The End Is Here....

Hey Bloggers!!

This is my final post in talking about the history of Lurgan.  It's been a journey gathering all this research and going out taking pictures but it's been fun.  It's been great reading your blogs and learning about your chosen topic.  I think we can all say it's been a lot of work, but hopefully an interesting one at that.  

I've recorded a short video of myself talking about my research project, keep a look out on my google account as it can't be posted on blogger.com.

That's me until another research project comes my way 

Thanks for reading my blog

:) 

The Troubles

From the past to the present:  The outbreak of the Troubles

Lurgan and the associated towns of Portadown and Craigavon made up part of what was known as the "murder triangle"; an area known for a significant number of incidents and fatalities during The Troubles.  The legacy of the Troubles is continued tension between Roman Catholics and Protestants, which has occasionally erupted into violence at flashpoint 'interface areas'.  The history of the new city of Craigavon may only start in the 1960s but the area has long been rich in cultural and industrial history. Craigavon's site encompasses the towns of Lurgan to the east and Portadown to the west with the new urban area of Brownlow in the centre. Many smaller towns and villages, each with its own history and folklore, contribute to make Craigavon the historical and culturally rich area it is today. 

Here's an interesting documentary I found on youtube talking about the outcome of the Troubles 

Linen Industry: Continued

A few more facts about the Linen Industry

In 1850 Ireland had 325,000 spindles, England had 365,000 and Scotland 303,000. Over the next fifty years, however, the number of flax spinning spindles in England decreased to near vanishing point with less than 50,000 spindles. By the end of the century Scotland had also suffered a major reduction, the number of spindles being 160, 000.  While these two countries had lost production, Ireland's share had increased and by 1875 there were 906,000 spindles working, this number having reached 935,411 by the turn of the century.  One of the reasons for this great displacement in favour of Ireland was the fact that linen was the staple industry here, whereas England and Scotland had other textile industries which allowed a higher profit and the payment of wages on a higher scale.  Lurgan has historically been an industrial town in which the linen industry predominated as a source of employment during the Industrial Revolution, and is said to have employed as many as 18,000 handloom weavers at the end of the 19th century, a figure significantly higher than the town's resident population at the time.  J.C. Becket states that 'The Linen Industry provided additional employment for cottiers and small farmers and their families, and made them less completely dependant on the land'.  Furthermore, there can be no doubt that 'the general standard of living was much higer in the north than elsewhere'.  

J.C. Beckett's book, 'The Making of Modern Ireland' was very helpful and interesting 

Linen Industry

Hey Bloggers!!

I know I've took us on a journey from different time periods but gonna go back to the early years to talk about one crucial point that had an impact on the growth of Lurgan; the rise of the linen industry

Arthur Brownlow was in fact largely responsible for the early development of linen manufacture in the area, introducing weaving to his tenants and buying their produce.  The main linen companies at the time were Bairds, McCaw and Allan, Johnston Allan, Ulster weaving and The Limited.  Kieran Clendinning further writes that the modern history of linen thread in Ireland began with the migration of John Barbour from Paisley to County Down in 1794. It was not, however, until the middle of the second decade of the 19th century that a great transformation in flax spinning took place. Prior to that time linen yarn had been spun only by hand on the old-fashioned spinning wheel.  Overall it is clear that linen manufacturing played a crucial role in the development of Lurgan, mainly due to the skills of its craftsmanship, the enterprise of its bleachers and linen-drapers, the most prominent of whom were the Quakers. 

Linen Industry:Winding yarn, York street factory. 17/2/1939

Useful weblink explaining more detail:  http://www.craigavonhistoricalsociety.org.uk/rev/clendinninglinenind.html

Lurgan Town Hall

Hey Bloggers!!

I met with the manager of Lurgan Town Hall and she provided me with lots of interesting facts

The creation of the Town Hall provides facilities for hire to meet the needs of a range of groups in the community, especially performances such as concerts, musicals, dance and drama.  Lurgan Town Hall was built in 1868 similar in contruction to the Mechanics Institute, built in 1958, but in a more restrained style.  The architect was Raffles Brown, and he had the ground floor and basement built of local blackstone with red brick dressings and tall arched windows.  The first floor was constructed of dark red brick with coupled arched windows.  The cost of the building came to £2,300.  The smaller building, now used as an Annex of the Town Hall premises, was  originally used as the local Rates Office for many years, until 1989.  It now houses the Lurgan Branch of the Citizens Advice Bureau on the ground floor with dressing rooms off the Stage upstairs

It is also popular for private functions and exhibition space.  The Auditorium can seat audiences up to 250, including Balcony of 50, or 120 at tables.  The Minor Hall can seat 120 at tables or in rows. It is suitable for exercise classes, dinners, parties, exhibitions, meetings and craft groups.  A number of smaller rooms are available for meetings, crafts groups etc accommodating between 2 and 50 people.  The building is easily identified by its traditional stonework, red railings and gates at the front entrance. It is situated just off the main high street.  

See below for lots of pictures taken inside the Town Hall 

The Town Hall Building

George William Russell, better known by the pseudonym 'AE'.  This bust, by Jerome Connor, was unveiled at the Town Hall in 1985

Dance Hall:  Forces use to come over from as far as America to see dances and take part in the music entertainment

The Balcony 

Back door:  Leads to smaller building, now used as an Annex of the Town Hall premises.  It was originally the Police Barracks until it got attacked by a bomb.  It now houses the Lurgan Branch of the Citizens Bureau on the ground floor, with dressing rooms off the stage upstairs

Claude Brownlow (1591)

The Right Honourable Lord Lurgan (1892)

Master McGrath:  won the Waterloo Cup three times, in 1892, 1869 and 1871

Video of Lurgan Park

To end our journey with Lurgan Park I've provided a video 

Sorry for the bad quality it was a windy day and couldn't see the camera well due to the sunlight

But hope it provides some entertainment!!! 

(See google account for upload as it couldn't fit on blogger.com)

'Coalbrookdale Fountain'

The 'Coalbrookdale Fountain' was originally erected in 1888 in the town centre to celebrate Queen Victoria's Jubilee but it was moved to the park in 1920 to allow the war memorial to be built there instead.  See appendix for pic.  It's pained a single dark colour in order to explain the technical difficulties in repairing and restoring this landmark.  While other similar cast iron fountains survive around the world- from Christchurch, New Zealand to Weston-super-Mare, Somerset- no other fountain is known to survive its original lamp posts.  Some Coalbrookdale fountains were brightly painted, but early photographs suggest that Lurgan's fountain was painted a single dark colour in imitation of bronze. 

Here's a useful website that give plenty of facts about the park 

http://www.lurganpark.com/

Enjoy the beautiful pictures of the Fountain :) 

Lurgan Park Pictures

Picture of the Brownlow House and the famous Lurgan Lake 

Here's a few snap shots around the park itself

Lurgan Park

Pictures will be uploaded of Lurgan Park !!

But first here's a few facts about Lurgan Lake:

At the time of its construction the lake was one of the largest lakes in Ireland.  The artificial lake was one of the chief improvements to Lord Brownlow's demesne, and it was during its creation that the term 'Lurgan Spade' came into use.  The workmen who were digging the lake worked less than  the ordinary rate of wages. The workers were known as the Spades and due to the unpleasant nature of the work and their meagre rewards they were repudiated to be particularly sombre. As a result anyone who looks downtrodden or forlorn is to this day described as “having a face like a Lurgan spade”.

History of the Brownlow House

From the recent picture here's a few facts about the Brownlow House

It was originally erected by Charles Brownlow, and had been called Lurgan House.  It is famous as a Palladine style honey coloured mansion.  One of its iconic features is that each of its 100 (approximately) chimneys have a completely original design. It is constructed in the Elizabethan style using freestone imported from Scotland.  It was built in 1836 to the design by Scottish architect William Henry Playfair, replacing the earlier house which had been built in the early 1600's.  The new house was constructed in the Elizabethan style and stood in an estate of some 259 acres, including a 59 acre man made lake. 

The house and estate were well-known:  a description of 1797 states:  'The demesne, though very beautiful, corresponds with the antiquity of the castle.  It is highly ornamented with a fine sheet of water which is covered with swans, Cape geese, wild duck and a beautiful variety of wildfowl.  Around the lake is a pleasant and neat gravel walk decorated with elegant plantations.  The park is well stocked with deer and numerous hares sport through every part of the demesne.'

The Lake or 'mill dam' was dug by hand during the Famine as a means of creating jobs for the local people.  When it was built it became the largest lake in Ireland.  It as one of the chief improvements to Lord Brownlow's demesne, and it was during its creation that the term 'Lurgan Spade came into use.  Anyone who looks downtrodden or forlorn is to this day described as 'having a face like a Lurgan spade'.  

Here's a useful webpage for any further reading.

http://www.lurganpark.com/aboutus.asp

Brownlow House

Hey Bloggers!

I visited Lurgan Park and took a lot of pictures.  From walking around I was able to find out a lot of information.  Here's a picture of the Brownlow House 

Sorry if it looks a bit blurry it was a windy day!

Tomorrows Adventure

As seen in my blog title I've decided to write about Lurgan.  A lot of people refer to it as a bad area and I wanted to show the history behind it and also the beautiful landmarks that are not appreciated.  One of these is Lurgan Park, which I will visit tomorrow to take pictures and make a video if you're lucky, so keep posted :)


Here's a preview of what's to come for tomorrows day outing :)

The house in the distance that looks like a castle is known as the Brownlow House

The beginning

Hey all! It's took me a while to gather my information but I'm ready to start blogging and provide lots of interesting information (hopefully) on the town of Lurgan.  Stay tuned for daily updates, images and plenty of facts.


Here is a recent picture that I found on google images for anyone who is not familiar with the layout of the town