“To put bread on the table, those days are gone, when we all had to to Willie Allen’s pawn.

We met and we married along time ago; we worked for long hours when wages were low.”

Above and below are boards 3 and 4 of the ‘Sandy Row memories’ at the end of Blythe Street, showing Murray’s Tobacco Factory (in Linfield Road/Sandy Row, which closed in 2005 before being refurbished and opening in 2012 as Murray’s Exchange) and the old Belfast & Ulster Brewing building (unchanged image here), home to the south Belfast Ulster Volunteers (Sandy Row History) and most recently (until 2007) the home of Gilpin’s Furniture.

Previously (and for more information): Parts 1 and 2 Mr. Saturday Night

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01908 X019010 sandy row women’s group

“There’s a nice wee place in Belfast, they call it Sandy Row. On a Saturday night, that’s where we used to go. A bucket on the stove, boiling all the whites, the big tin bath on Saturday nights.”

Here are the first two (of four) boards at the blind end of Blythe Street which together illustrate a short poem about Sandy Row in days gone by. The first, above, shows dancing and bingo (which took place in the Sandy Row Orange Lodge? – The Row You Know: Memories Of Old Sandy Row (ISBN 0953053504) by Donna McCann and published by Nicholson & Bass contains an image with the caption “Saturday night dance at the Orange Hall – Hector McMillan about to break into song”.)

The second, below, shows scenes from home: clothes in front of the fire, a child in a tin bath, a wireless radio, and a grandmother dandling a child.

Sponsored by the Sandy Row Womans Group

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01904 X01906 women’s group

“What greater thing is there for human souls than to feel that they are joined for life. To be with each other in silent unspeakable memories. This is the true harvest of love.” Here are two boards from the Donegall Road bridge celebrating family and long-lasting relationships. The one above includes photographs of local people from years gone by; the one below features the post-mistress Marlene Leslie and her husband George.

“Marlene & George Leslie’s retirement 2013. In 1976 Marlene started work in the Post Office at 421 Donegall Road. She became sub-post mistress in 1985. Marlene moved to the present location at 309-311 Donegall Road in April 2000. George joined her in 2001. While at 421 Donegall Road they were robbed nine times, fired at once, tied up once and experienced two attempted tiger robberies. Each Christmas the P1 classes of Donegall Road  Primary School come to post their letters to Santa – Marlene fowards on a return letter from Santa. Famous people who have visited the premises include: Barry McGuigan, Rose Neill and Lynda Bryans.” 

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Here are three images from the Donegall Road bridge concerning factory girls – weavers, spinners, doffers, and millies. They feature two poems. The first is an anonymously written description of work in Lowell (Massachusetts) USA; the second is attributed to “Eliza Hamilton, Ulster weaver poet 1891”.

“When I set out for Lowell, some factory for to find, I left my native country and all my friends behind.
But now I am in Lowell and summon’d by the bell I think less of the factory than of my native dell.
The factory bell begins to ring and we must obey, and to our old employment go or else be turned away.
Come all ye weary factory girls, I’ll have you understand, I’m going to leave the factory and return to my native land.”

“I started work when I was eight, my childhood lost at the factory gate.
The flight of shuttle, noise and dust, the wage of labour not good enough.
My life was weaved outside my dreams, days always longer than they seemed.
I vowed the day that I was wed, my child would have a childhood.”

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01845 X01847 X01838 The anonymous author of this poem was an Ulster immigrant girl of the 19th century working in a textile mill in Lowell, USA