Virtual Museum

Maria Pirrie Gordon (1842-1921). Oil on canvas by Frank McKelvey (1895-1974). LMILC.2010.147. Maria Pirrie Gordon (née Barbour) was like so many women in Irish society during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries – we have very little information about her life, and what little we do know is often told through the lives of […]

  Ulster Star, 22 February 1964 In 1964, a group of Lisburn students organised a ‘Miss Leap Year’ competition in aid of the charity Freedom from Hunger. Unlike other beauty queen titles, entrants for Miss Leap Year submitted their photograph and six finalists had their portrait displayed in a public space. Beneath each picture was a

Warren View, Hillsborough Road, Lisburn, c. 1960s (ILC&LM Collection) Thank you to everyone who contacted us about an unknown terrace we posted on our Virtual Museum. With your help, we can identify the terrace as ‘Warren View’. It was built in the late nineteenth century on the Hillsborough Road (sometimes referred to as the Dublin

This Virtual Museum post is by Cameron Gilchrist, a student at the South Eastern Regional College, Lisburn. He is on work experience placement at the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum. Cameron is from Annahilt and found this post card in our collection very interesting. Field Service Post Card, 12 September 1917 (LMILC.2004.470, purchased 2004)

Ferguson radio, model 383A, 1956 (LMILC.2018.395, donated 2018) This radio was manufactured in 1956 by the Ferguson Radio Corporation Ltd. The model 383A was also known as the ‘fleur-de-lis’ and had three reception wavebands – long, medium, and VHF or FM. An interesting feature, which was common on old radios, is the variety of stations

Rolls-Royce factory, Dundonald, shortly before closing in 1977 (Belfast News-Letter, 7 February 1977) The Rolls-Royce factory at Dundonald was short-lived, but it impacted many people. The site was initially the factory of Resinoid and Mica Products Ltd., a plastic mouldings firm that relocated to Dundonald from Reading, England, in September 1965. It provided 300 jobs,

Terraced houses, unknown location, c. 1950s (ILC&LM Collection) We are uncertain of this photo’s location, though we believe it was taken in Lisburn or the greater Lisburn area around the 1950s. The terrace looks like it could be workers’ houses. Did you live here or remember the terrace? If you can help us identify the

A. T. Stewart’s residence, Fifth Avenue and 34th Street, Manhattan, New York, c. 1900 (Image credit: New York Public Library) The cotton famine of 1861-3 was devastating for many Lisburn families, with the cotton weavers unable to source the material on which their livelihood depended. The Lisburn-born American millionaire, Alexander Turney Stewart (1803-76), felt compassion

Lisburn historian, Fred Kee, ringing the old Grain Market bell, 1971. Watching on are officers of the Lisburn Historical Society – Samuel Smyth (hon. treasurer), Samuel Semple (chairman), Robin Kirk (curator), Harold A. Duff (hon. secretary) – and the Mayor, Cllr. Hugh G. Bass (Ulster Star, 8 May 1971) Two of our previous Virtual Museum

Robert Burns, by Samuel Cousins, 1830, after Alexander Nasmyth, 1787 (image credit: Yale Center for British Art) Robert Burns (1759-96) is famed for his poetry, but did you know that the author of works like ‘To a mouse’ (1785) or ‘Address to a Haggis’ (1786) had a brief spell in Scotland’s linen industry before finding

Royal Hillsborough, junction of Main Street and Ballynahinch Street, 1924. Postcard by Allen D. Coon (1867-1938), of Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, and Moira, Co. Down.

Ordnance Survey map, second edition (1846-62), showing in the top left the location of Lisburn’s Grain Market, which was also known as the ‘New Market’. Note its location in relation to the ‘New Church’ and compare with the photograph below. The Grain Market at Smithfield, Lisburn, was not only popular for trade. It was also

Smithfield Street looking towards Market Street, Lisburn, 1951 (ILC&LM Collection)

Smithfield has been a market-trading location in Lisburn as far back as the 1830s.  East of the site was the Brown Linen Market, constructed by Lord Hertford in the 1750s, and on the west of the site, a Grain Market facing the Dublin Road had been built in 1828.  It was later known as the

The following poem was published in the Lisburn Standard newspaper in December 1905: Jack Frost Jack Frost, he is with us again; He comes every winter, you know; But we’re hardy and bold, And we don’t mind the cold, And we welcome the ice and snow. Jack Frost plays a rough sort of game With

Largymore New National School, Lisburn, c. 1906 (Margaret Hanthorne Collection, ILC&LM) It’s back to school for most pupils this week. Here is a postcard of the students of Largymore New National School returning to the classroom. Do they look excited to start back, or are they not amused? The image was taken by the famed

Hilden Mill in the Snow, by Neil Shawcross MBE, RHA, RUA, c. 1985 (oil on canvas, ILC&LM Collection, copyright Neil Shawcross) The artist was inspired to paint this scene when witnessing the red-brick mass of Hilden Mill vividly set against the white of surrounding snow. Linen thread-making was established by the Barbour family near Plantation

Christmas card from Egypt, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, c. 1940s (ILCLM, W.S. Corken Papers, Folder 2, Box 1) Most Christmas cards you receive will likely have an image commonly associated with the festive season – the nativity, Santa, a snowman, and so on. What is Lisburn’s connection to this exotic-looking Christmas card? The recipient was

Woolworths in Lisburn opened in 1928 on Bow Street, the town’s main thoroughfare.  Expanding following a major refurbishment in 1966, the store was badly damaged in a bomb blast in 1976.  Woolies, as it was known, attracted a cult following of Saturday shoppers who browsed the shelves weekly and spent their hard-earned cash on the

You may have heard of the ominous sounding Egyptian ‘Book of the Dead’, but do you know what it actually is? The ‘Book of the Dead’ is not actually a book or a fixed text. It is a modern term for a collection of magical spells that the Egyptians used to help them get into

Did you know that a County Down-based Church of Ireland clergyman had a significant role in our understanding of hieroglyphs? Rector of Killyleagh, the Rev. Edward Hincks (1792-1866) was one of the leading pioneers in the decipherment of ancient near eastern languages. Hincks’ work on hieroglyphs was of such a high standard that it challenged

Rectangular drawing and writing boards were important educational tools in ancient Egypt. Made from wood and covered with a thin layer of plaster, they were used by those wealthy enough to receive a formal education. The board’s surface was coated with gesso and could be cleaned and reused, much like slate-writing tablets of more recent

Did you know that your local museum has a sample of Tutankhamun’s linen on display? Do you know how it got here? Like Lisburn in years gone by, Linen was everywhere in ancient Egypt. A highly prized fabric, it had multiple uses in everyday life and death. Indeed, much of our knowledge of ancient Egyptian

Worshiping the dead was an important feature of ancient Egyptian society. While pyramids and elaborately decorated tombs were prominent memorials to kings and queens, countless other items were used to honour the dead. Ancestor busts, small limestone sculptures found in tombs and at the site of homes were important representations of a deceased person. Some

Author, traveller, and one-time MP for Lisburn, Sir James Emerson Tennent (1804–69) was a prominent early member of the Belfast Natural History & Philosophical Society. A generous contributor to the Belfast Museum, Emerson Tennent donated many exotic items from his travels to its collection. In 1845, he famously brought the mummified remains of two ancient

Private Alec Martin (1895-1915) was born in Magheragall, near Lisburn. In 1913, seeking new opportunities he emigrated to New Zealand. When war broke out in August the following year Alec enlisted in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force and fought with the Anzacs. From December 1914 the Anzacs were stationed in Egypt. While in Egypt, Alec

One of the most significant archaeological discoveries of modern times was made on July 15, 1799. What is known as the Rosetta Stone was uncovered in the town of Rashid (Rosetta) in the Nile Delta by French soldiers during Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign. The large granitoid stone slab is inscribed with three versions of a decree

What connects a gold watch from our collection and the classic novel, Moby-Dick? During the devastating ‘cotton famine’ of 1861-5, when American Civil War disturbances blocked cotton shipments to Ireland, Lisburn’s cotton weavers faced destitution. A relief fund established to aid those workers attracted many significant donations, including from one of America’s wealthiest men, Lisburn-born

Do you know what a Shabti doll is? Would you like to know how three of them ended up in the Lisburn Museum? Shabti (or shawbti) dolls were small figurines which were included in ancient Egyptian burial ceremonies. Made from stone, wood, or faience (fine tin-glazed pottery), the dolls were inscribed with a spell and

This photograph of Ramses II’s statue at the Luxor Temple was taken by Lisburn-born soldier, Major William Sinclair Corken MBE. Born in 1899 in the town’s Market Square, Corken was stationed in Cairo with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps during the Second World War. In his free time Corken travelled across Egypt’s historic sites and

Today’s Virtual Museum post features one of the standout artefacts from the British Museum’s touring exhibition ‘Egyptian hieroglyphs: unlock the mystery’. The Limestone Lintel of Pharaoh Ramses III, one of nine British Museum objects on display at the Irish Linen Centre and Lisburn Museum, dates from the 20th Dynasty (ca. 1190-1075 B.C.). It features a

This week’s Virtual Museum post is a walk down Bridge Street, featuring some classic cars of the era. Can you spot the museum building at the top of the street? (Photo by D. McWilliam)

This week’s Virtual Museum post is a snapshot from our photographic collection. A family heading off on an outing at a time when travel was more environmentally friendly. This photograph was taken by John Lannigan, who documented life in Lisburn at the turn of the 20th century. Lannigan’s studio was located in Antrim Street for

Our Virtual Museum post this week is a photograph from our collection, dated June 1951. Pictured at the Child Welfare Clinic in Seymour Street are Mr. A. N. Stevenson, Chair of the Lisburn Urban Council, Mr. T.H. MacDonald, the Town Clerk, and Dr. W.M. Burns with a mothers and babies’ group. The group were present

The Virtual Museum post for this week is a 1938 photograph of employees at the Robert Stewart & Sons thread mill. One of a number of linen-related photographs from our collection, this photo features workers in the Preparing Department. Rob Stewart & Sons Preparing Dept, 1938. ILC&LM Collection Established in 1835 by Robert Stewart (d.

This week’s Virtual Museum post is another photograph drawn from our extensive collection. Dated 1939, it features a group of Lisburn Girl Guides on a camping trip.  The Girl Guides is a longstanding institution in the United Kingdom, founded back in 1909. At a Boy Scout Rally that year, a group of girls showed up

With preparations for King Charles III’s Coronation celebrations underway, our Virtual Museum post this week looks at a previous Coronation celebration in the town. This photograph, taken on the day of George VI’s Coronation in 1937, is drawn from our photographic collection. It features some of Lisburn’s well-known residents. Pictured outside the Assembly Rooms (the present

The 28th April 2023 marks the centenary of the unveiling of Lisburn’s War Memorial at Castle Gardens. This week’s Virtual Museum post is a photograph drawn from our collection which was taken during the unveiling ceremony. Unveiling of War Memorial, 28 April 1923. ILC&LM Collection The 23 foot high memorial of bronze and Botticino Marble

Journalist, historian and author, Hugh McCall was born on the 21st April 1805 in Chapel Hill, Lisburn. He was the eldest child of Robert McCall, a local muslin manufacturer. The family lived in various places in the town, including Seymour Street and Market Square. In 1818 Hugh joined his father’s muslin business, before setting up

This week’s Virtual Museum post features an important artefact from the town’s rich history.  Located at the entrance of the Museum, it is a stone slab which is inscribed and dated 1708. The stone is significant as it represents the rebirth of the town after the devastating fire the year before. On 20th April 1707,

This week’s Virtual Museum post is another drawn from our photographic collection. It captures the demolition of the old Lisburn Court House on Railway Street.  The court house was built in 1884 and was designed by John MacHenry. MacHenry, who lived in Lisburn, was the son of Paul MacHenry and succeeded his father as surveyor

This week’s Virtual Museum post is another item drawn from our photographic collection. Taken in the early 1900s, it features several workers standing in the doorway of Hinds Bros. Grocers, 45 Bow Street. Opened in 1894, Hinds Bros. took over the Bow Street premises from another grocer, Mr. William Scott. In an advertisement in the

Do you remember Crazy Prices in Bow Street, Lisburn?  It was developed in the late 1980s on former site of Stewarts’ Mill, one of Lisburn’s most prominent thread mills.  Crazy Prices was later replaced by Bow Street Mall, which still stands today. Take a look at these images from our photographic collection, featuring an advert for

Our Virtual Museum post for this week is a photograph drawn from our photographic collection of the men who built Sloan Street Presbyterian Church. The new church was built to accommodate a growing congregation at the end of the 19th century. Up until this point, the congregation met at a smaller building on Sloan Street,

Take a look at this image which was kindly  donated to our collection by avid local photographer Mr John Press. The image captures a the busy atmosphere of Antrim Street looking towards Bachelors Walk. But can you guess the year? Find out the answer below! The Image was taken in 1985.  Did you guess it right?

This week’s Virtual Museum post is a scene which has sadly disappeared from our countryside, the rural railway station. Drawn from our photographic collection, this picture of Hillsborough railway station captures a moment in time. The station, which was opened on 13th July 1863, was part of the Banbridge, Lisburn and Belfast railway line. Situated

This week’s Virtual Museum post delves into our photographic collection to look at a 1930 initiative by the Lisburn Chamber of Commerce. ‘Lisburn Shopping Week’ was set up to kick-start the local economy during the Great Depression. A direct appeal to the patriotism of the people of the town, Lisburn Shopping Week implored shoppers to

To mark International Women’s Day we are exploring the life of Mrs Lillian Metge, a local woman who played a part an important role in the campaign for women’s suffrage. Portrait of Mrs Lillian Metge. ILCLM Photograph. Fragment of Glass from bombing of Lisburn Cathedral. ILCLM Collection   In 1914, local suffragettes attempted to blow up

Did you know that the village of Hilden has strong historical connections with with the city of Paterson, New Jersey? The connection lies with the Barbour family who owned successful businesses in both locations. Barbour’s Mill in Grand Steet, Paterson, New Jersey. ILC&LM Collection The Barbour family came to Hilden in 1823, when William Barbour

Radio Rentals, once a feature of highstreets across the UK was the first company to offer domestic entertainment equipment rentals. Founded in 1930 in Brighton, Radio Rentals initially offered radio set rentals to their customers. Keeping up with developing technologies, televisions were added to the mix in the 1960s, and then in the 1970s and

An image from our photographic collection featuring a row of derelict houses, located just behind Bridge street. The image was kindly taken and donated by H.Duff  on the 15th February. But can you guess the year? Keep scrolling to reveal the answer. The image was taken in… 15th February 1969 Did you guess correctly?

Take a look at this great image from our photographic collection. The image shows Market Place looking from the Tower of Christ Church towards Bow Street, c.1991. If you look closely you can see the Market stalls in Smithfield Square and the old Swimming pool. The image was taken and kindly donated by Dennis Agnew.

This week’s Virtual Museum item is a 1938 photograph of the No. 3 Spinning Room staff at Wm. Barbour & Sons Ltd. Hilden Mill. The Barbour Mill at Hilden has deep historical connections with Lisburn, and was a source of employment for many local families. Two hundred years ago, in 1823 William Barbour bought a

Today marks the anniversary of the unveiing of a statue of Brigadier-General John Nicholson (1822-57). It was presented to the public in Lisburn’s Market Square on the 19th January 1922 101 years ago! Since its unveiling the statue has become very much apart of Lisburn’s Market Square and unsurprisingly has been captured by many photographers

Frederick Hermann, the 1st Duke of Schomberg was King William’s principal general in Ireland between 1689 and up until his death at the Battle of the Boyne in July 1690. Leading up to the decisive battle, Schomberg and his troops billeted in Lisburn throughout the winter of 1689/1690. On 18th January, 1690 Schomberg issued a

Do you remember or know anyone who worked at Jordan’s Mill? The flour mill situated on Antrim Street, operated for many years before its demolition in January 2000. The photographs below were kindly taken and donated to the Museum by John Press. ILCLM Photographic collection. Image of Jordan s Mill 1984, Kindly taken and donated

Christmas is a time when separation from loved ones is most keenly felt. The separation from one’s family in times past was often eased by the giving and receiving of Christmas cards. This was especially true in times of conflict, when one family member was serving overseas. This Virtual Museum post looks at two Christmas

A festive feature from our photographic collection, but can you guess what year it was taken? Answer revealed below! Market Square, Lisburn, December 1994 (ILC&LM Collection, gifted by John Press). At this time, the Irish Linen Centre had been open for two months.

  Are you in the festive spirit yet? Take a look at this photograph from our collection featuring a seasonal Market Square, c.1970s. What are your Christmas memories of Lisburn?  ILCLM Photographic Collection. Image taken, and kindly donated by Mr W McCartney

This week’s Virtual Museum post focuses on an item in the museum’s collection which was discovered in nearby Castle Gardens. Beneath the surface of this scenic and historic park lie what remains of the original ‘Manor House’, a mansion constructed by Sir Fulke Conway. Completed in 1622, the grand E-shaped mansion was ‘a timber-framed house

At this time of the year, during the pre-Christmas rush everyone is busy, not least the shopkeepers and traders of Lisburn who work long hours serving the shoppers of the town. This has been the case for many generations in Lisburn’s history. Therefore, this week’s Virtual Museum post looks at an item in the collection

The Big Freeze of 1963 Remaining one of the coldest winters on record, 1962 saw a series of blizzards cover large parts of Northern Ireland. Low temperatures continued throughout January 1963. Lisburn was no exception with snowfall covering the City. This December marks 60 years since ‘The Big Freeze’. So take a look through some

Our latest Virtual Museum post is a snapshot of what is undoubtedly Lisburn’s oldest tradition, market day. This striking photograph, taken around the turn of the last century captures the hustle and bustle of Lisburn’s vibrant weekly market. Each week traders lined out their wares in the area just outside the Market House, the building

This Virtual Museum post focuses upon a fascinating item from the Second World War … a poster advertising a local charity football match. The game advertised took place on 13 June 1941 and was between a Lisburn select XI and the Royal Ulster Rifles. The timing of the game was very interesting.  It was a

Do you remember Crazy Prices in Bow Street, Lisburn?  It was developed in the late 1980s on former site of Stewarts’ Mill, one of Lisburn’s most prominent thread mills.  The home of Robert Stewart (d.1858), the founder of the mill, still stands today.  It is now occupied by Maginess & Sons, solicitors.  Crazy Prices was later

As the Irish linen industry grew at the turn of the eighteenth century, linen merchants felt that a governing body was needed to nurture and guide it to greater success. So, the Board of Linen Manufacturers was established in 1710 to carry out this task. The board proved to be a success, remaining in place

This past week marked 100 years since the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb near Luxor, Egypt, an event which made headlines around the world. The discovery, by British archaeologist, Howard Carter captured the public imagination and was responsible for what has been described as a wave of ‘Egyptomania’. Inspiring fashion, art, and architecture, Carter’s discovery made

Today’s Virtual Museum post pays tribute to inventor Harry Ferguson, who was born on this day (4th November) 1884 just outside Hillsborough, Co. Down. Educated locally, Harry was fascinated by mechanics and technology from a young age. Like many of his age, however, he left school early to work on the family farm. Discovering that

Can you guess the year of this Bow Street scene? A shot of a busy Bow Street from our photographic collection.  Answer: 1990Did you get it right?

Halloween is with us once again. In shop windows costumes, props, sweets and nuts have been displayed for weeks now. The holiday is now more popular than ever. Although more commercial than in previous eras, Halloween thankfully still retains many of its older traditions. The fun of dressing up, party games, and the distribution of

As present day energy costs are never far from the news headlines, this week’s Virtual Museum blog post looks back to a time when the town of Lisburn took its first steps in industrial gas production. It is perhaps fitting, as this year (2022) marks the 185th anniversary of the establishment of the Lisburn Gas

In a previous Virtual Museum post we looked at the 1837 wedding of Arthur Wills Hill and Caroline Frances Stapleton Cotton. The wedding, the joining of two prominent landed families, took place in Cheshire in August of that year. Several weeks later the couple were again afforded the opportunity to publicly celebrate their union. This

Harp making has a long history on the island of Ireland, going back over a thousand years. A specialist craft which was often passed down within generations of the same family, it was steeped in tradition. While that tradition is long, carrying through to the present day, there were real fears that the art was

Over the past twelve days the world has been captivated by the news of the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. Given the recent Jubilee Celebrations, it made the Queen’s passing all the more poignant, while also casting minds back to her ascension to the Throne upon death of her father, King George VI,

Emma with out 160-year old loom! On 1 September 2022 Emma, our Assistant Education Officer, contributed to BBC’s Six Music The 6 Museum, where she explored the history of damask weaving, and its role in the early history of computers!  In telling the story of Lisburn and its importance to the Irish linen industry Emma

In the late nineteenth century cycling became a popular pastime across many parts of the world. Initially a quite expensive and dangerous hobby, it was people from middle and upper class backgrounds who were most likely to own a bicycle. However, by the time the 1890s rolled around, innovations such as ‘the safety bicycle’ and

Hillsborough Castle, the famous eighteenth century Georgian mansion, which is today the official residence in Northern Ireland of Queen Elizabeth II, was once the ancestral home of the Downshire Hill family. Used as the Irish residence of the Marquess of Downshire up until 1922, when it was given over to the Northern Ireland Government, the

Do you ever feel like you’re being watched by paintings? Don’t worry, you aren’t actually imagining things. The reason for this sensation is actually rooted in science. Due to the fact that perspectives, shadows and light are fixed in the painting, and therefore don’t change as you move around, your brain will try to interpret

Object: Postcard Featuring The Lake, Wallace Park c1900 With summer right around the corner, it’s time to take advantage of the glorious weather, get outdoors and explore our surroundings! Here’s a look back at one of Lisburn’s more tranquil beauty spots at the beginning of the last century. This section of Wallace Park remains largely

Arch welcoming King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, June 1937 As the people of Lisburn & Castlereagh mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, let’s take a look back at some of the pageantry surrounding the visit of her parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1937. This photograph shows a welcoming arch on the Hillsborough

Can you guess the year? The Radio Valley float as part of the Lord Mayor’s Parade. Crowds can be seen on Castle Street, Lisburn, enjoying the colourful display. Fredrick Thomas’s shop can be seen in the background.  But can you guess the year?

Video: a Barbour Rolls Royce What a fantastic video!  Follow the link to view this ITV video of John D. Barbour discussing the return of the family’s Rolls Royce Phantom.  The video is uploaded by Northern Ireland Screen’s Digital Film Archive. CLICK TO VIEW

Proof Cloth, Clemow’s Hotel Queenstown, woven at John Shaw Brown’s Donated in 2021 this fantastic proof cloth was woven at John Shaw Brown’s damask factory Edenderry in 1927.  The cloth belongs to the Clemow’s Royal Hotel Queenstown, South Africa.  Have you been?  Did you work at John Shaw Brown’s?  If so, get in touch!