Coleraine Historical Society delves into the past with its new journal

The journal reflects the fantastic wealth of history and heritage that exists in the greater Coleraine area and is a compilation of articles and photographs from local contributors.

With a striking new look wrap-around cover, a wide ranging mix of topics, never before seen photographs and the now popular colour section there is sure to be something to appeal to everyone and to make an ideal Christmas gifts for those at home and abroad.

New also this year, each copy of the journal will include a complimentary bookmark, mirroring the front cover image, that readers are sure to find a useful addition

Due to Covid-19, the annual launch event will be different this year. Coleraine Historical Society is inviting everyone to a Zoom launch on Tuesday, November 24 at 7.30pm. Society members will receive an email with the link from Chairman Geoff Warke and all non-members can watch a live stream on the Facebook page - so look out for details on Coleraine Historical Society NI.

It is hoped that there will also be a launch at The Sandel Centre, Coleraine, on Saturday, November 28 between 11am-1pm. This will be a socially distancing event and restricted to 15 people at one time. It is also dependent on government guidelines at that time.

There will be opportunities to purchase a copy of The Bann Disc 26 (£10) at both events, online via the new website colerainehistory.org and the Facebook page Coleraine Historical Society NI, as well as in person at The Sandel Centre.

Bann Disc Editor Barbara Harding said: ‘The editorial committee feel confident that this year’s selection of items provides much of interest to the reader and go some way to highlighting and recording the history of our local area.

“We appeal to our loyal readers and new readers alike to purchase a copy as soon as they are available and would encourage you to buy copies for friends and family as a Christmas gift. We know that this type of publication is particularly enjoyed by those who have moved away from the area, but who still value their roots.

“With this in mind, we have kept the journal to a size that keeps postage costs low. The journal is available in our local retail partners – Waterstones, The Book Shop Coleraine, The Bookcase Portrush and Roughan’s Gelato Portstewart. It is also available from our online shop at www.colerainehistory.org and via our Facebook page Coleraine Historical Society NI. We wish you happy reading.”

Preview of The Bann Disc vol 26

The cover shows The Clothworkers’ Arms and this links to an article on local hotels and inns in the town by editor Barbara Harding.

Frances Wilson has written a well-researched and illustrated article on WW2 architectural relics. The theme of war continues with A Nurse’s Story – Mary Morrell by Geoff Warke. This tells the tale of a local lady who nursed in Salonika during WW1 and reveals the difficult conditions in which medical staff had to live and work. Another article by the same author, The Day the Sun Burst, tells of Rev. Thomas McCurdy Barker and his wife Ann who were eyewitnesses to the dropping of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki.

Those who are interested in boats and seafaring will enjoy Derek Bacon’s article, “The Lady Herself” - A Romance. It recounts the author’s long and painstaking search for a photograph of The Courageous, a fishing boat working out of Portstewart harbour and belonging to Derek’s grandfather. This boat replaced an earlier vessel, The Emily, that was destroyed in a storm in 1938.

Andrew Kane has contributed a scholarly and fascinating article that is the first part of a prequel to his Town Book of Coleraine and deals with the period from 1604-1622. The second part of this article will appear in next year’s journal. This year’s article includes a coloured map of Coleraine as it was in 1622.

Diana Kirkpatrick’s article on Childhood Mortality in Victorian and Edwardian Times is drawn from her own family history and shows the precariousness of life for a young child at this period when diseases, that are easily treatable or have virtually disappeared today, were often fatal.

Another article that draws on family history is A Family History in Question by Billy Bones. This tells of Billy’s search for the truth about what happened to his grandfather, who suffered a fatal accident while working on repairs to the conservatory at Downhill. Billy concludes that we must take family stories with a pinch of salt.

Half a Century of Local History Publications by Tommy McDonald marks the fiftieth anniversary of Impact Printing, publishers of The Bann Disc. In the article Tommy mentions some of the many books printed by Impact over those years and gives the reader an insight into how the world of publishing has changed.

David Bell’s Joseph Gordon of Ballymoney tells the story of a clock and watchmaker who opened a business in Ballymoney in 1777, a business that continued through three generations until its closure in 1927. This interesting article is accompanied by colour illustrations of some of Gordon’s work. Miss Charlotte C Harkin, Coleraine Composer by Barbara Harding brings to attention a lady who was a popular and celebrated composer of dance tunes in her lifetime but who has been all but forgotten today.

Other brief articles include one on Hugh Thomson, the famous Coleraine illustrator, to mark the hundredth anniversary of his death this year. This was contributed by Joanne Kennedy and includes coloured illustrations of some of Thomson’s work. There is a short article on a sundial, discovered in a garden in Cushendall, and engraved in 1823 by John Foster of Coleraine. Another piece gives information on one of the early lending libraries in the town that flourished before the public library opened in the 1950s.

Among the photographs inside are two of pupils who attended the Model school in 1923, one of the girls’ school and one of the boys, and a photo of Macosquin primary school pupils and teachers dating from the late 1940s. There’s also a photograph of members of Coleraine Wanderers football teams dating from 1955. All these photographs include names and will be of interest to both local and family historians.