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Where: Northern Ireland, Antrim, United Kingdom
Try to find the spot where the photographer was standing.
When: 01 January 1907
Try to find the date or year when this image was made.
And it certainly looks as if most of the population of Portrush, Co. Antrim are all aboard this crowded steamer.
Date: On or after Friday, 14 June 1907? (definitely between 1907 and 1914)
NLI Ref.: L_NS_01481
Source: Flickr Commons
Views: 38299
Date: On or after Friday, 14 June 1907? (definitely between 1907 and 1914)
NLI Ref.: L_NS_01481
Info:
Owner: National Library of Ireland on The CommonsSource: Flickr Commons
Views: 38299
portrush
antrim
ireland
northernireland
ulster
srhenry
portstewart
cart
horse
crowd
tourists
daytrippers
carriage
swissbazaar
shops
hotels
northerncountieshotel
lifeboats
decks
steamer
crew
sailors
funnels
portholes
masts
quay
docks
robertfrench
williamlawrence
lawrencecollection
glassnegative
ship
northpier
coastguardwatchhouse
imperialhotel
victoriahotel
portrushbar
jhelkes
josephharriselkes
draper
sshazel
fairfieldgovan
nationallibraryofireland
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Wendy:
looks dangerous; leaning/listing to one side!
Jezevec40 (formerly Badger 23)
Conga line on the port side!
Vab2009
Yikes - Board Trade Regulations had not come in then..Lol!!
ccferrie
Taken from the North Pier. This is as close as streetview gets. The actual vantage point is a little further out the pier.
ccferrie
The Imperial Hotel noted above is called the Victoria Hotel on the 1904 OS Map and the Portrush Bar on the 1896 OS Map
Gerry Ward
According to the 1910 Portrush Street Directory, the Swiss Bazaar was at Quay Head, Portrush. It was owned by JH Elkes. The only Elkes in Ireland in either the 1901 or 1911 Census was Russian Jewish draper, Joseph Harris Elkes, living in North Street, Belfast.
derangedlemur
The Northern Counties Committee was only formed in 1903, so presumably the Northern Counties Hotel post-dates this.
derangedlemur
www.cardcow.com/354181/glasgow-steamer-harbour-co-antrim-...
derangedlemur
This looks like the same boat, though it's a different photo: 7seasvessels.com/?p=22053
ccferrie
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8468254@N02 Northern Counties Hotel is on the 1896 Map - may not be connected to the railway or perhaps the name was in usage before the committee was set up.
derangedlemur
"SS Hazel, and was operated by the Laird Line from 1907 to 1919" She doesn't appear to have been part of a class, so I think this is definitely the Hazel, so there's your start and end date.
ccferrie
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8468254@N02 Looks like the same boat alright, although some of the vents on deck are facing different directions. I suppose these could have been adjusted over time.
derangedlemur
www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=808
ccferrie
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8468254@N02 It was serving in the war from 1914 so that tightens up the timescale further (this doesn't look like a wartime photo)
Niall McAuley
S.R. Henry's cart seems to have been a fixture on that pier...
derangedlemur
http://www.flickr.com/photos/77199267@N03 (this doesn't look like a wartime photo) - Not if it was being used as a boarding vessel, no. They'd not be filling it up with passengers.So 1907-1914. Outside chance of 1919.
Cuddly Nutter
I have seen this photo before somewhere now if I could just remember where.
Gerry Ward
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/8468254@N02] The Belfast & Northern Counties Railway (BNCR) acquired the hotel in 1881.
ccferrie
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8468254@N02 seems likely it went straight to Isle of Man in 1919. Doesn't look like it has been through a war (and somehow, neither do the people). So April 1907 to September 1914? (shadows are too short to be later than September I think)
derangedlemur
http://www.flickr.com/photos/77199267@N03 Shadows say middle of June at lunchtime.
ccferrie
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8468254@N02 Could be the maiden voyage! June 1907 - that would explain the multitudes.
Niall McAuley
Just to note that the always useless backwards writing on the negative says: The Quay Portrush
derangedlemur
Dunno. You'd expect a bit more bunting.
derangedlemur
The carriage has a couple of lads in peaked caps on it and a fellow with a helmet beside it. Is it a black maria?
ccferrie
The unusual buildings to the right of the Northern Counties Hotel don't appear on the 1904 OS Map and are no longer in existence. Those big bay windows look they could have been ballrooms.
DannyM8
Could it be people arriving for this tournamenr in 1895 ? - Royal Portrush was the first links outside of England to house the British Ladies' Championship, which was won by Lady Margaret Scott and has been played here another seven times since.
ccferrie
Those buildings are not on this image dated 1908 ihpc.ie/ihpc/Main/Enquiry.asp?iPictureID=13539&iTownI... but they are in this, unfortunately undated, photo ihpc.ie/ihpc/Main/Enquiry.asp?iPictureID=13604&iTownI...
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
http://www.flickr.com/photos/77199267@N03 Thanks very much for the location!
Niall McAuley
Those buildings ARE the Northern Counties Hotel according to the 1931 map (OS 10 25" County Edition 2), and I don't think you'd see them on the 1908 photo from that angle. The DIA says the hotel had alterations in 1892, 1894 and 1905. So I'd say those buildings are the 1905 alterations, and this shot is post 1905.
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley That'd make it 1905-1914 - it cannot be any later than that...
Niall McAuley
One page over from [http://www.flickr.com/photos/gerryward]'s Portrush directory of 1910, we find the Portstewart directory featuring: Emigration Agent—S. R. Henry Grain and General Merchant—S. R. Henry Grocers—S. R. Henry Hotels—... Carric- na-cule, S. R. Henry; Posting Establishments—... S. R. Henry and Stationery and Fancy Warehouses—... S. R. Henry,
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
Have had a look at another photo of the S.S. Hazel at Portrush, and I'm 99% happy that http://www.flickr.com/photos/8468254@N02 is right. This is the S.S. Hazel, so this must have been taken after Saturday, 13 April 1907 when the Hazel was launched...
Niall McAuley
Samuel R. Henry appears in the census of 1901 and 1911 in Portstewart.
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
From the Irish Times of Friday, 14 June 1907
Niall McAuley
Hmm, the original image for [http://www.flickr.com/photos/8468254@N02]'s postcard is in the nli archive, and the backwards writing on it says "Glasgow Steamer The harbour Portrush". Is it the same ship? This steamer has a row of square and a row of round portholes in the white stripe above deck level. The Glasgow steamer appears to have no cabins/portholes above deck level. On the other hand, we are looking at the port side here, and the starboard side in the Glasgow steamer image. maybe the cabins are all on the port side? The Glasgow Steamer image is not high-definition enough for me to make out if the ship's name is legible.
Niall McAuley
After a quick google, I'm confident that this is the Hazel, later Mona. I'm not sure the Glasgow Steamer image is, though. Here are lots of Hazel/Mona pictures showing the portholes I mention on both sides.
Niall McAuley
In 1902/03, there was a steamer named the Azalea on this route, but I can't find a picture... June 19 1903 The daylight service between Ardrossan an Portrush opens on June 23 with the SS Azalea. Return fares: cabin, 14/-; steerage, 6/6d. Ardrossan - Belfast sail are: cabin, 9/6d.; steerage, 4/-.
ccferrie
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley] I'm beginning to doubt the date of that "1908" image. I think you would see the hotel extension because it directly abuts the terrace of houses on Mark St whereas we can see the gable of that terrace in the "1908" photo. BTW here's a nice poster of the ballroom of the Northern Counties c.1932. The ballroom depicted could be behind one of those great bay windows.
Niall McAuley
More Hazel info here
ccferrie
Another shot of the Hazel in the 1910s www.philsamusements.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/page... part of a great selection of old Portrush photos www.philsamusements.co.uk/old-portrush
FrigateRN
I love your old pictures NLI and you have done it again! You seem to just have the knack of finding and posting great pictures that just grab the attention, great job if I may say so. Thank you for sharing.
blackpoolbeach
There is a length of stud-link chain cable, as used for anchoring. en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/...
dorameulman
Brilliant old photo.
billh35
At the time this photo is taken the S.S. Hazel is in the process of "tying up" as she arrives on her berth at Portrush. You can clearly see a docker securing her bow line while on the deck officers await at each of the vessel's three disembarkation points. This explains why there are no gangways in situ and why people appear to be watching and not actually doing anything. In 1908 Laird Line were offering tours to Ireland ( theglasgowstory.com/image.php?inum=TGSA02066&t=2&... ) so it would be quite feasible for the S.R. Henry wagon, who was probably Laird's port agent, to be waiting to collect luggage from the Hazel while the carriage awaited passengers for the hotel.
Scadán Dearg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lizinitaly could have been the steam boat equivalent of the kneeling city bus;)
billh35
More likely that people were in a rush to disembark so the weight had shifted to the port side which alarmingly was affecting the ship's stability!
Dru Marland
I used to work on the Isle of Wight ferry, and was comfortably drinking my tea in the engine control room one afternoon when the Tannoy came on and the voice said "This is the captain speaking: if you look to starboard, you will see the QE2". A moment later we had heeled over to starboard, as the passengers upstairs dashed across...
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
http://www.flickr.com/photos/belvedere Oooh-er! That's like that old ad on the plane: "The McVitie's are at the back".