Not Newcastle-upon-Tyne, but Newcastle County Down

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Where: Northern Ireland, Down, United Kingdom

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When: Unknown

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Happy "Maritime Monday" to everybody. This morning we have a lovely image of the harbour in Newcastle, County Down, Northern Ireland - when it was natural and virtually undeveloped. The village surrounding it ensures that it is not going to be mistaken for its namesake Newcastle upon Tyne!

Thanks to today's eagle-eyed contributors for spotting the name on the largest vessel ("Thomas" of "Belfast"), as well as the apparent workmen and rail-track to the left of the central terraced houses. The wonders of NLI Megazoom (TM, patent pending)*

Photographer: Robert French

Collection: Lawrence Photograph Collection

Date: between 1880-1900

NLI Ref: L_ROY_03527

You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie

*(not really)

Info:

Owner: National Library of Ireland on The Commons
Source: Flickr Commons
Views: 28010
robertfrench williamlawrence lawrencecollection lawrencephotographicstudio glassnegative nationallibraryofireland ulster newcastlecountydown newcastle codown northernireland resort pier harbour thomassmountain slipway granitequarry widowsrow lawrencephotographcollection

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  • profile

    sharon.corbet

    • 25/Jan/2016 09:00:21

    Streetview showing the harbour. There's also a Lawrence Photographic Project showing it in 1990.

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    Niall McAuley

    • 25/Jan/2016 09:08:23

    It looks to me as if the writing on the ship says THOMAS BELFAST. Thomas a schooner of 53 tons; built Northwich in 1815; regd. Belfast; owned by Alexander Gordon of Annalong in 1887

  • profile

    Swordscookie

    • 25/Jan/2016 09:39:01

    I've never been there but I always imagined it to be a big place with lots of boats in a big harbour!

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    Niall McAuley

    • 25/Jan/2016 09:58:41

    The road to Newcastle Co. Down

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    Inverarra

    • 25/Jan/2016 10:51:15

    Lovely photo. All is calm, all is bright.

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    John Spooner

    • 25/Jan/2016 10:55:23

    I claim no knowledge of the difference between a schooner and a brig, but the brig Thomas, of Belfast, was reported as arriving at St Thomas from Newport on 13th October 1851. The master was Draper. (reported in the Belfast News-letter on 17th November). I assume it's the St Thomas near Swansea and Newport Gwent.

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    John Spooner

    • 25/Jan/2016 11:45:45

    A public meeting at Annesley Memorial Hall in Newcastle on October 4 1893 passed by acclamation this resolution, reported in the Belfast News-letter the following day:

    "That the ruinous state in which the pier and harbour of Newcastle have fallen, and in which they have remained without reconstruction for many years, is most unfair and discouraging to the fishermen and owners of trawling vessels, and is a hindrance to the prosperity of the town and a discredit to the County of Down"
    followed by an appeal to the Government for funds. There was a similar meeting with similar views expressed in September 1895, but it wasn't until September 1900 that a notice appeared in the Belfast News-letter inviting tenders "for the RECONSTRUCTION and EXTENSION of NEWCASTLE PIER and HARBOUR".

  • profile

    O Mac

    • 25/Jan/2016 12:36:34

    The rocks in the foreground would support 1900 as the upper date as the photograph had to have been taken before the south quay was built. The 'Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland' records mention works had started in 1901 and were completed in December 1905. www.flickr.com/photos/91549360@N03/24234249799/in/datepos... [https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley] I think this is the . Alexander Gordon in 1901--Granite Merchant

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    oaktree_brian_1976

    • 25/Jan/2016 14:01:20

    I was going to check the elevation maps, I don't think Newcastle is so hilly. Will look in a bit.

  • profile

    guliolopez

    • 25/Jan/2016 17:59:34

    Maybe [https://www.flickr.com/photos/66151649@N02] before spending time on the elevation maps, you could take a look at the Google Maps and other comments above. Or maybe this image of Slieve Donard relative to the coast might help convince :)

  • profile

    O Mac

    • 25/Jan/2016 18:24:43

    The mountain to the left is Thomas's Mountain. Same name as Alex Gordon, the granite merchant's, schooner.

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    ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq

    • 25/Jan/2016 20:22:25

    Droneview!! - youtu.be/aNaxfB5JKJg

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    ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq

    • 25/Jan/2016 20:39:14

    Thanks to the wonders of megazoom, it is possible to see the old granite quarry railway going through the arch in the wall to the left of the long terrace. And a couple of blokes working there ... catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000040677

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    guliolopez

    • 25/Jan/2016 21:01:51

    Is that "Widow's row" in the right middle-ground? Described in this Geograph image as:

    [A] terrace of twelve small houses built by public subscription to house the widows and orphans of 46 fishermen lost in the storm of Friday 13th January 1842
    EDIT - No it's not. Looking again at the Google Map that Niall provides below, it seems that Widows Row is to the left (rather than the right) of the rail-track and pier, so I guess the terrace is off camera and out-of-shot to the left....

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    Niall McAuley

    • 25/Jan/2016 21:12:34

    The OSI 6" shows the quarry and the (very straight!) railway. I wonder why they didn't build the railway right to the shore, and left themselves that awkward zig zag with a horse and cart to reach the harbour.

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    Niall McAuley

    • 25/Jan/2016 21:18:17

    At the unlinkable OSNI site, you can see that they built several "mineral railways" down the hill from different quarry sites as time went on. They were cable railways because of the gradient, not pulled by locos.

  • profile

    Niall McAuley

    • 25/Jan/2016 21:24:42

    an aerial view in Google maps clearly shows the route of the granite railway as well as the older and newer quarries on the mountain.

  • profile

    O Mac

    • 25/Jan/2016 23:06:40

    [https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia] The Widows Row is that terrace to the left of the Coast Guard station in the photo I posted earlier. Marked below. www.flickr.com/photos/91549360@N03/24245632989/in/datepos... OSNI unlinkable and infuriating.....so 1990's

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    National Library of Ireland on The Commons

    • 25/Jan/2016 23:14:13

    Thanks [https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley] and thanks all (esp [https://www.flickr.com/photos/129555378@N07], [https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnspooner] and [https://www.flickr.com/photos/91549360@N03]) for the info on location, date and the vessel. The clearly visible remnants of the old track seem to have been preserved as a way-marked walk called the "Granite Trail", some interesting images of which have been shared by walkers on Flickr. Funny the paths (sometimes near literally) these images take us on.... www.flickr.com/photos/29665115@N03/18623067815/

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    oaktree_brian_1976

    • 26/Jan/2016 02:00:12

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/20727502@N00 you don't do things the easy way :)