Just finished a not too long I thought entry about people on the Longstone, Warren Gardens etc areas when it disappeared which is what I am going to do now? MAURI

Mauri, it's frustrating when a piece goes astray. I would love to hear about the Longstone area and the people who lived there. When I was young, I wouldn't have been up the Longstone very often. Chapel Hill was the furthest I would have gone. I knew some of the girls who lived on the Longstsone as they went to school with me. There was the late Maura McConnell, Sandra McDonald, Lila Gorman, Lily Frazer, Briege O'Neill, the Fleetons and others. You may have known their parents or families.

Ann, While the surnames sound familiar I'm afraid I don't recognize the indivduals, which is not surprising considering the age differences. some of the families that I remember from that area were the McKee's who lived in the row of little houses at the corner of Warren Gardens and Longstone now long gone, Ernie Ross,Sammy Chapman,Billy Shields all from Warren Gardens. Also another Billy Shields and his brother Jim Shields also his sister Eyvon Shields on the Longstone facing the aforementioned row of houses. The Fletchers at the corner of Tonagh Park and Longstone who were quite a large family, Billy,Jim Maurice,Thompson and two more whose names I can't remember. In Belvoir Terrace there were the Mconnell family again a very large family, Vine and Doris married American soldiers,Meta married a British soldier but died shortly afterwards and her sister Eileen married the widower, there were also three brothers one who served in the RAF during the war, then in Lismara Terrace where I grew up there were the McConaghies, Mrs Mconaghy was a teacher in Brownlee school her husband Dan worked in Belfast shipyard, they had two girls Ray and Christine and one boy Danny who went into the RUC after leaving the Friends. The Richardsons, Toppings whose son Sammy worked in the Post Office with me during the war and immigrated to Canada where he died from cancer in 1971 at the age of 42,Constable Turner and his wife and two daughers Avril&Rosaline also a brother.Better stop now before I get spammed. Mauri

Following on from my previous entry, I was with Sammy Topping when he passed away in hospital in Toronto. Further down the Longstone were the McCourts which it too was a large family the eldest son Jimmy was in the Royal navy during the war and took part in the Bismarck action on the destroyer Maouri, which was in the same flotilla as the Zulu on which my uncle Frank was wounded in the same action and brought into Londonderry where he died. I could go on and on here about names of families in that area but have to go. Mauri

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1391220/Should-sunk-Bismarck-Tormented-sailor-reveals-German-sailors-tried-surrender-ship-destroyed-costing-2-000-lives.html

The Bismark was sunken in May 1941 if I read this correctly. Maybe it would have been better for all, Germans and British if the surrender had been accepted instead of sinking it with 2000 lives being lost. No doubt those on board who were conscripted and did not volunteer to fight would have been better off. Someone once said " A mule is more expensive than a soldier, a mule must be bought but a soldier costs only a postage stamp for his letter of recruitment."! Someone else once said " It,s Tommy this, it´s Tommy that, it´s Tommy go away, but Thank you Mr Atkins when the band begins to play"!
donald

Mauri,

That was a comfort I am sure to Have a friend present in a Toronto Hospital so far away from home & family friends. You were good to be with your childhood neighbour at his death.

Nice to hear about the Longstone area which was a different Lisburn to me, having hardly been there in my young days, we spent our youth in our own districts like Lambeg, Lagan Banks, The Rose Gardens, Wallace Park etc.

Funnily enough a lot of Lowroaders married people from the Longstone area of town meeting them in neutral places, like the Park, the Pictures or at dances.

You have had a full life, Maure, seen most things, travelled far & are in good health yet. Way to go. Regards to Joy too, hear Canada is having Summer temps this week. Wish I were there to enjoy it.

Pat

Hi Pat, Joy say's "Hi Pat" and sends her love. Well the weather in this part of the country has been glorious the past few days and the forecast is good for the next week or so. Temperature for today to be 16oF and sunny and although that may not sound all that hot, after some of the very low temperatures that we had been having it is very welcome. Although I was often in Hilden during the war Pat, delivering telegrams I never got to know anybody from that area and the only person from the Low Road I knew was Brendan Matier. That's mostly I guess through leaving Lisburn at such an early age. And although I have been back many times over the years Allbeit long absence's between visits I never got to really know very many people. Anyway Take Care and we do hope you get the medical treatment you have been waiting for very soon. Mauri

Just noticed I had put the temperature reading at 16oF that of course should read 16oC which is a big difference. Where is everybody??maybe all out enjoying the sunshine, I know here in Southern Ontario we have had a beautifull week with just one cloudy day the rest all sunshine,long may it continue.

No response to all of the Longstone names I mentioned, well that's not surprising?? I guess no one who reads whats on the Forum old enough to remember. There is only one person I know and have known since childhood still alive in Lisburn, but respecting privacy I won't mention any names. Have a great weekend. Mauri

Good morning Mauri,I'm afraid I haven't a hell of a lot to offer this morning as you see yourself things are very quiet and I thought at first the forum might be down ,however a few names from the past you mentioned I was aware of namely Livingstone's were we got the Paris buns a very pleasant woman with red hair and Ferris's shop facing the school gates, Ah Mister Ferris you had a lovely daughter ! The Ragety Bap school 1846 was inscribed on a plaque if I remember rightly as we had been doing history one day Re The Great Famine and I realised the school had been built during that awfull period and of course the Patton family and not forgetting Bertie Fitzsummons our head teacher (I'l cut the back of you ) and of course the Woods'sthe Smiths,Lavery's,Mc Grath and the Duffy's to name a few for the time being ,So Mauri all I need now after this effort is for it to be spamed ?Regards Ted

Hi Ted, Yes you are right Hazel Ferris was a lovely girl I got to know her when she was very young and her Dad had the shop up on the corner of the little steet (cannot remember the name of it) and the Longstone then they moved down to as you say facing St.Josephs Hall. I believe she married and moved down to the South.
We are still having really nice weather here though today just a little cloudy. Things seem very quiet on the Forum hard to believe there are so many people looking in but so few participating. I would tell another story but very few seem interested."Ah Well" such is life,hope things are going well for you Ted, Take care. Mauri

Mauri, I'm always interested in your yarns. I might not always respond which I know is disheartening.
On these occasions
its because I haven't time. My youngest brother laughs when I say this, I mean about being busy, but it's the truth. Let the lurkers lurk away there, at least they must find our stories interesting or they wouldn't bother. I'm doing this on my tablet, hence the wonky spacing.