Nostalgic memories of Belfast's local history
Share your own memories of Belfast and read what others have said
For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our web site to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was when the photographs in our archive were taken. From brief one-liners explaining a little bit more about the image depicted, to great, in-depth accounts of a childhood when things were rather different than today (and everything inbetween!). We've had many contributors recognising themselves or loved ones in our photographs.
Why not add your memory today and become part of our Memories Community to help others in the future delve back into their past.
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Displaying Memories 1 - 10 of 15 in total
Does anyone remember or know someone that might remember the McKinnell family who lived on Bourton Street in the mid 1950's. The property they lived at may have been a Blacksmith's I think. I am producing an extended family tree and would like to put a little history to the families I research. The McKinnell family consisted of James & Sarah McKinnell (nee Bamford) and their ...see more
i lived at the top of sandy row in the 1950s and used to go up to the institute to roller skate from there as the building was on a slight incline. This was a beautiful old building I can't remember when it was demolished and replaced by the queens one but today it probably would be a listed building. A pity so many of these have gone.
There also was a wall at the front of it but it is not shown in the picture.
My cousin and I lived at the top of the Oldpark Road, near Ballysillan, in the mid-1950's and every Saturday morning during our tenth and eleventh years, we would catch the bus into town, walk around the City Hall and down to swim at the Ormeau Baths. After we had our permitted 30 minutes, we would walk back to a cafe in Donegal Square and have tea and hot buttered pancakes.
We lived in the ...see more
back in the years 1947 /1950 ,my grand mother and I would spend a day at Hazelwood ,if I recall correctly by the steps they had a little carnival ,then we would make our way to the Floral hall ,which in those days had a silver tea room ,whiter than white table cloths ,the waitress,s dressed in black with white pinny,aprons and white tiara,s ,3 tiered cake stands stood on the tables and tea was poured ...see more
I was lucky in that I lived in an area that was not often touched by the violence that was going on in Northern Ireland at the time, but a telephone conversation with my mum in recent days brought back memories of life in Belfast when 'the troubles' were in full swing. She had just heard the news of the recent car bomb left in the Victoria shopping centre and heard the sound of the explosion in the ...see more
My family moved from Leeds, Yorks to Gilnahirk when I was 11 months old - my parents had a house built in Gilnahirk Walk and we moved in when I was two. I and my two sisters had an idyllic childhood, we had so many places to play. There was 'the tennis courts' or rather the wasteland around the courts (which belonged to the Presbyterian church) that included occasional ponds with frogspawn - we could get ...see more
I was a member of the swimming fraternity in the 50's and Isabeal's was a regular hangout for many of my friends. I still vividly remember Matthew who was quite a vivid character.
I went to help with the cubs and scouts while at the teacher training college with Alfie Johnston and Freda Musson (later Freda Johnston). Frank Denmark was the headteacher. He had served in the war and lost a leg. Though he had a false one fitted, it was not very comfortable and often he could be seen moving about on cructhes. The interior of the school was in poor condition and a new school was opened at ...see more
1960 was a great time for music. My memory of that year was the dance halls dotted around Belfast, the best being The Plaza in Chichester Street and many great buildings, sadly no longer with us.
In the year of 1981 in Dublin (I'm from Antrim) I was lucky enough to meet a lovely girl called Fenella. I always wondered where her name came from.
