublin cost £1150 Marble Communion Rail (see photo below): also James Pearse cost £245 Baptismal Font: Probably James Pearse. Installed after the dedication. Stations of the Cross: Mayer & Co, Munich 149 New BondStreet Royal Bavarian Establishment, London Installed after the dedication. cost £235 0 0 Stained Glass: Mayer & Co, Munich These windows were installed between 1905-1922. They are the current windows on the Church today (2010). Bell: Byrne’s Fountain Head Bell Foundry and Engineering Works James’ Street, Dublin cost £236  9  3 Total Cost: £18,00. Paid in full by the date of the dedication.
Financial contributors			Fr John Mc Elhatton who spent 2 years raising funds mainly in America. Later became Parish Priest of Urney i.e. Melmount and is buried in the graveyard near the main gate. Very Rev. Hugh O'Hagan James Kennedy, Barrack Street Shirt Factory Mrs Browne, Castle Street Paid for the Altars £1,150 Paid for Sanctuary Lamp Holder £50 Edward Gallagher Stations of the Cross £235 (see News Paper Article below) See the Strabane in 1895 document below for a more extensive list.

The Church of the Immaculate Conception was built to replace the poorly constructed Chapel of St John, Townends Street. Towards the latter half of the 19th century, Saint John's Chapel was so dilapidated that parishioners made use of the small Convent Chapel, until the new Church opened on Barrack Street. The new building was far removed from the impoverished appearance of Saint John's. The then recently opened Church of Ireland Christ Church building (1879) in the Bowling Green, probably influenced this lavish new design.

Church Timeline:

• 1821: Chapel of St John is consecrated. (location: Strabane Grotto)
  Saint John's was the first post-reformation Catholic Church built in Strabane.  It is shown on the Griffith's Valuation Map c1850.

• 1870: The site for the Church of the Immaculate Conception is purchased from the estate of Captain Fitzmaurice, R.M. The land contains approximatley five acres and costs £1,100.

Quote from Mr Curlyhill: - This location had been known as "Snodgrass" or "Buchanan's Field".

• 1890 9 Nov: Most Rev Dr O'Doherty, Lord Bishop of Derry lays the Foundation Stone of the Immaculate Conception.
  Similar to the recent discovery at Derry Guildhall:
  "In the hollow in the centre of the foundation stone was placed a bottle containing a number of coins and copies of several newspapers, including the Derry Journal and the Freeman's Journal."
• 1895 15 Sept: Church of the Immaculate Conception is dedicated by the Most Rev. Dr. O'Doherty, Lord Bishop of Derry. Cardinal Logue, The Catholic Primate of All Ireland attends the ceremony.
  The total cost of building with furnishings was £18,000. The sum was paid in full by the date of the dedication; with enough money left over to pay for the construction of the Parochial House.

 

Original interior viewed from the choir gallery. Church, Immaculate Conception | fullsize
The current stained glass windows were added sometime between 1905-1922 and were designed by Mayer & Co, Munich
[Photo from Mr Curlyhill]


Original altar (James Pearse). Church, Immaculate Conception. | fullsize
The altar rails (also made by James Pearse) were removed during the 1970s.
[The painting on the wall is a copy of the Madonna di San Sisto by Raphael]
[Photo from Mr Curlyhill]


From the other side: Northwest from Barrack Street School 1956. Grays, postcard . | fullsize
[Photo from Mr Curlyhill]

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Newspaper Article:
24 April 1896: New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIII, Issue 52 [See Tyrone section]

Mr Curlyhill's corrections and additional information relating to the newspaper article:

• The dedication was on Sunday, September 15, 1895 (not October), and was in the presence of Cardinal Logue, The Catholic Primate of All Ireland. However, it was the Most Rev. Dr. O'Doherty, Lord Bishop of Derry who dedicated the church.

• The Stations of the Cross were supplied by Edward Gallagher. They cost £235 and were designed by
Mayer & Co, Munich (better known for their stained glass work)

General Irish History:
James Pearse (Ecclesiastical & Architectural Sculptor) was the father of Patrick Pearse, the leader of the Rising in Dublin in 1916, and his brother William, both of whom were executed.

Related Documents:

1	Christianity and Catholicism in Strabane before 1895
2	Strabane in 1895
3	Possible Site: George Fitzmaurice - John Snodgrass. Griffiths Valuation 1858 - Page 82 [or Page 87] Map c1850