Hi Dabbler,I remember all these characters from the 1940's&50's. doe's anyone recall a man called Sonny McAnally. he lived next to the salvation army opposite the market. he was similar to Harry Chapman and dealt in scrap metal.
there was a man called Billy Goldie who lived up the green, he was an odd sort.

Dabbler
I think the policeman you mention was called McGurnigan, a red haired cop from up the country somewhere, he was stationed in Lisburn beginning of the 60s. His sister I think still lives around Lisburn, she was a nurse in the Lagan Valley if my memory serves me right
Donald

Thanks Donald
He was ginger. When I was in Lisburn, I thought his name was McGurnaghan, the same as a schoolmate, but somebody mispronounced it - not me, of course

Dabbler/Donald,

Dabbler your spelling was the same as the one I got on a summons from "Ginger". I supposedly threw a firework in front of a car, it was actually Dominic Ginesi, but I was the one our friendly cop caught. I went to court and was fined half a crown, which thankfully, Mr.Ginesi paid.

Beano

Beano
I liked that one.

I, together with three mates got summonsed in 1960 for cycling at Dunmurray four abreast, what a lot of criminals we were then. Some Lowroaders were taken to court I remember for " progging " Hilden orchard.
I imagine the Justice would be happy today to be mainly confronted with such " Criminals"!
Donald

I must correct my mistake about Lillies chip shop. It was Refaussies Ice-cream parlour Joe Speirs (since deceased) & I were thrown out of that night. Lillies was below that, his daughter went to Lisburn Tech same time as my wife. Time plays many tricks on the memory or was it the Guiness & the Jameson???? Joe

These are all 'smiley' little stories for an old sentimentalist like me. Except the reference to Harry Chapman, who, I confirm, was not a nice man.
I cannot recall Grizzle Dalzell, but the name rings loudly in my mind, probably from tales I heard in childhood.
Wee Davy Jones, as I wrote previously, I knew fairly well. He once pinched my wee skinny ten-year-old thigh with his man's hand that matched only the size of his head. That was at the corner of Antrim Place, facing Batchelors Walk, where he often stood. The Scotsman named Davis, again mentioned some time ago, often stood there as well.
Charley Docherty usually got a handout of some sort when he knocked our door with his knobbly stick, though my mother was least able to afford what she gave. Poor wee woman, I'm not sure if she was very generous, or if she thought it would bring her luck. She always had knives and scissors sharpened when doorknockers offered, and rarely refused a sprig of heather from a gypsy.

Dabbler,
Davy Jones once owned an old Armstrong Sidley car with pre select gears which stood at the entry to " Buggy Row". Shortly before his death he married and I,m almost sure there were offspring. His custom made car can still be seen in the Transport museum near Bangor. I attended his funeral sometime in the late sixties, I would almost bet the cortage left St Patrick,s Church, but cannot be sure. if my memory serves me right Father Joachim ( Little ) was related to him.

my father big frank graham used to carry davy jones to the dart matches out at reids corner when he threw for the pride of ulster.

How come no top darts throwers from the oul sod?

Leo



Your name drew me back to this entertaining episode.



I am very surprised that you recall Billy Goldie, who is at the very earliest of my memories. I DO recall that he lived on the lower end of Bullicks Court, not up on 'the green'; about number eight actually, on the far side of the byre before it was demolished; and I clearly recall that everyone knew that Billy was an atheist - or so said my ma.

The characters that I remember in Lisburn are. Dixie Munn the artist with only tiny short arms. Bobby Griffin the cripple who used to attend just about every funeral in town and also had a running battle with "Nuck Nuck" Davy Stewart and of course Charlie Dougherty who I first saw in the late 30s doing his door to door rounds. Police Constable Chestnut I also consider a character, he lived in Warren Park Drive with his family, his son Billy went to the Central with me and later joined the RAF he also had several daughters whose names I'm not sure of but I remember being in Lisburn one time in the early 60s and going to a dance in the Orange Hall and walking home after the dance with several girls going my way and one was a Chestnut whose name I can't remember. Who could also forget "Sticky Sloan" the doorman at the Picture House, Mauri

Mauri, I remember some of the people you mention, including Sticky Sloan. I think the man who attended all the funerals was John Jefferson from the Low Road. He was harmless but a nuisance as he joined anyone going up the Low Road and commenced a conversation about various nonsenses. My mother encouraged him much to my dismay.

I can still smile when I think of wee Billy Dunleavey repeating the words from a song: They're coming to take me away haha! Even then, I thought how true that could be. God bless Billy, one of the daftest characters I knew. If there is anyone out there with a nasty story about Billy, P ISS OFF!