Ted
I'm doing a Dr Who-like jump back in time. I remember Lulu, whom you mentioned, and I remember Francis Dennison, the Skeltons, Philip Lavery, and many others in the photo you sent in. I dont remember much about them, as it was about sixty years ago. You must have known Gerald Mc Dowell, Eamonn O'Gorman, Oliver O'Neill and Laurence. Maybe Jimmy and Frankie Taggart?
You might even recall Christie Toner. He smoke Woodbines.
Joe

Hi Dabbler,Iam sorry to inform you that at the moment I dont know were Lulu is, Cristy Toner is living down Millbrook and is still smoking woodbine,Francie Dennison is living around Portadown, Gerald Mc Dowell is also around that area, you might also remember Ramond McDonald he was Gerald's mate he died a few years back, Eamon O Gorman is Austraila Oliver o Neill is still in Lisburn, Frankie Taggert is deceased Jimmy is still around regarding Gerald Skelton he had another brother called Brendan I understand that one of them is deceased but I am afraid i can't remember which one if you forward me your E/M i have a few photo's you might enjoy,Hope the information forwarded is of some use.
Regards Ted

Hallo Ted, Dabbler,
Has Philip Lavery mentioned here a younger brother named Gerald?
I remember they lived in East Down View , Lowroad in the fifties. Both worked in the building trade, Gerald ( Fitschy ) must now be about 63, he lives in Miami.
Donald

Ted - Don't know what my E/M is. I communicate with my son via ichat. Is it something like that? Did you know me? I really was a wretched wee thing, very poorly dressed, squint operations, started school late, fairly bright, but hand-in-the-air, inferiority complex trying to impress teacher sort of sad creature.
I haven't changed much, but I can now laugh at myself. I grew up with Raymond MacDonald. I remember his older brother marrying Paul McKeown's sister, and honeymooning in Bray, near Dublin, or so Raymond told me.
Donald, I remember Philip Lavery as a seemingly VERY bright boy,my age, but a class above - well, he was at school a long time before me, smartly dressed. I know this sounds like an unlikely story if you've already read about Wllie on the wall trying to get Dickie Hanna to fight me, but Philip Lavery tried to push me into a scrap with a heavily built boy, a bit younger, called Mullholland. I talked my way out of that by offering to fight him instead. He declined.

Hi Ted
I can remmeber Phil Lavery, Shamus Skelton a painter worked with Danyy Kearny i think, played billiards in the big hall also Sean Muldoon, Tom Crossey,Oliver O'Neil, Joe Spiers and John Macnally.
John

Hello Dabbler & Donald regarding Philip Lavery there was two that I knew One lived about Hugenot Drive. he was a plasterer went to the states he had a sister nsmed Vera now deceased and I think he had a younger brother named Gerald the other lived passed the chapelhe went to school with me he had a younger brother named Mark i havent seen any of them for a long time,Just as a matter of interest I was at a wedding last week and meet Maureen Genesi and she informed me that Dominic is the only brother left it is worth looking at Local history (Website)as you will find a nice peice on the family plus a photo. do you remember the 2nd house and a fishsupper between 3 on the way home and the vineger running thru the paper Anyhow Dabber I cannot put a face to you at the moment give me time I have a felling you might be a bit younger than me but then you knew Lulu so I could be wrong?Donald never mentions Lulu and he knows everybody,Keep it coming.
Best Regards Ted

Ted. I'm seventy.
I knew that Philip Lavery from the Low Road as well. He was close to my age. And sister Vera, about four years younger, as well as their attractive auburn-haired mother. About nineteen fifty eight, I heard that Vera had twins. Even after all these years, I get a lump in my throat on hearing she is dead.
And John,
Joe Spiers was about three years older than myself. I think I once wrote here about him being the best fighter in the school. Oliver or Laurence O'Neill had bright ginger hair. Their older brother worked in McKee's bookies.

Ted, I just had to add that Fitzpatrick used to call Christy Toner Woodbine Willie. The nicotine fingers are how I remember him.
And Francis Morgan, were his grandparents the Staffords? If it is the same boy, I remember, when asked to explain his fighting, told Bertie that his ma always toul him to houl his own, whereupon Bertie pulled him out of his chair, and gave him a thrashing with the cane.
Frightening at the time.

And now that yis 'av got me goin':
More fighting - In the Wallace Park, I was once amazed to see the thin gangly Francis Denison, goaded into action by taunting, completely outbox the comparatively hulking Jimmy O'Hara.
Raymond Mac Donald was a bricklayer, His foreman was Joe Dumigan, who taught gymnastics. Joe's younger brother was, I think, Cornelius.

If I remember rightly Vera Lavery married a chap from Kilwarin called Walter King,Harry O,Neill worked in the bookies and also lived on the Lowroad. Another brother Gerry worked in Coombe Barbours foundry in North Howard St Belfast with my uncle Tommy. They were all very good billiard and snooker players.
Donald

Hi John,

You just nudged an old memory for me when you mentioned Joe Spiers, Joe played centre forward for Lisburn Celtic back in the early fifties and I played against him when I played for Lisburn Strollers, he ran in to me during one paticular game and I thought I had been hit by a bus. When the Forum first started we talked about all the footballers who had impressed us when we were young and I couldn't remember Joe's name. He certainly made an impression on me, if you see what I mean.

Beano

Hello John I am just after talking to Tom Crossey he was telling me you's use to do a bit of chasing around Glenavy anyhow he sends you his best regards and told me to tell you that he was drinking with Skelty, McNally, Muldoon,& Bobby Rooney Sat last
he also informed me that the two Phil Laverys we have been discussing are now both deceased Iam sorry to inform every one in the dicussion that Joe Spears is also gone John I hope this isn't to depresson for you but thats life Kind Regards Ted

Dabbler That was Christy all right he also lived at the start of Grand St I think he moved to Millbrook some time ago I remember Bertie only to well I felt his rath quite often I still hear his famous words
(I'll cut the back of you) and he meant it,But I am sure you cannot forget Mc Cavana or maybe like myself you rather would? you mentioned Francie Morgan I new the family very well they lived in Batchelor Walk, of course Francie is gone now also,Regarding the Staffords there was Hughe & Tommy in 1955 I traveled with Hughe From Belfast to London we never crossed paths again and as u probable know Tommy was buried recently. Dabbler I seem to be keeping u up with a lot of deaths since this corraspondince started I suppose you can't expect much more when relating to a photo from 1945, Kindest Regards Ted

Ted
It sounds a bit 'Irish', but death is a part of life, and I am interested to hear your 'news'. I remember Hugh, and Tommy, who had a very bad limp. He used to keep ferrets. LEO Morgan, THAT was the Stafford connection.
Donald
Vera's husband, a tall, thin fellow, had a sort of sloping shoulder. I cannot recall his name, but he was often in the company of Harold Spence, at dances in Lurgan and Lisburn.

Ted
McCavanagh once picked up a wee lad, Seamus, and wiped the blackboard with him. That's not a tall story. I watched in terror!

Seamus Reynolds!

Dabbler
it,s the same person, Walter King was from Kilwarin, he worked in the polishing deptartment with my mate Tommy Roberts, Walter,s brother Leonhard also worked in Hilden mill and was promoted to a very high position, my respect.I remember the twins you mentioned . They lived beside Rickard,s newagents shop in East Down View. Who remembers the shop?
Donald

Hi Beano,
Sorry to here a few of our mates have left us, but we will all always remember them..
Thankyou for letting me know mate.
I have just thought of another Lisburn dude, Bunky Kerr he played snooker etc at the big hall quite a character, loved to play with a smoke hanging out od the side of the gub.

John

Hi Ted,
Sorry mate got my emails mixed up with Beano's...

Sorry to here a few of our mates have left us, but we will all always remember them..
Thankyou for letting me know Ted.
Next time you see Tom and all of the gang please give them my best wishes, they are a great bunch of blokes..
I have just thought of another Lisburn dude, Bunky Kerr he played snooker etc. at the big hall quite a character, loved to play with a smoke hanging out of the side of the gub but was a great player in deed do you remember Bunky..

John

Hi Beano,
Yes i remember Joe playing he was a formidable force wasn't he.
i used to see him most sundays having a game of cards dressed in his favourite blue suit and smoked park drive i think but he used to hardly ever take the butt out of his mouth, he used to just sit and blow the ashes everywhere when he finished playing his shoulders used to be absolutely full of ashes including his thick head of hair he had, it was funny mate.
Good to here from you...

Hi Donald I remember the shop very well if 4 people were in it there would have been a crowd it was actually in the living room the counter and you were looking at the fireplace I forget the mothers name but there was Annie, Freddie, Laurence,and Ithink there some more and then they sold the Sunday papers from a bicycle starting from the end of the town I dont know if he got as far as Hilden,
Regarding the Watters family at the roofing do you remember a Peter Burns he worked with them i think I use to go to dances with him I wonder were is he now.
Regards Ted

Ted
Pete and Ginny Rickard were the other two. Is it possible the Peter Burns you wrote about lived in Hilden? There was a Burns family who lived in the front street and the name Peter seems to ring a bell.
Donald