Can you identify this house?
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| The old photograph found among Mr. Neill's possessions. |
DO you recognise this house or can you identify any of the people in the photograph which would appear to have been taken in the early years of the 20th century?
The picture recently came into the possession of Mr. Finny O'Sullivan, Secretary of Lisburn Historical Society.
It was sent to him by the son of Mr. Trevor Neill, a longstanding member of the Society who passed away last year at his home in Scotland.
Mr. O'Sullivan believes the photograph may have been taken in the Moira area and this could well be the case.
However, three residential streets in the Ladybrook district just off Blacks Road are called Willowvale Gardens, Willowvale Mews and Willowvale Avenue.
Rural
The area between the main Belfast to Lisburn Road and Stewartstown Road would have been much more rural at the time the picture was taken.
So is it possible this photograph is a record of life half way between Belfast City Hall and Lisburn's Market Square in the days when commuters travelling in either direction were able to enjoy some real open countryside as they made their way to and from work by train.
Interestingly, the availability online of the 1911 census results for Counties Antrim and Down means a positive identification of the house will help identify the people in the photograph.
So if you know where this house was contact Neil Greenlees at the Ulster Star on 9267 9111 or e-mail neil.greenleeS@jpress.co.uk
Mystery of house picture solved
20/02/2009
THE mystery has been solved. We now know the location of Willowvale House which featured in this old photograph supplied by the Secretary of Lisburn Historical Society Mr. Finny O'Sullivan.
It was indeed located within a mile of the Ladybrook area off Blacks Road which today includes three residential streets named Willowvale Gardens, Willowvale Mews and Willowvale Avenue.
An ordnance survey map for 1947 places it in the vicinity of what is now the junction of Lenadoon Avenue and Shaws Road.
The picture recently came into the possession of Mr. O'Sullivan.
It was sent to him by the son of Mr. Trevor Neill, a longstanding member of the Society who passed away last year at his home in Scotland.
Mr. O'Sullivan initially believed the photograph may have been taken in the Moira area.
However, the use of the name Willowvale when housing was being constructed at Ladybrook prompted him to look into the matter further and he found the house on the OS map.
Interestingly, the availability online of the 1911 census results for Counties Antrim and Down at www.nationalarchives.ie means a positive identification of the house will help identify the people in the photograph.
So if you can give a more precise address please contact Neil Greenlees at the Ulster Star on 9267 9111 or e-mail neil.greenlees@ulsterstar.co.uk
Ulster Star
13/02/2009
