Belfast, Chichester Place 1897
Photo ref: 40189
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Photo ref: 40189
Photo of Belfast, Chichester Place 1897

More about this scene

The elegant emporium of Robinson and Cleaver (centre) tells of a Belfast upper crust, which had to be catered for. It was one of many commercial buildings taking over the residential square. The diminutive building just beyond it, at the other corner of Donegall Place, was now the Royal Hotel, but it had been built by Lord Donegall as his town house. The massive linen warehouse nearer the camera was one of the first big buildings to take over the square; it marks what linen meant to Belfast. It was built soon after the American Civil War - at that time the industry prospered, since Lancashire was starved of cotton. It was owned by Richardson Sons and Owens, whose extensive mills and factories were at Bessbrook in County Armagh. These Quakers had built a model village there, which was to be taken as a pattern by others in England.

An extract from Belfast Photographic Memories.

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A Selection of Memories from Belfast

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our website to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was, prompted by the photographs in our archive. Here are some from Belfast

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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