Author Topic: Lower end of Spamount Street  (Read 52180 times)

V62

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 5
Re: Lower end of Spamount Street
« Reply #330 on: December 16, 2018, 11:02:11 PM »
It was the first time I’d been. My Father’s surname was Timmins. His father had been a barman and went to fight in WW1 “for home rule” and only survived the war by a matter of months. Having been born in England myself, it’s a little hard to determine the invisible sectarian boundaries of areas but in childhood my father, his brothers and Granny had to leave because of threats from a unionist mob. I don’t think they returned, though I know they tried to on one occasion. From murals at the lower end of the street I’d guessed it was a nationalist area, though, I guess, it is quite a long street! The course of the street now is broken by a new set of houses being built - between 188 and the lower end. Looked pretty smart with 188 a bit of a blot in the middle, a shame really. Interesting to hear there was a jewish community round there as well.

sj

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11175
Re: Lower end of Spamount Street
« Reply #331 on: December 17, 2018, 03:08:07 AM »
V6 2.....The address would be Upper Spamount St but that is not what was on the street directory.  If you look for Lennon whyte street directories, Belfast you can look at who lived in the house at vaious stages in it's life and the occupation of the tenant.  The area was originally part of an estate owned by an industrialist.
As a child I remember the house as it was near a vacant lot . If you went up Spamount St you would get to the Cavehill area by travelling up the Cliftonville Road and through the Jewish area.  The Synagogue was at Carlisle Circus which was at the bottom of the Crumlin Road and near the Mater hospital. Going down the Antrim Rd from Spamount St was St Malachy's college and it's seminary.
It's great to find places that your ancestors visited.    I take it that he didn't go to primary school in the area.  There was a Catholic school on the Hallidays Rd near the top of Spamount St while there were two Protestant schools nearby.  One on the New Lodge Rd and the other on Hillman St.  Are you doing some Genelogy.  If you are ...you can look at  ( not all ) graves on the Milltown Cemmetery site if you have the details. :)   where other relations would be buried.
I'm patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it ...

V62

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 5
Re: Lower end of Spamount Street
« Reply #332 on: December 17, 2018, 08:43:17 AM »
Thanks, SJ. My interest was peaked by thoughts of my grandad who’s anniversary (death) is next year and I have located his grave in Milltown cemetery where it is still immaculately tended by the groundsmen, greatly to their credit. Daddy would likely have been at the Catholic primary school. Thanks for the link to Lennon Whytes, the neighbours either side are identified in 1912, 18 and 24. Names of people at that end of the street seem to show mixed denomination.
I still have a lot of family in Belfast but more the Falls Road area and I tend to have more contact with my mother’s side. My other Granda, Granny and a brother are buried in Milltown as well. Daddy did a lot of the geneology work going back across generations but it is only from my grandfather’s time that Belfast came into play.
It’s great to find out about the school, cinema and synagogue. My father’s childhood was quite fractured, some spent out in the country near Portglenone before returning to Belfast for work but I think Spamount Road was no longer in the picture at that stage.

sj

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11175
Re: Lower end of Spamount Street
« Reply #333 on: December 18, 2018, 01:34:21 AM »
Thanks V6 2. .My own grandfather came to Belfast in the late 1800's where there were job opportunities.  School records are kept at the Diocese of Down & Connor and the name of the school was " Star of the Sea" , Hallidays Road in case you are interested in getting or looking at some records. ;) .   Good luck.
I'm patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it ...

V62

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 5
Re: Lower end of Spamount Street
« Reply #334 on: December 18, 2018, 09:00:36 AM »
Very useful, thanks. On a more thorough search of Lennon Whyte, I see the family there in 1918 but not 11 or 24. I also found Daddy, Granny, my other Granda and Daddy’s brother in west Belfast addresses in the 50s and 60s which was of particular interest to one of my sisters regarding neighbours she knew in childhood. I may well look up Star of the Sea  records when next in Belfast, though I suspect that has to be done in person?
I was wrong to start the family clock in Belfast with Granda as Granny’s family were already there,  called Mulholland. I searched for that name in 1918 records but couldn’t nail down great grandparents’ address. There was a “Mrs Mulholland” less than a mile away (my great grandfather would have been alive though) and one or two other possibles with his name but not occupation. Since he was in the RIC he may not have wanted to identify that of course.

sj

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11175
Re: Lower end of Spamount Street
« Reply #335 on: December 18, 2018, 09:16:39 AM »
  That is great news. There were also Mulhollands in Spamount St however they lived in the number 100's and I only know that they lived there in 1940's but my father knew Joe Mulholland much earlier and he also lived in Spamount St .  He was a builder who employed people and had a builders yard beside the school. Later his daughter married and lived on the Whitewell Rd.   Every little helps.? ;)
I'm patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it ...

V62

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 5
Re: Lower end of Spamount Street
« Reply #336 on: December 18, 2018, 09:21:19 AM »
Mmmm   thanks

geraldine williamson

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2270
Re: Lower end of Spamount Street
« Reply #337 on: December 18, 2018, 11:56:27 AM »
Hello V 6   iS THIS THE 1ST TIME THAT YOU HAVE BEEN TO SPAMOUNT ST. .sorry to shout.?   What was your father's surname as I was born at 243 which is not too far away but on the other side of the street.  I live in Australia but Lennon.com have street directories that we could look at and see who the neighbours were and what the occupations were at the time.  I can still remember the names of many neighbours although I haven't lived ther since about 1964.  My parents left about April 1969 when the whole area was beginning to become embroiled in turmoil and the troubles were just around the corner.  It was basically a working class area stuck between the Catholic New Lodge and the Protestant Tigers Bay which was on the other side of the Duncairn Gdns .    There were schools in the area and work, hospital, and pubs close and the Jewish area was near the Cliftonville Rd so it had an interesting mix of people.  Almost forgot it had a cinema on the corner of New Lodge Rd and Hallidays road and churches close by.Did you ever live there?  What age are you?   Oh ...welcome to this forum ;) Best of luck.
Hi there, remember me? Williamsons of 16 Trainfield Street, Geraldo's sister Geraldine ( but Gerry to all my BF pals).  The cinema you mention was named The Lyceum and manys a good film we all shared here, Saturdays were special matinee for the kids there, but remember also The Capitol cinema on the Antrim Rd where I saw The Jolson Story....(oh those precious memories).  How you keeping?  take care and God Bless Gerry

johnmc

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 537
Re: Lower end of Spamount Street
« Reply #338 on: December 23, 2018, 03:48:52 AM »

     Hello  Sam---would you know if the " workhouse "   and the " poor house " are one and the same?
               And on the corner of Clifton St  and North Queen St ?
                 Any records available?   
                              Sean

sj

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11175
Re: Lower end of Spamount Street
« Reply #339 on: December 29, 2018, 06:41:43 AM »
Hello Sean,
The building on the corner of N.Q.St was the Belfast Charitable Society and the Workhouse and I know  another workhouse is the Belfast City hospital.   There are some books ( not now in print ) but your best source would be to contact  .www.belfasthistoryproject.com. .or....glenravel local history. .they say to go to your facebook page and search for Belfasthistory project. Another way would be to find Northbelfasthistorical society.   You can download information from www.belfasthistory free. :) You could also search for Belfast Charitable Society .  I am too young to remember the workhouse???
I'm patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it ...

johnmc

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 537
Re: Lower end of Spamount Street
« Reply #340 on: December 29, 2018, 04:16:38 PM »

   

Thanks , Sam. Iv,e sent a query off to Clifton House
                                              sean

sj

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11175
Re: Lower end of Spamount Street
« Reply #341 on: December 29, 2018, 09:38:10 PM »
   

Thanks , Sam. Iv,e sent a query off to Clifton House
                                              sean

It is noe an sged care place ;) :)
I'm patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it ...


 

Terms of Use     Privacy Policy