Object: Boys playing leapfrog in the snow by Samuel McCloy LMILC:1997.99.13 This detail is from Samuel McCloy's watercolour 'Boys playing leapfrog in the snow'. The painting was donated to the museum in 1997. Samuel McCloy (1831-1904) was born in Bridge Street, Lisburn. He began his career as an apprentice with the Belfast [...]
Historic Photo: Lisburn in the snow, 1963 Do you remember the snow from 1963? According to the Met Office The Big Freeze of 1963 was one of coldest winters on record! Just after Christmas 1962 through to early March 1963 a high pressure system brought bitterly cold weather from the north - [...]
Object: French Lick Springs Hotel point paper for a linen damask tablecloth This wonderful design is printed on point paper; each square on the paper corresponds to a card, and these cards are fed into the Jacquard loom, producing the finished design. It was digitised in the museum's conservation studio. The French [...]
Object: Visitor's Guide to Kilwarlin Moravian Church This little guidebook, held in the museum's collection, tells the fascinating story of Kilwarlin Moravian Church. Do you know the history of the church? Formed in Bohemia in the 15th century, the church is a pre-Luther protestant denomination. At Kilwarlin, outside Hillsborough, the church boasts [...]
Historic Photograph: Hilden Play Park What are your memories of Hilden Play Park? Situated at Hilden, close to the War Memorial and opposite the site of the old EMB Hall, the was opened by Anna Edwards Barbour. Do you remember the maypole?
Object: Character Jugs, King George V & Queen Mary, c1911 Purchased 2021 The first sitting of the new parliament of Northern Ireland was held in early 1921 at Belfast City Hall, with King George V officially opening proceedings on 22 June 1921. You can read more about the day in our 'Planting a Parliament' [...]
Object: The Hertford Glasses Just as the museum was forced to close its entrance doors in March 2020, its #VirtualMuseum opened. The museum offered up a new visitor experience, accessible from the comfort of the laptops or smartphones. But did you know that a lot of the day-to-day museum work continued in the [...]
Object: Postcard, The Old Irish Jig ‘The Ould Irish Jig’ Postcard, published by William Lawrence, Dublin This postcard was sent almost 65 years after the song, the Old Irish Jig, was written. The song is a famous folk rhyme, but did you know that it was written by the Bard of Lambeg, James [...]
Object: a photograph of Bridge Street, 2000 Do you remember the Millennium? What were you doing as we moved from 1999 into the year 2000? Were you worrying about the Millennium bug? Were you at a party, or watching scenes from the Millennium Dome live on TV? Here's a photograph of the top of Market [...]
Object: Irene MacWilliam's amazing Irish Linen Wall Hanging LMILC.1997.103 Irene McWilliam is one of the foremost quilters and embroiders. She was awarded a BEM for services to textile art in 2019, and has won numerous awards for her work. In 2021 she won RSPB NI's artist of the year! Irene has exhibited her work in [...]
Objects: James McKowen, the Bard of Lambeg! In November 2021 the museum launched a new exhibition. 'The Bard of Lambeg, James McKowen (1814-89), Poet of Lisburn’ explores the life and work of local poet and historian James McKowen, and is launched in conjunction with a new book by the author and historian Gilbert Watson. [...]
Wm Barbour & Sons Advertising Poster Object: LMILC.2021.226 This wonderful advertising poster for Wm Barbour & Sons Ltd, was recently purchased for the collection. The museum holds a lot of Barbour-related items, but few have such interesting design elements, from the font to the 'W B' Celtic motif. Wm Barbour & Sons joined the [...]
A short snippet from the museum’s collection: A Flax Improvement Society Silver Medal, 1849 A silver award medal to R. Neill, Belfast, and engraved “In Commemoration of the Visit of Her Majesty Queen Victoria & H.R.H. Prince Albert to the Exhibition of Flax & Linen Fabrics in the Linen Hall, Belfast, on the 11th [...]
Snippet from the Collection: A short snippet from the museum’s collection: a red cross feeding cup c.1914-18 This patient Feeding Cup or Invalid Cup was used to help nurse injured Soldiers and Sailors who were bed-bound and could not sit up to feed. The cup is marked with a red cross, the symbol of the [...]
Snippet from the Collection: Barbour's Thread Box A short snippet from the museum’s collection: a Ladies' box of Barbour's domestic linen threads with needles and thimble, donated by a visitor.
Snippet form the Collection: A short snippet from the museum's collection: a Spool of Thread from Wolfhill Spinning Co. LTD. Located in Ligoniel, Belfast, Wolfhill Spinning Company produced linen thread.
Photo: A view of the Crimean Cannon in Castle Gardens
Photo: A view of the corner of Bow Street and Antrim Street in the snow, 1963.
Photo: A view of Market Square in the snow, 1963.
Market Square, 1919 David Gould (1871-1952) Born in Scotland, David Gould came to Belfast in 1891 to learn damask designing but qualified as an art teacher after attending the Government School of Art. He lived in Lisburn between 1909 and 1926 and taught at Friends' School, Lisburn for several years. The Museum has a number [...]
Lisburn Museum's Sporting Collections: tennis, golf and ice skating The Museum's holds a vast selection of objects, books, programmes, tickets, prints and ephemera relating to Lisburn and district's rich sporting history. The collection above illustrates just a snippet from the stores, and includes a Dunlop Maxply tennis racket with racket frame; wooden gymnastic [...]
Online Jigsaws feat Jimmy McIlroy and Samuel Lockhart Jimmy McIlroy The footballer Jimmy McIlroy lived at Ballyskeagh. At 14 he was playing for Lisburn Technical College when he was spotted and asked to play for Craigavad F.C., and later Glentoran F.C.. He moved to England to play for Burnley F.C., [...]
Happy St Patrick's Day To celebrate St Patrick's Day we are featuring a beautiful postcard from the museum's archive (Ref: LMILC:1990:136).
Mrs Metge The Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum has acquired a rare medal awarded to local suffragette Lillian Metge. The medal was presented to Mrs Metge in recognition of a hunger strike she undertook in August 1914 while on trial for her alleged role in blowing up the east window of Lisburn [...]
Digital Wallace: 3D Scanning, 3D Printing and AR Project Are you aged 16-25? If so then you’re invited to get hands on with a range of digital tools, including 3D printing, 3D scanning, Augmented Reality (AR) and laser cutting in an exciting new digital heritage project, in conjunction with the Nerve [...]
From the Collection: a view of the River Lagan, Joseph W Carey (1859-1937), ‘October, 1907’ Purchased 2017. Joseph William Carey lived for some time at Kilwarlin, near Hillsborough, where his father was minister of the Moravian Church (see our Reformation exhibition for more information on Moravians). A talented illustrator, Carey worked for Marcus Ward and [...]
From the Collections: Flax Medal, Dunbar McMaster, 1903 Hugh Dunbar, W.A. Stewart and John Johnston began manufacturing at the new spinning mill on Mill Street, Gilford, in 1836. Within two years the firm employed over 200 workers. Later, a large five-storey complex was added to the works, and by the 1840s the firm began trading [...]
From the Collection: Sister Margaret Johnston, Ballinderry, Memorial Plaque Although this might seem a little macabre, this Memorial Plaque commemorates Sister Margaret Johnston who dedicated her life to helping others. Having trained at the Royal Infirmary in Sheffield, Ballinderry-born Margaret Johnston was employed as a district nurse before undertaking church missionary work in Turkey. At [...]
From the Collection: A rare gold watch presented to Capt. Nickerson by the Lisburn Relief Committee 1863 Watch presented to Capt. Nickerson by the Lisburn Relief Committee 1863 Purchased USA, 2017 As a ‘token of their respect and esteem’ the Lisburn Relief Committee presented this gold watch and chain to Captain Moses Nickerson (1812-71), of [...]
From the Collection: Back Lane, Lisburn by Dennis Osborne Back Lane, Lisburn by Dennis Osborne. This pen and watercolour on cream card sketch is signed by the artist (1963), Dennis Osborne, and shows Back Lane just before demolition and widening. The Road became Laganbank Road. It was a narrow laneway between the gasometers and the [...]
From the Collection: ‘Martin Luther, Heretic’, Etching, c.1650 ‘Martin Luther, Heretic’ Etching c.1650 after Wenceslaus Hollar (1607-77) Purchased 2017. This Spanish etching of Luther shows the devil whispering in his ear. He had been condemned as a heretic – holding views contrary to church teaching – by the Pope in 1521, and ex-communicated. The Reformation [...]
‘Nurses from WW1’ a new publication featuring the museum's collections ‘Nurses from WW1’ a new publication featuring the museum's collections has been published by the Royal College of Nursing, Northern Ireland. The book features the story of Nurse Margaret (Hessie) Johnston from Ballinderry, Lisburn. She joined the Queen Alexandra Imperial Military Nursing Service (R) and [...]
BBC Ulster's Songs of Ulster - The Wee Weaver, a collaboration In June 2017 BBC Ulster's 'Songs of Ulster', with presenter Marty Cullen, travelled to the glens of Antrim to hear emerging traditional singers chant the songs of their locality, including 'The Wee Weaver' by Meabh Meir which was recorded here in Irish Linen Centre [...]
The world of fashion is brought to your fingertips in a new virtual exhibition by Google and the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum 3000 years of the world’s fashion is brought together in the largest virtual exhibition of style. The “We wear culture” project by Google Arts & Culture is a collaboration with the [...]
New website commemorating Lisburn and District’s First World War Dead In marking the ongoing centenary of the Great War (1914-18) the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum, in conjunction with local researcher Pat Geary, have launched a free dedicated website (www.Lisburn-and-the-great-war.com) detailing the men from Lisburn and the wider district (from Aghalee to Dunmurry, Hillsborough [...]
A collaboration with the museum and the BBC. Scottish songstress and musician, Eddi Reader is as fascinated with the melodic rhythms of this century-old loom at the Irish Linen Museum in Lisburn as she is with the world and work of The Weaver Poets – Ulster’s own Bards who were linen workers and weavers by [...]
Neil Shawcross, RUA, RHA (b.1940), Hilden Mill in the Snow c.1985 Oil on canvas ILC&LM collection 2016 © The artist This picture was inspired by the artist seeing the red brick mass of Hilden Mill vividly set against the white of surrounding snow. Linen thread-making was established at the Plantation, Lisburn in 1784. By the late-19th [...]
Corner of Antrim Street/Bow Street in the snow, c.1963 Each day this Advent, we will be sharing a different image of Lisburn and district from the museum’s collection. Feel free to share them with your friends and family, and get in touch if you have memories of the area, or further pictures.
Market Square North in the snow, c.1963.
The Corner House Pub, Antrim Street, c.1960s, now Midas the jewelers. The famous First World War image of the 11th battalion Royal Irish Rifles outside Tom Oliver's was taken here. Each day this Advent, we will be sharing a different image of Lisburn and district from the museum’s collection. Feel free to share them with [...]
Lisnagarvey Hockey Club and the First World War In preparing for the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum’s major exhibition ‘The Somme, Our Story’ (opened July 2016), the museum has been conducting research into the men who played for, or had close connections to, Lisnagarvey Hockey Club and the First World War (1914-18). To date, [...]
Fire Authority building, Castle Street (demolished c.1983), as viewed from Castle Gardens. Each day this Advent, we will be sharing a different image of Lisburn and district from the museum’s collection. Feel free to share them with your friends and family, and get in touch if you have memories of the area, or further pictures.
The Sisters of the Sacred Heart arrived in Lisburn in 1870s, establishing a convent on Seymour Street. These building was demolished in the 1970s. Each day this Advent, we will be sharing a different image of Lisburn and district from the museum’s collection. Feel free to share them with your friends and family, and get [...]
Who remembers Walter Allen? Old Quay Street/Bridge Street junction, photographed from the new Queens Road, c.1983. Each day this Advent, we will be sharing a different image of Lisburn and district from the museum’s collection. Feel free to share them with your friends and family, and get in touch if you have memories of the [...]
Quay Street with the Island chimney, as seen from Bridge Street, c.1960s.
A rare view of Bridge Street from the Gasworks/Back Lane area of Lisburn. Many of the houses had long, sloping back gardens. Each day this Advent, we will be sharing a different image of Lisburn and district from the museum’s collection. Feel free to share them with your friends and family, and get in [...]
Stannus Place was a wonderful late-Georgian terrace of six three-storey houses set at right angles to the river. Each day this Advent, we will be sharing a different image of Lisburn and district from the museum’s collection. Feel free to share them with your friends and family, and get in touch [...]
Greens and Chittick’s shops on Bow Street, c.1990s, Chittick's opened in 1931, selling a range of fashions. It closed in 2006. Greens have been trading in Lisburn since the 1890s. Each day this Advent, we will be sharing a different image of Lisburn and district from the museum’s collection. Feel free to share them with [...]
The lion decorated the shop front of the Golden Lion Tea House, which was established at 59 Bow Street. The premises were later purchased by John G. Feguson and continued in use as a spirit grocery after its lease to Jordan Brothers around 1950.
Who remembers Elmore’s at Bow Street/corner of Market Place? The business was established in the town in 1896. Each day this Advent, we will be sharing a different image of Lisburn and district from the museum’s collection. Feel free to share them with your friends and family, and get in touch if you have [...]
The new church was opened on Chapel Hill in June 1900, replacing an earlier building dating from 1786. The spire was added in the 1930s. The beautiful late Victorian St Joseph’s Hall was built in 1889, and only replaced in the 2000s. Each day this Advent, we will be sharing a different image of Lisburn [...]
Haslem’s Lane, with James Street to the right, Smithfield, c.1964 The now demolished James Street, where Lisburn Square now stands, just off Haslem’s Lane. Each day this Advent, we will be sharing a different image of Lisburn and district from the museum’s collection. Feel free to share them with your friends and family, [...]
Former Royal Irish Constabulary Barracks, Smithfield, c.1970s Now Glasgow’s, this building was formerly Smithfield RIC barracks. There were two other barracks in the town, at the Railway Station and Hillhall. Each day this Advent, we will be sharing a different image of Lisburn and district from the museum’s collection. Feel free to share [...]
Terraced shops at Smithfield Street, c.1970s This row of terraced shops at Smithfield Street is still standing today. In the 1830s, Smithfield was described as being occupied by ‘several good and lofty houses...with respectable tradespeople’. Each day this Advent, we will be sharing a different image of Lisburn and district from the museum’s collection. [...]
Lisburn Swimming Pool at Smithfield, c.1970s The old Cattle Market has been replaced with the Lisburn swimming pool, which opened in 1970 and closed in 1999. If you look closely, the row of terraced houses can still be seen in Lisburn Square, although much altered. Each day this Advent, we will be sharing a [...]
Smithfield, Lisburn, c.1960s Standing in Market Street/Linenhall Street this view of Smithfield (now the site of Lisburn Market/ back entrance to Green’s) shows the Victorian terraced housing that once dominated this area. Each day this Advent, we will be sharing a different image of Lisburn and district from the museum’s collection. Feel [...]
A rare view of Linenhall Street, looking towards Market Street This rare view shows a shirt factory on Linenhall Street, located right next door to Coulsons and across the street from the town’s historic brown linen hall. Each day this Advent, we will be sharing a different image of Lisburn and district from [...]
Lisburn Advent Calendar 2016 – Day 5: Corner of Market Street and Smithfield This photograph, by John Press shows the corner of Market Street and Smithfield, where McCalls stands today. It's taken from the junction of Linenhall Street, right outside the historic Brown Linenhall (now the Post Office). Note the very trendy 1970s white boots! [...]
Lisburn Advent Calendar 2016 – Day 4: the Island Spinning Mill, Lisburn. We have a real treat today, two unusual views of the Island Spinning mill. Opened in the 1860s, the mill produced linen thread for over 120 years, only ceasing production in the 1980s. Now demolished, the sites is now home to Lisburn & [...]
Lisburn Advent Calendar 2016 - Day 3: Back Lane Back Lane ran from (today's) Governors Rd to Hill Street, at an angle to Bridge Street and Barnsley's Row. The town's gasworks were on one side of the street. Photograph by John Press. Each day this Advent, we will be sharing a different image of Lisburn [...]
Lisburn Advent Calendar 2016 - Day 2: Piper's Hill Looking Towards Hill Street This photograph, by John Press, looks across to Hill Street from Piper's Hill/Market Lane. On the right it the partially cleared site of the world-famous Coulson's Damask factory, on the left is Barnsley's Row. Dates from the mid-1960s. Does anyone know [...]
Lisburn Advent Calendar 2016 - Day 1: Hill Street Looking Towards Piper's Hill, Lisburn Each day this Advent, we will be sharing a different image of Lisburn and district from the museum's collection. Feel free to share them with your friends and family, and get in touch if you have memories of the area, or [...]
Lisburn Advent Calendar 2016 - Follow us for updates Each day this Advent, we will be sharing a different image of Lisburn and district from the museum's collection. Feel free to share them with your friends, and if you have any memories then let us know!
‘Colin Mountain from Hillsborough’ by Basil Blackshaw, Lisburn Museum 2014 Medium: oil on canvas, Size:45 x 44.5 cm. (17.7 x 17.5 in.) ‘Colin Mountain from Hillsborough’ by Basil Blackshaw was an oil painting by one of Ireland’s finest artists and was presented to the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum in 2014. The generous donation [...]
Lisnagarvey Transmitting Station 80 Year Anniversary This year we are celebrating the Lisnagarvey Transmitting Station 80 Year Anniversary. Located in the civil parish of Blaris , the tower is actually situated in the townland of Magherageery, and not Lisnagarvey. The townland of Lisnagarvey, which Lisburn derives its name from, is actually in the centre of Lisburn city. [...]
Happy St Patrick's Day 2016 from the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum
'Thundery Showers, County Down' by Terence Philip Flanagan As featured on ArtUk's website, 'Thundery Showers, County Down' by Terence Philip Flanagan (1929–2011) is held in the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum's collection. Painted in 1965, this oil on canvas was gifted to the museum on 1996. T. P. Flanagan T. P. Flanagan is considered [...]
Mrs Metge and the Lisburn Bomb A fragment of glass from Mrs Metge's bomb at Lisburn Cathedral has recently gone on display in the museum's 'Lisburn, 1912-1915' exhibition. The fragile piece of glass is on loan from Lisburn Cathedral.
Guest Post: this post was written by Alison, a 6th year student from Wallace High who spent some time in the museum in January 2016 on work experience. The original castle of Sir Fulke Conway began construction in 1622 and was in the style of a manor house. During the 1660s and 1670s further work [...]
Researching Damask Our Curator, Brian Mackey, with Linda Eaton, John L. & Marjorie P. McGraw Director of Collections & Senior Curator of Textiles at Winterthur Museum, Delaware, who visited the museum recently. Linda is researching linen damask made for the American market, and had the opportunity to explore the museum's internationally-significant damask collection. Brian Mackey, [...]
Philadelphia exhibition 1876: Woven Damask banner Woven to celebrate the centenary of the signing of the declaration of independence in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this banner features a scene from Benjamin West’s famous depiction of the Quaker William Penn (1644-1718) signing a peace treaty with the Native Americans. Note the text below Penn: ‘The Only Treaty Never [...]
New Book: The Chemistry of Textile Fibres A new publication on the Chemistry of Textile Fibres featuring material from the museum's collections has been published. This is the 2nd edition of Mather and Wardman's seminal text, revised and updated. The publisher's blurb: Textiles are ubiquitous materials that many of us take for granted in our [...]
Exhibition (April 2015) - The ‘dreaded peninsula’ April 25th (Anzac Day), marks the centenary of the Gallipoli Campaign, a series of disastrous allied landings in, what is now, modern-day Turkey during the First World War (1914-1918). Turkey’s entry into the war had cut off the supply route between Britain and France and their ally Russia [...]
Happy Paddy’s Day To celebrate St Patrick’s Day we’re featuring a beautiful postcard from the museum’s archive (Ref: 1990.136). This St Patrick’s day why not drop in to the museum and enjoy our new exhibition Lisburn, 1912-1914 or explore the fascinating history of Wallace Park in our temporary display. […]
BBC's Imagining Ulster, featuring material from the museum's collection Did you see William Crawley's fantastic Imagining Ulster? Recently featured on BBC One NI, the show: "explores some of the social, cultural and political influences that have shaped aspects of identity in Northern Ireland. It looks at how Ulster has been a meeting place between different [...]
Scottish Diaspora Tapestry: Hilden Mill The museum as recently involved in the first and second editions of the Scottish Diaspora Tapestry. This is a 'community arts project celebrating the Scottish Diaspora through embroidery'. The museum made a number of contributions, notably on the Barbour panel.
Royal Irish Rifles 'Brodie' Helmet Taken from our collection, this Royal Irish Rifles 'Brodie' Helmet - named after its designer John Brodie - was donated by Mr J A Anderson. It belonged to Corporal James Anderson (1895-1945), originally from Boardmills but later Belfast, who fought in the Great War with the 1st Battalion of the [...]
Cardiff and Lisburn Last weekend I had the opportunity to visit Cardiff. As I explored the city, particularly the castle, I noted that both Lisburn and Cardiff have similar histories. For example: 1. Both have histories that can be traced back to the First Millennium, and beyond. Lisburn, and its name, owes much to the [...]
The Irish Volunteers at Christmas (1914) Formed in November 1913, the Irish Volunteers were, in part, a nationalist reaction to the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF). The Volunteers, with Eoin MacNeill acting as a figurehead, although they were largely controlled by the secretive Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB), who would later launch the Easter Rising in 1916. Bulmer Hobson (1883-1969), [...]
Natural Colours Guest Post: this post was written by Megan, a second year student studying Textile Art, Design and Fashion from the University of Ulster, Belfast. Megan has been on a placement at the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum preparing a natural dyeing project, experimenting with extracting dyes from various organic matters. "Dyeing with plants is a kind [...]
The November/December issue of History Ireland features an article from our Research Officer Ciaran Toal on local suffragette Lillian Metge and her attempt to blow up Lisburn Cathedral in the fight for women's suffrage. The article brings together primary and secondary research and not only examines the events surrounding the August 1914- bombing of [...]
Glenmore Bleach Works and Glenmore House Guest Post: this post was written by Callum, a year 12 student from Laurelhill Community College who spent a week in the museum on work experience. Fantastic job Callum! Glenmore House was originally called Lambeg House, one of the original owners of the house was Francis Seymour, 1st Viscount Conway. [...]
Eamonn Mallie at Lisburn Museum To mark the recent presentation to the museum of Blackshaw’s ‘Colin Mountain from Hillsborough’ (c.1970) by the Lisburn Historic Quarter Arts Group, Eamonn Mallie, the organiser and editor of the publication ‘Blackshaw’ (2003) was invited to give a guest lecture on the artist. To a packed Assembly Rooms on October [...]
Great news for the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum: our Museum Accreditation has been renewed! What is Museum Accreditation? The Accreditation Scheme The Accreditation Scheme sets nationally agreed standards for museums in the UK. There are currently just under 1,800 museums participating in the scheme, demonstrating their commitment to managing collections effectively for the [...]
'Riverland - The River Lagan' The BBC's new series Riverlands explores Ireland's waterways, and in the first episode 'The River Lagan' the show features pictures videos from the museum's collections. Special attention is given to the Lagan's role in supporting the linen trade, including: Lisburn's canals, Barbours' Hilden Mill and the retting dams and ponds [...]
Killeaton House c.1900. It is believed that the photo shows, from left to right, Mrs Harriet Grubb, Mrs Lillian Metge (seated), Mr Richard Grubb and Mrs Margaret Maguire, the Grubb's housekeeper. Killeaton House Built in 1870, Killeaton House was home to Richard Cambridge Grubb (d. 1916) and Harriet Richardson (1847-1943), daughter of Jonathan Richardson (1804-1894), [...]
Lisburn's Republicans: the Irish Volunteers The Museum's latest exhibition was recently featured in a piece in the Andersonstown News. The Irish Volunteers uniform is featured in a section on Ernest Blythe, the Magheragall-born Protestant, Irish republican, and Gaelic-language enthusiast. For more information visit 'Lisburn, 1912-1914' .
The Art and Science of Linen The Art and Science of Linen from Alex May on Vimeo. “The Art and Science of Linen” is a video artwork created by artists Anna Dumitriu, Alex May, and microbiologist Dr John Paul, with sound by Martin A. Smith. It looks at the whole ecology of linen production from [...]
