Articles on Local History
Booklets record borough’s rich industrial past
Booklets record borough’s rich industrial past
Adrianne Brown  The impact of industry on the development of communities across Ards and North Down is explored in a series of new booklets launched recently at North Down Museum.
Royal visits to North Down
Royal visits to North Down
Meeting Report by Sandra Millsopp  Leanne Briggs of North Down Museum used photographs from the museum’s collection, together with contemporary news reports, to illustrate her talk.
The Mystery of The Unknown Child
The Mystery of The Unknown Child
Ellen Elder  Brown buttoned shoes reveal the identity of Titanic victim 'male child number 4'.
Henry Joy McCracken and the 1798 rebellion
Henry Joy McCracken and the 1798 rebellion
Meeting report by Sandra Millsopp  Ken Dawson on Henry Joy McCracken and the 1798 rebellion. The summer of 1798 was a time of rebellion which saw over 20,000 deaths in Ireland and the heightening of sectarian tension, ironically when the United Irishmen had sought to erase these divisions.
Italians, The War and the Arandora Star from an Irish Perspective
Italians, The War and the Arandora Star from an Irish Perspective
Meeting report by Sandra Millsopp  The sinking of the Arandora Star in 1940 had a devastating effect on Italians in the British Isles.
The Vennel
The Vennel
Sandra Millsopp  For centuries there has been a lane leading from the shore at Queen’s Parade south to King Street. Now as the area is about to be transformed, it will mostly disappear.
Con O'Neill
Con O'Neill
Meeting report by Sandra Millsopp  Con O’Neill, who died in 1619, was the last Gaelic Lord of Upper Clannaboy.
East Belfast Big Houses
East Belfast Big Houses
Meeting report by Sandra Millsopp  Aidan Campbell's new talk about big houses in East Belfast. He has produced a number of illustrated books on different aspects of the area.
Crawfordsburn Country Club remembered
Crawfordsburn Country Club remembered
Peter Croft  The Life & Times of Crawfordsburn Country Club - Peter Croft's history of the little building which provided the local community with a venue for table tennis, badminton, fancy dress dances, formal dinners with interesting speakers and had no less than three ghosts!
Anti-Slavery Meetings in Bangor in 1846 & 1851
Anti-Slavery Meetings in Bangor in 1846 & 1851
Patricia Norrington  The famous orator and former slave Frederick Douglass and the African-American abolitionist Reverend Henry Highland Garnet both gave lectures in First Bangor Presbyterian Church.
Miss Eliza Johnston (c1820-1906)
Miss Eliza Johnston (c1820-1906)
Patricia Norrington  Eliza Johnston ran various hospitality establishments in Belfast and Bangor from 1866 until her death on 11 August 1906.
A Tour of Newtownards, September 2020
A Tour of Newtownards, September 2020
Patricia Norrington  Patricia went on a tour organised by Ards & North Down U3A and led by Brian McDonald, Chair of Newtownards Historical Society.
The Spanish influenza 1918-1919
The Spanish influenza 1918-1919
Patricia Norrington  Patricia Norrington looks at the effect of the three waves of the Spanish Flu epidemic in North Down.
North Down Museum's Heritage Project: the work of Bangor Heritage Group
North Down Museum's Heritage Project: the work of Bangor Heritage Group
Adrianne Brown  North Down Museum has a fascinating exhibition of panels and a film illustrating some of the rich commercial and industrial heritage of the North Down and Ards Council area.
Bangor Harbour: alive with marine wildlife
Bangor Harbour: alive with marine wildlife
Betty Armstrong  Harbours by their nature attract a myriad of marine wildlife and Bangor is no exception.
HMT Lancastria (and other connections)
HMT Lancastria (and other connections)
Andrew Jaggers  The 80th anniversary of the sinking of the Cunard liner, HMT Lancastria , reckoned to be Britain's worst ever maritime disaster, falls on the 17th June 2020.
Bangor Memories in the Northern Ireland War Memorial
Bangor Memories in the Northern Ireland War Memorial
Michael Burns (Project Co-ordinator of Oral History Projects at NIWM)  The Northern Ireland War Memorial's oral history projects seek to capture the memories and stories of those local people who fought and lived through the Second World War in Northern Ireland and include a number of stories local to Bangor.
Shipbuilding at Ballyholme
Shipbuilding at Ballyholme
Betty Armstrong  Betty looks at the history of boatbuilding ventures in Ballyholme.
Captain STS Lecky, Master Mariner, Commander RNR, FRAS, FRGS
Captain STS Lecky, Master Mariner, Commander RNR, FRAS, FRGS
Andrew Jaggers  The life and times of an Ulsterman whose name became extremely well known among seafarers, both naval and merchant, around the world.
The unlikely event
The unlikely event
Ronnie McClements  A remarkable chain of coincidences.
Bangor Christian Heritage Trail and Mobile App
Bangor Christian Heritage Trail and Mobile App
Ards and North Down Borough Council  Ards and North Down Borough Council, with support and funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, are promoting the recently established “Bangor Christian Heritage Walking Trail and Mobile App”.
9th Century Bells Exhibition
9th Century Bells Exhibition
North Down Musueum  An exhibition in North Down Museum from 20 May to 28 June is bringing together three important early Christian bells - the Bangor Bell (above), the Lough Lene Bell and the Cashel Bell - for first time since they were cast over 1,200 years ago!
What can you tell us?
What can you tell us?
Don Patterson  Can you tell us more about this mystery photograph supplied by Nick Wolsey?