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BHS Meetings: Reports Archive
Blair Mayne
Sandra Millsopp
Peter Forbes was the speaker on 9 November 2023 and his subject was the Newtownards born soldier Blair Mayne
The Padre
Sandra Millsopp
Jennifer O’Leary talked about her recent book
The Padre
, the story of Patrick Ryan, a priest who became involved with the IRA.
Jack Crawford
Sandra Millsopp
Alister McReynolds on Captain Jack Crawford, the Poet Scout 1847-1917.
Keep calm and carriage on
Ellen Elder
Peter Vanucci's presentation, entitled
A Rail Journey Through Time on the Bangor to Belfast Line
, described the development of the Belfast to Bangor railway from its beginnings in the mid-19th century up to the present day.
The Cook Family At War
Sandra Millsopp
Alan Cook's research into his family's wartime history was encouraged by a visit to the Antiques Roadshow in Hillsborough.
Ulster Scots in America
Sandra Millsopp
Billy McCullough's talk concentrated on Presbyterian minister Francis Makemie and Charles Thomson, who became secretary to the Continental Congress.
Royal visits to North Down
Sandra Millsopp
Leanne Briggs of North Down Museum used photographs from the museum’s collection, together with contemporary news reports, to illustrate her talk.
Henry Joy McCracken and the 1798 rebellion
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
Sandra Millsopp
The sinking of the Arandora Star in 1940 had a devastating effect on Italians in the British Isles.
Con O'Neill
Sandra Millsopp
Con O’Neill, who died in 1619, was the last Gaelic Lord of Upper Clannaboy.
East Belfast Big Houses
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.
Robert Burns
Sandra Millsopp
Laura Spence explained Burns’ popularity and character by comparing him with George Best: a handsome, exceptionally talented man from a working-class family who did not cope well with fame and publicity.
The Partition of Ireland
Sandra Millsopp
Instead of talking about the events of 1920-21, Dr James Dingley took a much longer view of the factors which he considered did much to differentiate north-east Ulster from other parts of Ireland.
Bangor Courthouse: history and restoration
Sandra Millsopp
Robert Lyle and Alison Gordon from Open House gave the November talk which described the history and restoration of the 1866 Belfast Bank building, which later became Bangor Courthouse.
Samuel Davidson
Sandra Millsopp
The inventor and founder of the world-famous Sirocco engineering works in Belfast was the subject of a talk delivered to the Society by Eric Woods.
The Local Archaeology of County Down
Sandra Millsopp
Moira O'Rourke focused especially on the area around Strangford Lough with pictures of sites and finds as well as reconstruction drawings.
The Early Days of TV in the UK
Sandra Millsopp
A night of nostalgia at Bangor Historical Society as Ivor Edgar spoke about the early days of television.
Sir John Newell Jordan: From Balloo to Beijing
Sandra Millsopp
The life of Sir John Newell Jordan and the new display of his collection in the North Down Museum.
Bangor Football Club
Sandra Millsopp
Peter Vanucci on the history of the local football club, formed on 7 September 1918.
Bangor's cotton mills; the Chambers Motor Company
Sandra Millsopp
Dr Sandra Millsopp on Bangor's cotton mills and Adrianne Brown on the Chambers Motor Company (1904-1929).
The Story of George McBride and Winifred Carney
Sandra Millsopp
George had served in the Battle of the Somme, while his wife, Winnie Carney had been the secretary of James Connolly in 1916.
The Ward Family of North Down
Sandra Millsopp
Leanne Briggs of North Down Museum gave an illustrated talk on the families who lived in Bangor Castle.
Titanic's Bangor connection
Ian Wilson
Dr John Martin on the life and tragic death on the RMS Titanic of his great-uncle,the ship's assistant surgeon Dr John Simpson.
Lilian Bland, Pioneer Ulster Aviator
Ian Wilson
Guy Warner's astonishing story of Lilian Bland, the first woman in the world to design, build and fly an aeroplane.
Folklore talk intrigues BHS
Ian Wilson
The January meeting of Bangor Historical Society was treated to an intriguing talk on Irish folklore and superstitions by Laura Spence.
The Great Houses of Belfast
Sandra Millsopp
Most of these houses belonged to business families, not aristocrats. They had park land around them rather than the large estates with agricultural land which would normally be found in England.
For Your Freedom and Ours
Sandra Millsopp
Maciek Bator on the role and life of Polish airmen based in Northern Ireland during the Second World War.
The Rhyming Weavers
Ian Wilson
Laura Spence on The Rhyming Weavers of Counties Antrim and Down in the late 18th and early 19th century, and their successor, the Rev. WF Marshall of Sixmilecross.
Where we used to shop …
Sandra Millsopp
Norman Weatherall presentation on
Where we used to shop. A trip down memory lane, and beyond
focused on the great department stores of Belfast.
The Italians in Bangor
Sandra Millsopp
Peter Vanucci on the Italian families who came to live in Bangor, prominent among whom were the Vanuccis, Capronis and Mencarellis.
Bygone Superstitions in Ulster
Sandra Millsopp
Superstitions were once supremely strong in Ulster. David Hume's talk examined many of the beliefs of a bygone era as well as exploring their origins.
Mourne Men and the U-Boats 1914-18
Sandra Millsopp
Matt Maginnis on a number of encounters between local vessels and u-boats in the Irish Sea - by 1917 the Germans had resumed unrestricted submarine warfare so that any type of ship might be attacked.
The Cinderella House
John Grace
John Grace's presentation on the architecture of Mount Stewart was so titled because something kept getting in the way of it being finished.
Ulster Presidents of the USA
Sandra Millsopp
The number of American presidents of Ulster descent varies according to the source used, but was about thirteen. For his talk Ronnie Hanna selected six of them.
Colditz: Escapes and Escapades
Sandra Millsopp
With the help of a magnificent model of the infamous Castle, Richard Parkinson spoke about life for the POWs and their attempts to escape from Oflag IVC.
Life, Loves and Legacy of Robert Burns
Sandra Millsopp
The September talk was sponsored by the Ulster-Scots Agency as part of their autumn series. The speaker was Laura Spence and her topic was Robert Burns.
North Down Museum Postcard Collection
Sandra Millsopp
Leanne Briggs of the North Down Museum gave the
Bangor Night
talk on the Museum’s postcard collection.
Fred Crawford - Carson's Gunrunner
Sandra Millsopp
Keith Haines is the author of the book ‘Fred Crawford, Carson’s gunrunner’. Crawford’s life and career have been ignored, despite the important role he played in Ulster history in the early twentieth century.
The Houses of East Belfast
Sandra Millsopp
The talk by author Aidan Campbell was about some of the big houses of east Belfast and was illustrated by old photographs.
The Princess Victoria Disaster
Sandra Millsopp
Stephen Cameron, author of the book
Death in the North Channel
on the Princess Victoria disaster which occurred on 31 January 1953.
Mercedes Gleitze
Sandra Millsopp
The first British woman to swim the English Channel also made four unsuccessful attempts to cross the North Channel.
The Covenanters
Sandra Millsopp
Mark Thompson grew up with stories of the Scottish Covenanters in his home on the Ards Peninsula - many of the covenanters fled persecution by coming to Ulster.
Scrabo Tower and the Londonderrys
Sandra Millsopp
Tom Beggs, local historian, on the Londonderry Memorial otherwise known as Scrabo Tower, and the family who lived at Mount Stewart.
The Life of Emma Duffin
Sandra Millsopp
Trevor Parkhill , local author, keeper of history at the Ulster Museum, PRONI, on the life of Belfast born Emma Duffin, a VAD nurse during the Great War.
Home, Politics and War
Sandra Millsopp
This talk by Rebecca Ashton-Gordon, the project officer at the North Down Museum, was based on an exhibition at the museum.
Northern Ireland in the 1950s
Sandra Millsopp
The inequality which faced women in that decade; teddy boys; music was altering; changes in social attitudes were taking place.
A Life in the Day of an Industrial Archaeologist
Sandra Millsopp
Dr Fred Hamond on a subject that covers a wide range of topics such as mining, milling, electricity, canals and communications.
Kith and Kin: The Continuing Legacy of the Scotch Irish in America
Sandra Millsopp
Alister McReynolds about a number of people of Scotch Irish descent who had been prominent in American life. Although often seen as part of the story of the American frontier, there was more to their lives than fighting and killing.
1798 rebellion in County Down
Sandra Millsopp
Linda McKenna from Down Museum talked about the 1798 rebellion in County Down, referring to exhibits there such as uniforms and weapons from the time.
The Archaeology of Thiepval Wood
Sandra Millsopp
Colonel Charles Bennett outlined the events of the First World War involving the Irish divisions and the 36th Ulster division in particular.
Circe's Garden, Mount Stewart
Sandra Millsopp
Neil Porteous on the development of the gardens at Mount Stewart by Edith, Lady Londonderry.
The Life and Times of Richard Hayward
Sandra Millsopp
Paul Clements gave a talk on Richard Hayward, the subject of his biography
Romancing Ireland
.
The History of the Copeland Islands
Sandra Millsopp
Harry Allen began by explaining that the islands were one of 31 townlands in the parish of Bangor.
The History of Costumes
Sandra Millsopp
Madeleine McAllister from the Down County Museum used paintings and photographs from its collections as illustrations.
The Londonderry Family of Mount Stewart
Bob McKinley
John Grace on the Stewarts who came to Ulster in the early 1600s when land in Donegal was granted to them.
The Belfast and County Down Railway
Sandra Millsopp
Ian Sinclair and Len Ball on the Belfast to Bangor line, and the various stations on the BCDR network.
A light-hearted look at Ulster-Scots and Ulster-Scots Speakers
Sandra Millsop
Liam Logan, who has written books and broadcast on the subject, takes a light-hearted look at Ulster Scots.
Airships over Ulster
Sandra Millsopp
Guy Warner on airships over the North Channel during World War 1. A member of the Ulster Aviation Society, he has written a number of books about aviation.
The Life of CS Lewis
Sandra Millsopp
Sandy Smith has written a book on CS Lewis and the places in Ireland connected with him.
Lesson in schooldays of Bangor past opens Historical Society’s season
Sandra Millsopp
The opening meeting of the 2014-2015 season was held in the new Bangor Grammar School building. The talk on the school’s first hundred years was given by Trevor Gray, a former pupil.
The Workhouse in 19th century Ulster
Sandra Millsopp
Dr Georgina Laragy of Queen’s University is researching the period 1800 to 1973 with particular reference to the plight of the poor in Belfast.
Palace Barracks, Holywood
Sandra Millsopp
Robin Masefield of the Bayburn Historical Society is currently researching the history of Palace Barracks in Holywood.
Swimming the North Channel
Sandra Millsopp
Brian Meharg had accompanied many of the more recent attempts in the total of 95 swims starting from various places such as Donaghadee, Orlock and Islandmagee.
The Hills of Hillsborough
Sandra Millsopp
Jason Diamond's talk was on the Hills of Hillsborough who became Marquises of Downshire.
The Annesleys of Castlewellan
Sandra Millsopp
Terence Reeves-Smyth talked about the Annesley family whose main property was in Castlewellan, although they had other houses and lands in the area.
Northern Ireland in the 1950s
Sandra Millsopp
Peter Smyth described a decade in which there were no supermarkets, no cult of celebrity, no millionaire footballers and no regulations from EU - but there were slums, little central heating and gas lighting.
The Growth of Bangor
Sandra Millsopp
Sandra Millsopp's talk on the growth of Bangor since 1613 concluded the Society's series on Bangor 400.
The Archaeology of the New Towne of Bangor
Sandra Millsopp
The speaker was Dr. John O’Keeffe, the principal Inspector of Historic Monuments in NIEA.
Sir Thomas Smith’s Forgotten English Colony of the Ards and North Down
Sandra Millsopp
Mark Thompson has researched the Ards and produced a booklet on "Sir Thomas Smith’s Forgotten English Colony of the Ards and North Down in 1572".
The British Colonisation of County Down
Sandra Millsopp
Jonathan Bardon, the distinguished historian, began with the Normans led by John de Courcy who arrived in County Down in the late twelfth century.
Hats off to Magic
Sandra Millsopp
Richard Parkinson spoke on the history of magic and referred to various Irish magicians of the past.
Bangor in the 1970s and 1980s
Sandra Millsopp
Author Terence Bowman regarded the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s as vital decades in Bangor’s history when great changes occurred in the town.
Bangor The and Now
Sandra Millsopp
Adam Bell has over 800 postcards of the town and has compiled a book which shows many of these alongside the equivalent modern view.
The Hidden History of Belfast
Sandra Millsopp
Ruari O’Baoill from the Centre for Archaeological Fieldwork at Queen’s University used reconstruction drawings from the book to illustrate various phases of the city’s history.
The Archaeology of North Down
Sandra Millsopp
Archaeologist Leanne Briggs of the North Down Museum has been trying to track down artefacts from the local area.
The GIs in Ulster
Sandra Millsopp
Ronnie Hanna on the role of WWII American soldiers in Northern Ireland. This includes a film entitled "A Letter from Ulster".
Northern Ireland Screen Digital Film Archive
Sandra Millsopp
Francis Jones on the archive which was set up in 2000 and contains about 60 hours of film.
Blue Plaques in Ulster
Sandra Millsopp
Doreen Corcoran of the Ulster History Circle gave the background to the erection of blue plaques, focussing on those erected in the North Down area.
The Secret Listeners of Gilnahirk
Sandra Millsopp
George Busby on the secret World War II listening station which was part of the Illicit Wireless Intercept Organization.
Belfast City Hall and its architecture
Sandra Millsopp
Dr Paul Larmour on the famous building which was opened by the Earl of Aberdeen in April 1906.
The Port of Belfast
Sandra Millsopp
Alf McCreary has recently written a book entitled “Titanic Port”, a history of the port of Belfast.
The Walled Garden of Bangor Castle
Sandra Millsopp
The AGM was addressed by Ian Beaney, the grounds maintenance manager for North Down Borough Council.
The Manchester Family
Sandra Millsopp
Jason Diamond gave a talk about the Manchester family, one of whose Irish seats was Tandragee Castle.
Ulster Superstitions and Folklore
Sandra Millsopp
Dr David Hume discussed various types of Ulster superstitions and explained how they may have arisen.
High Street in Belfast
Sandra Millsopp
Norman Weatherall spoke on the subject of High Street which is the second oldest street in Belfast having originally called Front Street.
Irish Polar Explorers
Sandra Millsopp
Noel Mitchel on the very considerable contribution which explorers from the island had made to knowledge of both the Arctic and Antarctic.
Books of Honour: World Wars I and II
Sandra Millsopp
Barry Niblock is endeavouring to commemorate those who died in the World Wars and who had connections with the council areas of North Down and Ards.
The Lagan Legacy
Sandra Millsopp
Charlie Warmington is a journalist who has been helping for several years on a project called The Lagan Legacy which will tell the story of the Lagan and the industries that developed on her banks.
Bangor Castle
Sandra Millsopp
Ian Wilson of the North Down Museum talked about the castle which was constructed in 1852 by Robert Edward Ward.
Bangor and Back for a Bob
Sandra Millsopp
Dr Steve Flanders gave an introduction to the history of the Belfast and County Down Railway
Belfast Before Belfast: The Prehistoric Archaeology of the Lagan Valley
Sandra Millsopp
Sinead McCartan, Head of Collections Research and Interpretation at National Museums Northern Ireland explained that this talk arose from work carried out during the closure of the Ulster Museum.
Bangor in the Sixties
Sandra Millsopp
Mourne Observer editor Terence Bowman was born and educated in Bangor but left the town in 1976. H ehas wriiten a book entitled “Bangor in the Sixties”.
The Inland Waterways of Ireland
Sandra Millsopp
Brian Cassells is involved with the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland which was founded sixty years ago.
The Roads of Ulster
Sandra Millsopp
Long-standing BHS member Jackson McCormick was a former Director of the Roads Service in Northern Ireland.
The Sharman Crawfords of Crawfordsburn
Sandra Millsopp
Peter Stark on the Sharman Crawford family. The Crawford family first came to Bangor in the early seventeenth century.
Farming Families in County Down 1930-1960
Sandra Millsop
A large audience heard an excellent, well-illustrated talk on farming in Ulster during the period 1930-60 given by Dr Jonathan Bell. Dr Bell had worked at the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum for 30 years.
