Joe Graham presenting the peoples history of Belfast for forty years


OLD BELFAST PUBS 

Inn, location unknown. 1611 (Benn, 1877, 86).

Inn, location unknown. George Thomson 1645 (Young, 1894, 251).

Widow Partridge’s inn, location unknown. 1655 (Benn, 1877, 418).

Eagle and Child, location unknown. 1690 (Davies, 113, 118), 1719 (Funeral register, 21).

Adam and Eve, location unknown. 1719, 1733 (Funeral register, 21, 40).

Sign of the Sun, location unknown. 1719 (Funeral register, 21).

Sign of the Peacock, location unknown. 1727 (Funeral register, 32).

George Inn, North St N. (37254620). The George 1738 (BNL 6.3.1738), 1752 (Strain, 18). George Inn, Mr McGockin 1791, 1794 (BNL 8.4.1791, 2.5.1794). Closed, converted to ballroom in 1795 (see 21 Entertainment).

Angel and Two Bibles, Bridge St, site unknown. 1739 (BNL 11.5.1739).

King’s Head, Church Lane, site unknown. 1739 (BNL 27.3.1739).

Nag’s Head, North St S., site unknown. 1739 (BNL 13.4.1739).

Race Horse, North St, site unknown. 1739 (BNL 20.4.1739).

Seven Stars, High St, near post office (see 13 Administration), site unknown. 1739, 1758, 1771 (BNL 1.6.1739, 25.7.1758, 14.5.177 1).

Royal Boot, Waring St S., opposite Exchange (q.v.), site unknown. 1750 (BNL 15.6.1750). Donegall Arms Hotel, Castle Place N. (38904330). New inn, opened in 1752 (Millin,

1938, 129); 1757 (BNL 1.7.1757), 1767 (Young, 1892, xii), 1777 (Joy, 137).

Rebuilt, enlarged as Donegall Arms Hotel in 1786; Donegall Arms Inn 1798; 1807

(BNL 9.5.1786, 22.1.1798; Smyth and Lyons). Donegall Arms Tavern 1813 (BSD.

Donegall Arms Hotel 1824 (Pigot), c. 1825 (Gaffikin. 17). Unnamed c. 1830 OS

Donegall Arms Hotel 1833 (BA), 1835 (Leigh. 20 rn

Cross Guns, High St N., opposite market house (c. . si:e rini: 1790 :Ireed 1771 (BNL 26.3.1756, 25.10.1771,

King’s Arms, Donegall St, site unknown. rerhaps same as King’s Arms. New Gravel Lane (q.v.). 1765 (B 1.2.17651.

Crown Tavern and Hotel, High St, site unknown. 1768; converted to residence in 1794; Crown Tavern and Hotel ‘revived’ in 1813 (BNL 20.9.1768, 28.2.1794, 17.9,1813). Converted to Royal Wax Works by 1820 (see 21 Entertainment).

Pewter Plates, Bridge St, site unknown. 1768 (BNL 4.11.1768).

Donegall Arms, Ann St, site unknown. Barleymow Inn 1771. 1793: Donegail Arms ‘BSL 16.4.1771, 3.5.1793, 30.5.1800).

Plow, Castle St, site unknown. 1772 (BOdL ‘

Echlin’s Arms, Church Lane. site unknown. Huch Lyndon. opened in 1775 (BNL 27.6.1775).

Antrim Arms, North St, site unknown. Thomas Scott 1776 (BNL 17.12.1766).

King’s Arms Hotel, North St, site unknown. King’s Arms 1776 (BNL 17.12.1776), 1804 (Benn, 1880, 45), 1824 (Pigot), 1833 (BA), 1835 (Matier).

Pottinger’s Arms, E. end of Long Bridge (see 17 Transport), site unknown. 1776 (BNL 30.7.1776).

Phoenix, High St. site unknown. Mrs Harvey 1780 (BXL l-t.l1,1790.

Rose and Crown, Gaw’s Entr;, opposi:e maine: d: :... o:e rnklz:’a:. Cdares Bosweil 1780 SAL 24.10,17SCF

Bambridge, Sugar House Entry E. 401 --90,i. Dr Franklin Tavern. Peggy Barciav a. 1795; Haylock’s tavern 1811 (BCC 25.5.1811). William Faloon 1818 (Leighton,

0),l824 (Pigot). Unnamed c. 1830 (OS). Prey’s hotel and tavern 1835 (Matier). Taken over by Abraham Bambridge in 1839 (O’Byrne. 135).

White Cross, Castle Sr. site unknown. Linn’s. White Cross 1795 BAL 16.1,1795. White

Cross Inn 1804. 1808 (Benn. 1880. 45. PatOckLmn 1879 Srr.:i a’inin:

(Pigot). Pat Lynn’s White Cross a. 1825 (Gafrikin. 79’, 1825 B-t 1535 Lnrh.

207).

O’Neil’s hotel, Frederick St, site unknown. 1797 (BNL 3.2.1797).

Plough Hotel, Corn Market W. (39204300.). Plough Hotel c. 1800 (BT 10.11.1934). Unnamed c. 1830 (OS). Plough Hotel 1835 (Matier).

Rainbow Hotel, Wilson’s Court, site unknown. Mermaid Inn c. 1800 (Patton, 340). m

Black Bull Inn, North St, site unknown. 1800 (BNL 13.5.1800).

Cumberland Tavern, Queen’s Sq. S., site unknown. Cumberland Arms ‘very old inn’ 1804 (Benn, 1880, 45). Cumberland Tavern 1813 (BSD).

Gillet’s inn, Wilson’s Court, site unknown. 1804 (Benn, 1880, 45).

White Hart, Church Lane, site unknown. 1804 (Benn, 1880, 45).

Belfast Hotel, Arthur St, site unknown. Henry Gillet 1805 (BNL 15.11.1805), 1807 (Smyth and Lyons), 1809 (BNL 14.11.1809).

Hotel, Donegall St, site unknown. William Higginson 1808 (Smyth and Lyons), 1824 (Pigot), c. 1825 (Gaffikin. 17), 1833 (BA).

The Monkey Shaving the Goat, location unknown. 1808 (BNL 26.2.1808).

King’s Arms, New Gravel Lane, site unknown, perhaps same as King’s Arms, Donegall St (q.v.). Mr Williamson 1811 (BNL 24.12.1811).

Bird in Hand, Ann St, site unknown. Hugh Ross 1813 (BSD).

Boot and Crown, Smithfield Sq. North, site unknown. John Fitzpatrick 1813 (BSD). Coach and Horses, Corn Market, site unknown. Maxwell Halliday 1813 (BSD).

Coach and Horses, Corn Market, site unknown. Maxwell Halliday 1813 (BSD).

Glasgow Hotel, High St S. (39454315). Glasgow Tavern 1813 (BSD).

Glass House, Ballymacarret, site unknown. John Wheeler 1813 (BSD).

Highlandman, Carrick Hill, site unknown. John Walker 1813 (BSD):

Hotel, junction North St/Rosemary St, site unknown. 1813 (BSD), Daniel Miskelly 1824 (Pigot). Hotel 1828 (BA), 1833 (BNL 23.7.1833). See also 17 Transport: coach office.

Hounds and Hare, North St, site unknown. Eliza Gilliland 1813 (BSD).

Irish Arms, Smithfield, site unknown. Jane Davis 1813 (BSD).

Red Cow, North St, site unknown. Alexander Davie 1813 (BSD).

Rosemary Arms, Rosemary St, site unknown. Francis O’Neal 1813 (BSD).

Shamrock, Smithfield, site unknown. Edward Gribbon 1813 (BSD).

Tailor’s Arms, Royal Aye, site unknown. Bernard Gribbin 1813 (BSD).

Wellington, Barrack St, site unknown. George Johnston 1813 (BSD).

Wheat Sheaf, May St, site unknown. Andrew Gibson 1813 (BSD), 1824 (Pigot).

Wheat Sheaf, North St, site unknown. Mary Scott 1813 (BSD).

White Cross, North St, site unknown. Mary Graham 1813 (BSD).

Windmill, Ballymacarret, site unknown. Daniel Taggart 1813 (BSD).

Royal Hotel, Donegall Place W., in former Donegall House (see 22 Residence). Opened in c. 1820 (Patton, 105). Belfast Royal Hotel 1828 (BA). Kern’s Royal Hotel 1835 (Leigh, 207). Cairn’s Royal Hotel 1835 (Matier). an

Belfast Commercial Hotel, Waring St S., in Commercial Buildings (q.v.). New hotel 1821 (BNL 20.2.182 1). Commercial Hotel 1824 (Pigot). Belfast Commercial Hotel 1828 (BA). Commercial Hotel 1835 (Leigh, 207). an

Campbell’s hotel, Ann St, site unknown. Campbell’s hotel 1821 (BNL 15.5.1821), 1824 (Pigot), 1828 (BA).

Anderson’s inn, Victoria St, site unknown. Thomas Anderson 1824 (Pigot), 1839 (Martin).

Belfast Arms Hotel, Rosemary St, site unknown. 1824 (Pigot), 1828, 1833 (BA).

Hotel, Sugar House Entry, site unknown. Opened in 1826 (BNL 10.11.1826).

Daly’s hotel Castle Arcade, site unknown. M. Daly 1833 (BA).

Dublin Hotel, Ann St. site unknown. Ms Livingstone 1833 (BA). H. Livingstone 1835 (Matier).

Hall’s hotel, Waring St, site unknown. William Hall 1833 (BA). Hall’s 1835 (Matier).

Hope Hotel, Castle Arcade, site unknown. Mrs Clarke 1833 (BA). Hope Tavern 1335 rlatier). Hope Hotel 1839 (Martin).

Hotel, Waring St. site unknown. John McCaidin 1833 (BA).

Royal Temperance Hotel. Waring St S. 402545l5 Mrs Lyons, Temperance Hotel 1833 (BA). Royal Temperance Hotel 1839 (Martin). See also 20 Education: news room. an

Belfast, Corporation St E., site unknown. Mrs Boyle 1835 (Matier).

Campbell’s hotel, Castle St, site unknown. 1835 (Leigh, 207).

Edinburgh Hotel, High St, site unknown. 1835 (Matier).

McAldin’s hotel, Waring St, site unknown. 1835 (Matier).

McAllister’s hotel, Graham’s Entry, site unknown. Mrs McAllister 1835 (Matier).

New Dock Hotel, Corporation St E., site unknown. John Harbinson 1835 (Matier).

North Star Inn, North St S. (38054550). 1835 (Matier), 1839 (Martin). ar

Sloane’s hotel, Donegall St, site unknown. 1835 (Leigh, 207).

Smith’s hotel, location unknown. 1835 (Matier).

Smith’s hotel, Victoria St, site unknown. 1835 (Matier).

Vine Hotel, Castle Lane, site unknown. 1835 (Matier).

Ulster Railway Hotel, Great Victoria St E. (35753745). Built in c. 1839 (Larmour, 62). an

Carman’s inn, Arthur St, site unknown. Hugh Young 1839 (Martin).

Carman’s inn, Gorden St, site unknown. James Murray 1839 (Martin).

Carman’s inn, Little Donegall St, site unknown. David Watt 1839 (Martin).

Cross Keys Inn, North St, site unknown. William Vint 1839 (Martin).

Highlandman Inn, Ann St, site unknown. James Keenan 1839 (Martin).

Lonclonderry and Coleraine Hotel, Corn Market, site unknown. Mrs Smith 1839 (Martin).

Low’s inn, Upper Church Lane, site unknown. James Low 1839 (Martin).

Queen’s Arms Inn, North SI, site unknown. W.T. Cunningham 1839 (Martin).

Suffern’s inn, North St, site unknown. James Suffem 1839 (Martin).

Thistle Tavern and Hotel, Waring St, site unknown. James Watt 1839 (Martin).

Printing offices:

Location unknown, probably same as next entry. 1694 (Benn, 1877, 425). Patrick Neil and .Co. 1699 (Dix, 157).

Bridge St, site unknown. James Blow 1704 (Benn, 1877, 429), 1706 (Dix, 158). Daniel Blow 1759; closed in 1794 (Marshall, 1934, 16).

Location unknown. Robert Gardiner 1713 (Munter, 110).

Bridge St, site unknown. James Magee 1736 (Munter, 178), 1745 (Greeves, 39), 1760 (Marshall, 1908, 63). James and William Magee 1775; William Magee 1790 (Marshall, 1934, 16).

Bridge Si, site unknown. Samuel Wilson 1736 (Munter, 308).

Bridge St E. (39954405). Opened by Francis Joy in 1738 (BNL 16.2.1738). Robert Joy 1767 (PRONI, D5091257).

High St S. (39954370). Henry Joy 1764 (BNL 6.3.1764), 1767 (PRONI, D509/265), 1795 (BNL 11.5.1795), 1826 (PRONI, D652/942).

Bridge St, site unknown. John Potts 1739 (Munter, 213).

High St, site unknown. Smyth and Lyons 1802 (BNL 13.8.1802), 1807, 1808 (Smyth and Lyons).

Pottinger’s Entry, site unknown. In operation by 1831 (Marshall, 1934, 15). Closed, moved to Corn Market in 1834

Looking Back On Old Smithfield

With Joe Graham

The early J970’s saw the disappearance of the old Smithfield Market, which went up in flames in the current struggle for Irish Independence. No organisation took responsibility perhaps because they realised that it would have been a very unpopular thing to have done. On the other hand there were many who believed that some one had been paid to do it to facilitate the building of a new shopping complex for the area. The people sobbed silently, the Robber Barons of Belfast cried “SACRILEGE”. .but never replaced the historic old market, privately they gloated, now they had seen the last of ‘that eye sore’ ,they could extend their shopping ‘centre’ of Belfast. Royal Avenue and High Street may have been the ‘centre’ of Belfast but Smithfield was the heart, and its little lanes the main arteries of that vital organ. In its lifetime it witnessed social history change through the generations. Many business’s still exist in the area that at one time were in the market, You’ll recall the legendary Joe Kavanagh’s shop with his famous “I BUY ANYTHING” sign. now there is a larger than life character, back in the 1950’s Joe hired an aeroplane and had its pilot ‘buzz’ the whole city in the low flying plane and trailing through the air it dragged a massive banner declaring, in huge letters “I Buy Anything”, it was Joe’s wee way of advertising, not for him a block Ad in the Irish News. The Kavanagh family started in a business in nearby Millfield in the 1800’s selling new and second hand horse harness, etc, and later moved into Smithfield and to the buying and selling of anything. The story goes that as a child the young Joe Kavanagh was repeatedly dragged up in front of the headmaster over his activities in the school playground, Apparently Joe would buy and sell everything from a rabbit’s paw to a iron marble to his school mates. Many a boy walked home scratching his head trying to think what he was going to tell his mother how he had just given Joe the beautiful fountain pen that his uncle Harry(his mother’s favourite brother) had sent him from America and in exchange he had a big safety Pin and a marble and a rubber duck, a tiny rubber duck, and as Joe said. ‘the pin is a SHINY NEW one’ now the Boy knew how Jack felt when he had to tell his mother that he had exchanged the family cow for a handful of beans’ The schoolteachers later spoke of how they had always known that Joe was destined to become King Of Smithfield. by his wheeling and dealing in the school playground.

Havlin’s the Locksmiths are perhaps the oldest existing Smithfield traders, It was away back in 1866 that William Havlin first opened his shop in the parlour of his home at 72Kiagstreet and from this humble beginning the family firm of Havlin’s Irelands finest locksmiths was founded William’s son, Eddie took up the business and then his own three sons11JoeWilliam and Eddie i’s time opened shops in Smithfield, three at the one time It was the son of Eddie that took up the family tradition bringing the business into the 4th Generation of Havlin’s trading from the Old Smithfield area This proud grandson of William the founder of the business is another Eddie Here is an interesting story I must tel you back in the 1960’s a photograph appeared in the Belfast Telegraph, showing the then Minister of Home Affairs, William Craig visiting Crumlin Road Jail and in the photo a warden standing to attention and saluting his boss, in his left hand he held a steel ring with a big key on it. The ordinary man on the street took little notice of the event but the boul Eddie, on seeing the picture casually remarked that it was a lapse in security, the key he pointed out could quite easily be copied from the photo he turned and got on with his work , but the matter did not end there, oh no tongues began to wag, Yer man, Eddie Havlin said he could make a key for the Crumlin Road Jail was the word that went out, and journalists always looking for a good story jumped on the bandwagon and threw out a challenge for Eddie to come up with the goods a case of put up or shut up well now Irelands finest locksmith was forced into a corner he had to defend that long tradition of Havlin’s Locksmiths, the family integrity was at stake. First needed a scale, so he studied the photo and there it was staring him in the face, the button on the warders tunic, off he went round the second hand stalls of Smithfield, that in those days sold all kinds of second hand army and other government uniforms and soon got that warder tunic that he wanted,,, and the button to use as a scale. Without much ado he set about the task of making the key and soon presented it to the most verbal journalist, saying, There you are, a key to Crumlin Road Jail”, Much was made of the whole carry on, needless to say the authorities refused to let the key be tested to see indeed if it would open the gates of the Jail. For this Eddie was thankful, for he knew right well that if they had allowed such a test that they would have had the lock quietly changed beforehand, leaving Eddie with egg on his face not that I would doubt the key would have opened the gates and privately many warders on comparing the key admitted it was .A Perfect Replica,! And even pre recently he made a key to the past... Quite recently Eddie got a call to come to the old Clifton Street poorhouse and open a huge wooden chest that sat in the hallway and had never been opened in living memory resulting in in its lock rusting up and sealing, some hours later Eddie had made anew key and returned to open the chest, having ;lifted the lid on its now creeking hinges he made a very pleasant discovery inside the chest there were books and papers of the old poorhouse of the most historic and very important nature that had somehow been put there away back in the 18th century and overlooked until that day. The trustees of the Clifton house were delighted, Eddie had made a key that had unlocked many secrets of the past.

THREE GENERATIONS OF McBURNEY’S AND “PREMIER” Away, way back in the 1920’s a wee girl from Five Mile Town and her Belfast Husband ran a Lodging House in Old Barracks Street and this young couple who shared a common love of Traditional Irish music decided they would go into business at the thing they loved and obtained a wee shop in Smithfield in 1926. .and so “The Premier” was born .making available to the citizens of Belfast the most popular music recordings of the day not to mention needles for their gramophones and song books and sheet music of all the popular and traditional airs of Ireland and from around the world. As the years went by their children, Billy, Malachy, Gerry and Winnie helped out and developed an equal love of the music business, so much so that they took the dream of their parents, Bridget and Patrick McBurney, a step further by forming, ”OUTLET RECORDS” .a recording studio that catered for the local music and singing talent. The title of one of their first records, “Show me the man who does not love the land where he was born” ,recorded by four school teachers from St Thomas‘s, I think said much as to the soul and gentle love of all things Irish that Bridget and Patrick instilled in the hearts of theimusic loving children.

FOR MORE ON SMITHFIELD   SEE RUSHLIGHT'S BELFAST HISTORY, PHOTOGRAPHIC AND VIDEO ARCHIVES

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