Golden gran takes on the best in Britain: Ulster's sprightliest pensioner was looking forward to taking on competition from the rest of the United Kingdom, reported the News Letter in September 1980. Lisburn grandmother Mrs Lillian Hagan, 72, from Warren Gardens was awarded the regional final prize in the Legal and General Golden Years Award 1980. She had beat five other Ulster pensioners to get a chance of a trip to London for the final, judged by Sir John Mills, in November 1980 and a £5,000 prize. The News Letter reported that Mrs Hagan's life revolved around singing and icing cakes. She was a first soprano for Lisburn's Christ Church choir. But she was equally well know in Lisburn for her flair at icing extra special wedding and birthday cakes. She said: “I just started decorating cakes for fun, but people found out and now there's quite a demand.” The other finalist in the Northern Ireland included James Jenkins, 84, from Bangor, Hugh Crossey, 80, from Lurgan, Edward Tarleton, 71, from Armagh, Mrs Eileenplaceholder image
Golden gran takes on the best in Britain: Ulster's sprightliest pensioner was looking forward to taking on competition from the rest of the United Kingdom, reported the News Letter in September 1980. Lisburn grandmother Mrs Lillian Hagan, 72, from Warren Gardens was awarded the regional final prize in the Legal and General Golden Years Award 1980. She had beat five other Ulster pensioners to get a chance of a trip to London for the final, judged by Sir John Mills, in November 1980 and a £5,000 prize. The News Letter reported that Mrs Hagan's life revolved around singing and icing cakes. She was a first soprano for Lisburn's Christ Church choir. But she was equally well know in Lisburn for her flair at icing extra special wedding and birthday cakes. She said: “I just started decorating cakes for fun, but people found out and now there's quite a demand.” The other finalist in the Northern Ireland included James Jenkins, 84, from Bangor, Hugh Crossey, 80, from Lurgan, Edward Tarleton, 71, from Armagh, Mrs Eileen

IN PICTURES: Through The Archives – looking back at the 1980s

By Darryl Armitage
Published 8th Oct 2020, 10:00 GMT
Updated 8th Oct 2020, 15:58 GMT

During lockdown the News Letter team have been busy looking through the News Letter’s photographic archive and have picked out the best photographs from bygone days.

Here is another selection of old photographs, today’s selection comes from the 1980s.

See who you might see from days gone by.

Do you have an old photograph that you would like to share? Email: [email protected].

To mark six months protesting against the Anglo-Irish Agreement DUP assemblymen in May 1986 by seized control of the switchboard room at Stormont. “Is Tom King [the current Secretary of State for Northern Ireland] aware of our coup d’etat?” asked Fermanagh and South Tyrone assemblyman the Reverend Ian Foster. The protestors held the room for two-and-a-half hours before police arrived with a sledgehammer to smash the door down and evict them. A spokesman for the Northern Ireland office branded the protest a “publicity stunt” and said that it had caused inconvenience to the public. Picture: News Letter archives

5.

To mark six months protesting against the Anglo-Irish Agreement DUP assemblymen in May 1986 by seized control of the switchboard room at Stormont. “Is Tom King [the current Secretary of State for Northern Ireland] aware of our coup d’etat?” asked Fermanagh and South Tyrone assemblyman the Reverend Ian Foster. The protestors held the room for two-and-a-half hours before police arrived with a sledgehammer to smash the door down and evict them. A spokesman for the Northern Ireland office branded the protest a “publicity stunt” and said that it had caused inconvenience to the public. Picture: News Letter archives

Photo Sales
Ian Paisley at an Apprentice Boys march at the Diamond, Londonderry on August 12, 1980.

6.

Ian Paisley at an Apprentice Boys march at the Diamond, Londonderry on August 12, 1980.

Photo Sales
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