Author Topic: Exiles required for the NI Emigrant Narrative Project  (Read 11637 times)

Christopher

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Exiles required for the NI Emigrant Narrative Project
« on: June 08, 2006, 09:37:26 AM »
Northern Ireland Emigrant Narratives seeking people from Northern Ireland,  currently living abroad? Please get in touch with the NIEN Project and tell them your story. http://www.qub.ac.uk/cms/NIEN/Press_Release06.htm

mafsef

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Re: Exiles required for the NI Emigrant Narrative Project
« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2007, 03:50:15 PM »
What a great site and a wonderful idea. But to the nitty-gritty - I have a mixed marriage, I'm English, wifes' Nornireland. I came to Belfast in 1950 after serving in the RAF, with every intention of staying with Shorts for only a year or two. Wrong! - within the first few weeks I met the future missus at a party at the Plaza and with suitable Irish guile she hooked me; and here we are 54 years later reminiscing again about Belfast under the Florida sun.
History tells me that my wife came from Lisburn (Betty Topping) and during the courting days that was a regular sojourn on the bus - frequently missed the last one back to Belfast and walked home so I remember the Lisburn Road very well. We married at the Cathedral on the Lisburn Road in 1953 and I have fond memories of the pre-wedding discussions with the Bishop. We both had a great interest in cricket and that was really what the pre-nuptials were about - my wife-to-be was very understanding.
First house was in Gilnahirk after a short stay in an apartment in Belfast, then our first move abroad. Avro-Canada called and we ended up in Toronto for three years; but the CF105 was cancelled by the government so we returned to Shorts.
Wonderful years followed as well as two kids and I became a real dyed-in-the-wool Northern Irishman (a truly pleasant land even in those days). We had some marvellous friends, some of whom we are still in touch with and others who have disappeared from the planet it seems. Great craq at the Shorts club, holidays in Donegal, boozy do's at various establishments and there are stories attached to every one. Newtownards flying club and climb-outs past the Tower of Scrabo followed by landings of a sort while trying to miss the cattle grazing on the runway. Memories!!!
At that time we lived in Dundonald in a new development up by the railway bridge, had a Mini and used to whip over to Lisburn by the back roads to see the Ma-in-Law. It was the best "racing circuit" around at that time.
But again far-off fields called and we became part of the "brain-drain" in the aircraft industry in the late '60's. So it was off to Americay - Niagara Falls of all places with Bell Aircraft. Most of my mates who went west about the same time went really west to Seattle and Los Angeles but I was afraid that the west coast was going to fall into the sea one day and I didn't want to be there.
Anyway here we still are retired in Florida after living in some of Americays beauty spots; Cincinatti, Schenectady, Rochester and visits to many other places. But how the memories of Belfast keep flooding back - when I was working I could wangle a trip across and my wife paid regular visits when her Mother was alive; now we only talk about it. However it's now apparently a stop-over for some cruise ships so who knows what the next year or two will deliver.
Alan Freeman

giannineo

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Re: Exiles required for the NI Emigrant Narrative Project
« Reply #2 on: May 12, 2007, 04:08:12 PM »
Great psot Alan and welcome to the Forum. Smashing story told by you, best wishes, G.

Fireman Sam

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Re: Exiles required for the NI Emigrant Narrative Project
« Reply #3 on: May 14, 2007, 01:04:02 AM »
Hi Alan,
Great story. I too am a Gilnahirk native. We lived on the Lower Braniel Rd until we emigrated to Australia in 1963. Even from that young age I still remember the walks up through the hills behind our little home. I have located the home on google and even today the fields behind it are unchanged. I remember the snow and the storms and the beautiful days we shared as a family. I have a photo of me sitting as a three year old in the back garden with my leg in plaster after having tried to climb on dad's old BSA motorcycle and of course the rest is history. I remember staying with granna in Belfast on the Cregagh Rd and hearing the tin man and the milk man and the ever so black coal man with the big draught horses coming down the street. When she needed buttermilk to do the soda bread we'd walk down to Dobson,s Milk Factory with a big jug to get it. Your'e right, great memories and thought of regularly.
Best wishes Sam.
Researching Thompson, MaGill, Cummin/gs, McKinstrey, Irvine, McQuillan.

BLOOMFIELD

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Re: Exiles required for the NI Emigrant Narrative Project
« Reply #4 on: May 19, 2007, 05:45:38 PM »
mafsef

Did you have a son who went to Strandtown Primary school  ???
“the greater the financial incentive the most likely the research is biased”   Ioannnidis

Fireman Sam

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Re: Exiles required for the NI Emigrant Narrative Project
« Reply #5 on: May 20, 2007, 10:47:28 AM »
Hi Bloomfield,
No I was a bit young to have a son. I was only 6.

Regards Sam.
Researching Thompson, MaGill, Cummin/gs, McKinstrey, Irvine, McQuillan.

anne

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Re: Exiles required for the NI Emigrant Narrative Project
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2007, 08:54:47 PM »
Hi Sam I have tried to scan the certificates to e mail them to you but could'nt figure it out. Here is some information for you to be going on with.

BIRTH CERTIFICATE
katherine born 27th August,1898 place of birth   Derrymore.
Father, Roderick Magill,  a farmer.  Derrymore
Mother, Martha Magill  formerly  Mc Quillan.

MARIAGE CERTIFICATE.   No. 175

Samuel Thompson age 21 batchelor, Labourer, 5 Hudson street Belfast
Kathleen Magill      age 24 spinster,                    12 Agnes street Belfast
Fathers   Alexander Thompson       Robert Magill   both labourers

Married 10th July 1924 at St. Annes Cathedral Belfast

witnesses   James Mcmullan   Agnes Mc Mullan  who signed with an x

married after Banns  by A George Johnston.

Fireman Sam

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Re: Exiles required for the NI Emigrant Narrative Project
« Reply #7 on: May 21, 2007, 11:36:49 PM »
Hi Anne,
Great stuff, I'll speak with you on the phone next Saturday. I am going to scan the photos of his mum Lena for Micheal and then have a photo studio do reproductions of the originals. Then I can post them off. Can you ask him if Sandra would like the photos as well.

Best wishes
Sam.
Researching Thompson, MaGill, Cummin/gs, McKinstrey, Irvine, McQuillan.

Dommo

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Re: Exiles required for the NI Emigrant Narrative Project
« Reply #8 on: July 01, 2008, 06:48:44 AM »
What a great site and a wonderful idea. But to the nitty-gritty - I have a mixed marriage, I'm English, wifes' Nornireland. I came to Belfast in 1950 after serving in the RAF, with every intention of staying with Shorts for only a year or two. Wrong! - within the first few weeks I met the future missus at a party at the Plaza and with suitable Irish guile she hooked me; and here we are 54 years later reminiscing again about Belfast under the Florida sun.
History tells me that my wife came from Lisburn (Betty Topping) and during the courting days that was a regular sojourn on the bus - frequently missed the last one back to Belfast and walked home so I remember the Lisburn Road very well. We married at the Cathedral on the Lisburn Road in 1953 and I have fond memories of the pre-wedding discussions with the Bishop. We both had a great interest in cricket and that was really what the pre-nuptials were about - my wife-to-be was very understanding.
First house was in Gilnahirk after a short stay in an apartment in Belfast, then our first move abroad. Avro-Canada called and we ended up in Toronto for three years; but the CF105 was cancelled by the government so we returned to Shorts.
Wonderful years followed as well as two kids and I became a real dyed-in-the-wool Northern Irishman (a truly pleasant land even in those days). We had some marvellous friends, some of whom we are still in touch with and others who have disappeared from the planet it seems. Great craq at the Shorts club, holidays in Donegal, boozy do's at various establishments and there are stories attached to every one. Newtownards flying club and climb-outs past the Tower of Scrabo followed by landings of a sort while trying to miss the cattle grazing on the runway. Memories!!!
At that time we lived in Dundonald in a new development up by the railway bridge, had a Mini and used to whip over to Lisburn by the back roads to see the Ma-in-Law. It was the best "racing circuit" around at that time.
But again far-off fields called and we became part of the "brain-drain" in the aircraft industry in the late '60's. So it was off to Americay - Niagara Falls of all places with Bell Aircraft. Most of my mates who went west about the same time went really west to Seattle and Los Angeles but I was afraid that the west coast was going to fall into the sea one day and I didn't want to be there.
Anyway here we still are retired in Florida after living in some of Americays beauty spots; Cincinatti, Schenectady, Rochester and visits to many other places. But how the memories of Belfast keep flooding back - when I was working I could wangle a trip across and my wife paid regular visits when her Mother was alive; now we only talk about it. However it's now apparently a stop-over for some cruise ships so who knows what the next year or two will deliver.
Alan Freeman


Interest in Cricket??
if yer gonna act the chivo, beware the chupacabra

Kathleen2

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Re: Exiles required for the NI Emigrant Narrative Project
« Reply #9 on: July 01, 2008, 03:13:35 PM »
Hello and welcome. Thanks for sharing your story Dommo. Lots of exiles on here to reminisce with :)
" Tell them for their tomorrow, we gave our today"
A World War 1 soldier.

In memory of my grandfather, James McGimpsey. 9th Royal Scots.

weedotty

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Re: Exiles required for the NI Emigrant Narrative Project
« Reply #10 on: July 10, 2008, 01:14:25 AM »
mafsef

When and where did you work in Shorts?  Bloom and I both worked there. I was the office girl in the technical building April 1960 for over a year, then to the production office in the main building  until Nov 62. I left and had two jobs, one in the U.T.A, then G.K.N. ( not far from Shorts) and returned to Shorts in Jan 66 until I immigrated to Canada in March 71.  I met Bloom when he worked in the insurance office in the main building. His Dad Robert Willock was a foreman and his brother Roy also worked in the factory. Did Betty work there too, if so where?

My sister and her family live in Grand Prix Park, off Comber Road.

My Uncle Victor Johnston was a postman for many years in Dundonald and this is where he and my Dad spent a lot of their youth.


weedotty

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Re: Exiles required for the NI Emigrant Narrative Project
« Reply #11 on: July 10, 2008, 03:54:39 AM »
 Mafsef,

Bloom reminded me that Don Kennard worked in Avro-Canada. Not sure when he did. If you did know him, Don passed away Mar 2006 at 76 yrs old.  He was married to my second cousin Maxine and lived in B.C.


mafsef

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Re: Exiles required for the NI Emigrant Narrative Project
« Reply #12 on: July 18, 2008, 09:56:59 AM »
Very interesting notes and they bring memories flooding back. I worked in the main building Design Office and Flight Test and as far as I can recall my office window in the main building overlooked the shipyard.
They were great days in the 50's/60's although the mishandling by the government was close to criminal - but somehow the place has survived and I've just read today's news about the money injection by Bombardier.
So the aeronautical talent remains perhaps proving what we old-timers knew all along; "Shorts" had the brains and the people to produce first-class aircraft - excellent design and very competent manufacturing but largely hamstrung by a bunch of less-than-resourceful politicos.
But I ramble - I wonder if your Uncle delivered our mail when we lived in Ballyregan Drive?  I didn't know anyone you mention although it's very possible that our paths crossed somewhere down in the assembly areas.
And you weedotty must have delivered things to my office and hopefully got a warm reception when you did.
My wife didn't work at Shorts, she was a downtown person and secretary to the boss in Robinson Cleavers - her office was at the top of the building on the corner of Royal Ave, and looking across to City Hall - I remember we had a great view when the Queen came over in ????
Sorry but the name Don Kennard doesn't ring a bell - where did he work in Avro's. And what about you - are you still in Canada somewhere? We'll be up in Niagara-on-the-Lake in September when we take the Auto Train and visit our daughter in Rochester - always have to visit there and enjoy Canadian hospitality, good lunches and not too bad beer.
Keep writing - this site has to be maintained as it's so good.
Alan F.

BLOOMFIELD

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Re: Exiles required for the NI Emigrant Narrative Project
« Reply #13 on: July 18, 2008, 12:09:19 PM »
Alan

Where you in "Management" in Shorts. ???

Would you ask your Wife if she knew Pamela Dough in R & C, she worked in

 the Cosmetic Dept, in the 60's.

We are both retired ( 6 1/2 years ) and live in Maple Ridge in British

Columbia, 30 miles East of Vancouver.

The Wife is in bed, so she be able to answer your question about her

Uncle tomorrow.
“the greater the financial incentive the most likely the research is biased”   Ioannnidis

weedotty

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Re: Exiles required for the NI Emigrant Narrative Project
« Reply #14 on: July 18, 2008, 07:37:06 PM »
 Mafsef,
 Sorry, I can't remember the name Alan Freeman. While in the Technical building, top floor,  the office manager was Mr. Arthur Field, a heavy set man in his 50's and I recall he had a limp.  I remember only a few of the draughtsmen's names, Andy Kilpatrick, Jimmy Spence, I think both lived in Ballymena. A Harry and a Jimmy did  a lot of the clerical work and sat behind Mr. Field. I see more faces, but don't recall any other full names. I think there was a Jimmy Anderson and a tall guy, Ferguson with reddish hair.

I must ask my gal pal Dorothy nee Cowan Gibson if she remembers you. We started in the technical building around the same time, but she moved to the Main building about 6 months before I did.

 My Uncle Victor may have delivered your mail. He was one of the first 7 postmen there to drive a little moped. I  have the newspaper clipping, but I didn't date it. Sorry, I don't know the date he started or retired from the P.Office.

I remember being in the Guides and I was doing a sewing badge and had to show my darning skills to a Guide captain who worked in R & Cleavers. I recall asking at the front desk where the "underwear Dept., was"  to be told by a rather posh sounding sales lady that the "lingerie dept" is such and such.

p.s.
ooops..I beleive that Don kennard worked only as a consultant for a short time at Avro, but I don't know when.

 

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