Beano, Was speaking to Eddie and Ann Frazer this evening on the phone. Told them about Lisburn Exiles and that you remembered him from school.

He remembered you well and told me that you got the nickname "Beano" because every Monday you rushed home from school to Armstrong's in Bridge Street and bought the Beano before everyone else.

I told him that, although I didn't know you, you came across as a very very nice, sincere person.

Hubby is speaking to him now and I'll pass on any other news in a minute. Rachel is looking over my shoulder and says, "What on earth are you writing about?" She's not looking forward to going back home and we'll keep her on Sunday night as well, although my daughter comes back on Sunday. She's having such a good time and is no bother at all. She's on her own here without peer pressure and gets to watch all her soaps, TV magazines and of course is spoiled rotten, which she deserves. She thinks she's great, with the dogs and cat, and repeats all my saying to them, such as "great girls, "wee pets" "such a good girl" and so on. Of course, she comes with me on their walks as well and takes Tess on a lead, which makes her feel great.

Beano, I can't wait any longer for the chat to finish, they're still talking and Rachel is trying to tell me something.


Anyway, enough to know I passed your message on.

Over and out.

Going to bed all. Night, night. sleep well.

Hi Ann,

Delighted to know that Eddie remembered me, we were good friends at school, good heavens, that was almost 60 yrs.ago wow!!!

Did his wife Ann used to go with Dennis McFarlane from the Co.Down?. I am almost sure it was Ann Frazer was the girl's name.

You are going to miss Rachel, the two of you seem very close, I think that is terrific.

Beano

Beano, when I'm next speaking to Ann, I'll ask her. She was and is a good looker so I'm sure she had plenty of boyfriends. She's a great cook too and a great laugh.

Beano, Ann Fraser wife of Eddie Smyth lived in East Down view (Bap Row) next door to my in-laws the Scotts. Her father was Matt ( who was a meter reader with the electricity board NIE) ans Mrs Fraser. She would be a cousin of Irene Fraser. Margaret Fraser who lived on Cromwells Highway would have been her aunt. My granddaughter is friendly with her granddaughter Lindsay Smyth so we come a full circle By the way I'm beginning to sound like my Father. Margaret

Margaret, would you be married to Tom Scott, who used to work in the Tech. He had a sister Margaret, a nice looking girl with blonde hair. Tom was a big tall fellow and he would know me by my maiden name. I'm sure there's a connection there somewhere.

Ann, you've got it right. Do you remember his Granny and Grandad who lived in no 8 East Down View (McDowell) Margaret is now 70 and lives in Kitchener Ontario. By the way I stopped a lady in Tesco's and asked her was she on the internet and was she called Ann but as know it wasn't you. I seem to know a lot of the rest. I was from the county Down. Margaret

Margaret, if you are married to Tom Scott, I know you, I mean I can picture you. Are you in Lisburn? You would know me by sight. Did you used to live in the Tech house?

I attended night class for manye years and would see the girl who lived in that house when I was going in by the back. Dark hair, but I may be getting mixed up. Tom was a nice fellow. Does he remember me? Margaret would hardly remember me but she would Pat.

I remember the McDowells who lived across the road from us in East Down View. Wasn't their son named Roy? Where is he now? We lived in No 9.

MJargaret, you were saying that you stopped a woman in Tescos and asked her was she Ann. Well, funny thing is I done exactly the same a few weeks ago in a car park facing the Health Centre.

For some reason I got it into my head that this girl who was in front of me at the ticket machine might be Maggi. I was going to ask her but didn't like to.

Funny that, isn't it?

Ann Roy McDowell still lives in Lisburn. You could see his photograph in the Star this week. It's on the golf pages. He was a grandson, his father was Bobby. The girl who lived at the back of the Tech was Wendy Martin who married Ronnie Phillips from Hilden. Tom does remember you but he is out playing golf. Margaret married Noel Grange from Ballyclare and they went to Canada about 1965 and have lived all over the place there, now in Kichener. I was from the county Dowm and know Maggi as she and I had very similar maiden names. Katie knew me when I was young. I was at the Tech at the same time as Donald though he is younger. I met Tom at the Tech so I'm sure you would know me to see, I think I saw Rachel in Tescos. Did you say she had your red hair ? I know Ann Heasley knows you. We'll have to get her to introduce us. All the best Margaret

Ann,

Wendy Phillips had blond hair, you should have known
Ronnie Phillips he was a caretaker in Lisburn Tech.
Margaret I knew through other girls from the town, she is a bubbly person, when you see her I am sure you will know her, sometime maybe I will show her to you.
Wendy and Margaret are about our age, young.

I suppose you and hubby are sitting with the feet up having a glass of vino.

Katie

Katie, the oul head's away. Sure, it was Ronnie Phillips who was the caretaker right enough.

BUT, Tom Scott did work in the tech and I did know his wife, who I think had dark hair. Maybe I'm wrong about the hair colour.

I also knew Tom and his sister Margaret because they also lived in East Down View, but in the new houses.

Would you believe I'm being good tonight. No vino or anything although we had a case delivered this afternoon. (we're in the Sunday Times Wine Club). I suppose that'll have to be cancelled too come October.

Sure you'll not know me from then on - no nice clothes, no smart hair-cut, no highlights, no Chanel No 5, no make-up to hide the wrinkles. I'll be standing outside the chapel collecting for the St Vincent de Paul charity, which, when the box is filled, I'll take home for spending money. It's gonna be a long winter.

Hubby is still incapacitated and it's driving him mad. He hates doing nothing. His knee is still giving him bother and apparently will do so for months rather than weeks. In fact, he may never go back to work the way things are going. That reminds me, must go on a shopping spree tomorrow just in case, get a few things in for the back of the wardrobe!!

Ann,

I'll be lifting the box in another church and then I will go up to Lisburn and give you a hand.

If you give to the poor you will always be rewarded, my dad always said.

I remember meeting a fellow one time, down on his luck, I gave him a £5 note the last in my purse and
would you believe me about an hour later, I found a £10 note at my feet as I was getting into my car.
My children were small then, and every pound counted. I kept it as I thought, this is for me and I was delighted.

Katie

Tom Scott served an apprenticeship as a fitter in the Tech and then progressed to be a teacher of metalwork. I remember walking up the Lowroad to the Tech with him 1956 / 59 sometimes. Joe Kennedy was head of Dept then. Later I worked with his Dad Billy in Mackies, he was a machinist there.
Was the Ronnie Phillips mentioned here from Hilden? There were 3 brothers Albert, Winston ( who both died very young ) and Ronnie. Also a few sisters Florence to name one. Their parents ran excursions to Bangor or Newcastle in the summer then. There was a relation Herbie??? who lived with them also, he was a very quiet person who worked in the GNR Belfast.
One of the Dornans ladies from Hilden also worked in the Tech then and a chap from the Co Down named Billy whose sister was married to Ernie Partland a bricklayer.
Donald

Donald, yes, the Phillips' family came from Hilden. I remember the late Winston more than the rest, probably he was around my age. I remember he had reddish cheeks. Funny the picture that springs to mind when someone's name is mentioned. Didn't really know the remainder of the family, except Ronnie and that was becazuse he was the caretaker in the Tech.

Donald, do you remember the late Nora Lyness? She died very young too. I never heard what happened to her, but she was a lovely looking girl with long wavy hair.

Nora lived next door to us in Mill St. Didn,t know she had died. He brother Ken was in school with me. Once, as Ken had a habit of not paying attention a teacher called Miss Gillen made life a misery for him every time it happened. Mr Woodende then took him out of the class and moved him up into Mr Guest,s class. Billy and David were also brothers. Nora after her marriage lived beside where the watering trough was at the junction of the Moira and Ballinderry roads. Her husband was a car salesman.

Margaret,

I recall walking to school, Brownlee, with a Tom and Margaret Scott in the late 40s. At that time I lived in Spruce Street. Would Tom remember ?

Margaret, In reply to a question from you which I missed. Rachel is small, Down's Syndrome, but nice looking too if you know what I mean. She has her hair highlighted - would you believe my daughter paid £80 last time she had it done? She would always be dressed in the latest fashion with her rings, bracelets, bling jewellery on and she would speak to anyone who spoke to her.

It's funny, I told this before, if she notices anyone staring, as some people will insist on doing, she says to them, "Do you see enough, do you want a picture?" My daughter told her to say this and she does. She's not stupid and realises that she looks different, so that's why I hate people staring. Why don't they just speak to her as they would anyone else.

What do they think she's gonna do? PERFORM?

So, Margaret, if you do see Rachel, her mother (my daughter) is good looking with very blonde hair and a good figure, go over and introduce yourself. Tell her you were on the internet with me and she'll understand. She goes over the names of all her "new friends" on the web.

Hi Ann,

Did Winston Phillips marry Annie Boyd from the Co.Down,
I know Annie went with a boy called Winston.

Beano

Hi Beano,

Was Annie Boyd, dark haired, did she not marry Stephen Phillips, who was Winston's brother? I knew the Phillips from Hilden, I thought they also had a brother called Walter, sister called Florence, another sister, her name has escaped me. (I knew Albert well, who died in the 50's)

Margaret, would maybe know who Annie Boyd married.

Katie

Donald, I don't know who Winston Phillips married, I didn't really know him that well. However, I went to the Tech with a girl call Ann Boyd. She was thin and dark-haired. I wonder was that her?

Hi Katie and Ann,

I found out from my cousin today that it was Stevie Phillips that Annie Boyd married, just as you said Katie. I don't know if Annie went to the Tech. or not, however she was dark haired and slim built, she lived across the street from me and had a younger sister, May and an older brother Fred. Fred worked in Mackies as a fitter, I believe he now lives in the Hilden area.

Beano

Winston Phillips never married, he worked in the office in Hilden and lived with his mother and died in his early 20s

Annie Boyd lived opposite Beano in Mercer St. She married Stephen Phillips from Hilden. Annie went to the Tech and was friendly with Eileen McCartney who lived on the Ballynahinch Rd. Annie would be about 68. Stephen had a fruit shop on Antrim St. Unfortunately Stephen died a few years ago. Eileen would be the sister-in-law of the late Joan Orr. Another journey down memory lane !

Bob Tom remembers you from all those years ago. Where do you live now ? His sister Margaret was with him. Margaret lives in Kitchener Ontario and has lived in Canada for some forty years. All the male grandchildren married Margaret's so it gets confusing.

Margaret,

I left Lisburn in 1951 and spent the next 24 years in the RAF. In 1975 I started work with Lincolnshire CC and have been resident in a village near Lincoln since that time.Haven't been back to Lisburn for over 20 years but hopefully will put this right in 2008.Good to have made contact. Ask Tom if he can still wield a cricket bat.

Bob

Hi all. The very last time I saw Joan Orr was one day when I met her in Haslem's Lane. Joan made me laugh because she had a habit of finishing your sentence for you.

Anyway, it was a Friday and she was coming from work in the mill. They stopped at 2.30 pm I think. We greeted each other and had a great yarn, Joan, as usual, finishing off my sentences. She told me I looked well and asked me where I got my hair "done". I never forget her saying that she was going to start
being good to herself for a change. Get her hair cut in a good hairdresser's, start buying good make-up, good clothes, etc. etc. I told her she was just right.

It wasn't that long after that I heard poor Joan was terminally ill. Joan was a great girl, hale and hearty, always ready for a laugh. I can picture her still. Pity!!

Ann, what this progging orchards, ringing door bells, what a delinquent, never thought you had it in you.
Are you sure it was'nt the, guttie slipper man following
you.

Katie

Katie, I don't know who was following me - I have a suspicion but cannot say. BUT I am pretty sure I know who it was AND I'm glad he never caught me.

I told Pat and my mother who I thought it was, but that's all.

You see, Katie, you don't know me at all. Did you think I was a wee quiet girl? Well, I was really but I still had a bit of devilment in me.

I remember as a boy talk and rumors about the guttie slipper man, don,t know why but always assumed it was during the war when the black out was enforced.
Donald

Margaret, re Eileen McCartney. I vaguely remember an Eileen McCartney at the Tech. She was a nice-looking, blonde, curly haired girl, quiet. Would that be the same one who was Joan Orr's sister-in law? I haven't seen her since 1956 when I left the Tech.