Lisburn Exiles Forum

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Re: Belfast/Ritz

Hi, Stewart Topping was my grandpa. Aunt Lena who owned Montgomerys was his sister, Regards, Kerry

Re: Belfast

Pat. How about High Tea at the Ritz, I think I was about nineteen when I was home on leave and took a girl there for tea and thought this was the height of sophistication. Then waiting at the Black man for a
bus home. Mauri

Re: Belfast

Pat wasn,t the Regel near the Majestic? For one you got off the train at Balmoral station, the other was nearer to Adelaide station
donald

Re: Belfast

Mauri,

I had high tea at the Ritz with my aunt, who first took me there, I suppose it was part of my learning social graces when young. She was fond of the Ritz, we saw lots of musicals there & afterwards tea in the resturant,

Later it was special dates with generous boyfriends at the films, but not in the resturant, we had to hurry to catch a bus home, especially if we had "dueked" out of Lisburn & were supposed to be at the pictures there. We knew who was boss then.


Donald,

You are right, the Regal & Majestic were beside each other, if one queue was too long, you joined the other one.
Most of the films were interesting then.No sleaze.

Pat

Re: Belfast

Pat, Do you remember the midnight matinee's they had at the Ritz during the war. I think two of them were "Sergeant York" with Gary Cooper and the other one was Irving Berlin's "This is the Army". I was not allowed to go but I remember the excitement of other family members gettig ready to go in one of Cambell Thompson's cabs.

Brendan I had forgotten about your brother working there who was the eldest him or Gerry? Mauri

Re: Belfast

Pat and Mauri,

I took a girl to the Regal one Saturday after playing football that day. We were in the balcony and I was sitting on an outside seat about five rows down from the back. I took a cramp in my leg and stuck it out and the Ice Cream girl fell over it. I will never forget that night, nobody knew how she fell except me, needless to say I didn't admit to it, and got out of there as quick I could. I explained to the girl I was with what had happened, anyway she never went out with me again,I won't name her as she is still living in Lisburn.

Beano

Re: Belfast

Beano Pat, I was in the Majestic when a message was flashed on the screen to the effect that the US had dropped an atom bomb on Hiroshima and everybody clapped and cheered,I suppose nobody thought or understood the terrible loss of life as a result, and little did I realize I would be walking through the streets of that doomed city only six years later. Mauri

Re: Belfast

Hi Mauri Paddy was the eldest and in those days,quite a lot of people from Lisburn would ask him if there were any jobs going down there and so,Maurice Murray from Grovea Street, Denny Maggee from East Down View and a girl named Prendergast from Longstone Street all became Ritz employees.2 doormen and 1 usherette. Paddy married 2years later and his wife Agnes became a silver service waitress in the Cafeteria and her 2 brothers Billy and Patrick Fitzpatrick became 2more doormen. Needless to say,Inever paid to go into the Ritz. How is that for keeping it inthe family?. Brendan

Re: Belfast

Brendan, Did you ever slip in there instead of going to the Post Office night school like
Buzzer and me used to???. Mauri

Re: Belfast

MAURI, The first 5or6 nights I went to the school religously but after that it was RITZ school RITZ and so on. The film that stands out in my head from one of those absent nights was---LITTLE NELLY KELLY starring Judy Garland and George Murphy.you remember? The boys are all mad about Nelly the daaughter of officer Kelly. Anyhow you had company with Buzzer. Iwas on my own. Well that is my story and I am sticking to it. Did Buzzer turn you into a gambler? Irene has a gram for STONEYFORD. On your bike, its your turn.All the best mate. Brendan

Re: Belfast

Brendan, Maybe you didn't realize it but I used to gamble just as much as Buzzer in those days,don't you remember Tom Haire catching me and I'm not sure who else playing puntoon in the cart shed,the main reason I moved on from the PO. When I was over in 73 I saw Irene and Theo in the Linenhall st building, but never anybody else since. Sammy died in 1971. Mauri

Re: Belfast

Mauri
Brendan, Maybe you didn't realize it but I used to gamble just as much as Buzzer in those days,don't you remember Tom Haire catching me and I'm not sure who else playing puntoon in the cart shed,the main reason I moved on from the PO. When I was over in 73 I saw Irene and Theo in the Linenhall st building, but never anybody else since. Sammy died in 1971. Mauri


wae that Buzzer Topping??

Re: Belfast

Yes Barney, His father ran the Stores pub in
Bow Street. Mauri

Re: Belfast

Mauri,I Googled' The Ritz cinema Belfast NI,'great website,a fount of information.Even The Central in Garfield St.and its Jam-pots gets a mention on one of the sites.I didn't know The Beatles appeared at the Ritz on stage.........Frank

Re: Belfast

Frank, Laurel and Hardy also appeared on stage at the Ritz Cinema. Apparently, they were "past their best" at this time but still.

Re: Belfast

Tom,

Very interesting postings on here, glad you happened on the Forum, love to remember the old days" & all the familiar names.

You will not know Lisburn if you visit this year, it has changed beyond recognition. I preferred the old one, it is full of strangers now, hardly see a familiar face, wheras before everyone was a friend or foe!! [


Pat

Re: Belfast/Ritz

Dabbler, Montgomery's chips were never greasy. I wonder are you mixing the shop up with another one?

Montgomery's fish was beautiful and it was cod all right; pure white and so fresh it just broke away. I remember their chips too, golden and crisp. MMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Re: Belfast/Ritz

Ann
Dabbler, Montgomery's chips were never greasy. I wonder are you mixing the shop up with another one?

Montgomery's fish was beautiful and it was cod all right; pure white and so fresh it just broke away. I remember their chips too, golden and crisp. MMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Ann, I do not remember a sweete shop. The chips I recall did not match Ginesi's, or even Fusco's.
But, as I keep saing, I'm gettig old.

Re: Belfast/Ritz

Dabbler, the sweetie shop was one of 3 shops Montgomerys owned. They had the chip shop, an ice-cream parlour and next door, the last shop in the row, was the confectioners.

Ted, I well remember looking into the living quarters of the shop and seeing the bright fire and cosy room. Do you remember the large boxes of chocolates that were displayed on the high shelves around Christmas time. As well as Cadburys I seem to remember Needlers as being a good chcolate too.

Re: Belfast/Ritz

Coming from the Convent Hill, Montgomery s sweetie shop was the first, then the chip shop and after it the ice cream parlour´. When I was courting herself and we met in Market Sq. to go to the pictures on Saturday nights when I could afford it I stopped there to buy her a box of sweets. The shop was always warm and clean.I remember once when I gave the lady half a crown to pay for the sweets which cost about 1/6 she gave me change. I pocketed the change without checking it and she reprimanded me in a friendly way , saying " You must always check your change, I could have given you too little"!
A lesson for the future.
donald

Re: Belfast/Ritz

Donald, I think Low Road and Hilden people frequented the Castle Street area of Lisburn more than those from other parts of the town. That's why I think Dabbler can't remember Montgomery's sweet shop. He probably wasn't round there that much.

The Convent School being in Seymour Street, girls attending it, wherever they came from, would have been familiar with Montgomery's, having to pass it each morning. Not so the boys attending the Boys' School in Chapel Hill, which was their misfortune. Well, unless they were from Hilden or Low Road.

Re: Belfast/Ritz

Hi

My great auntie owned Montgomerys. My grandpa worked in the fish and chip shop. My dad told me aunt Lena borrowed 10,000 quid to buy icecream machinery. My dad and his cousin used to go down the south with their uncle to get the sugar on the black market. Would you have any pics of it in its heyday. Thanks, Kerry

Re: Belfast/Ritz

Kerry Hart
Hi

My great auntie owned Montgomerys. My grandpa worked in the fish and chip shop. My dad told me aunt Lena borrowed 10,000 quid to buy icecream machinery. My dad and his cousin used to go down the south with their uncle to get the sugar on the black market. Would you have any pics of it in its heyday. Thanks, Kerry
Kerry
I remember Montgomerys for their fish and chips,best in town. Kitty Molly was renowned for her ice cream.
donald

Re: Belfast/Ritz

Montgomery's had the best milk shakes I have ever tasted. I went to the Tech but could only afford to frequent Montgomerys once a week!