From the pages of the Down Recorder, November 19, 1974

From the pages of the Down Recorder, November 19, 1974

19 November 2014

DOWNPATRICK — Downpatrick is very much at the back of the industrial growth queue and it’s all because of an apparent lack of interest according to a spokesman for one Government agency this week.

In the past three years more than 170 jobs have been promoted in the Lecale area by the Local Enterprise Development Unit, but, said the Unit’s area officer, Mr. Frank Dolaghan, less than 20 jobs have been provided in Downpatrick.

The industrial growth potential of the Downpatrick area was under-utilised, he said, and LEDU were looking for skilled men with ideas to start out on their own.

LEDU, he explained, was designed to help people, who wished to start, or who were already in manufacturing or some service industries, to get off on a sound financial footing.

He had been disappointed at the lack of response from Downpatrick. The number of enquiries had been practically negligible and he blamed lack of local knowledge about the advantages LEDU could offer.

His message to the meeting was that local people had to help themselves. LEDU was there to give finance and advice, but individuals must come to them.

LEDU projects in the area are at Ballynahinch (21), Ardglass (3), Newcastle (2), Castlewellan, Dundrum and Ballyhornan. The total number of people employed at these sites is 226 (122 male and 104 female).

BALLYNAHINCH — Edengrove Presbyterian Church will begin their bicentenary celebrations on Sunday when the minister, the Rev. W. N. Duncan, will conduct the morning service. To mark the occasion a delightful 50-page booklet has been produced. It records the history of the congregation.

Edengrove is the name which was chosen by the united congregations on Second and Third Ballynahinch when they decided to form one congregation in 1949. In doing so they had healed the breach which had occurred in 1829 when some members of Ballynahinch Secession Congregation (Second Ballynahinch) separated to form another congregation called the Scots Secession Church (Third Ballynahinch).

The Rev. W. D. Bailie, minister of Kilmore Presbyterian Church, undertook to write the history of the church at the invitation of the Kirk Session and Committee of Edengrove and is to be congratulated upon the careful way in which he handled the difficult task for the painstaking research which it required.

The booklet, which will officially go on sale at the weekend, has been commended by the current minister, Rev. W. N. Duncan.

It describes the origin of Ballynahinch Burgher Secession Congregation (Second Ballynahinch) and then proceeds to give a detailed account of each ministry from that of the Rev. T. D. Fryer, who was ordained in 1774, until that of Mr. Duncan, who was ordained in May this year.

CROSSGAR — Several youths tried to set fire to a Crossgar garage on Monday night after an attempt to hold up the owner. Minor damage was caused to the premises of Mr. Wm. Ferguson on the Saintfield Road.

The fact that his garage is opposite the local police station didn’t seem to deter the youths, who made off in a white Vauxhall Viva in the direction of Belfast.

Apparently Mr. Ferguson was preparing to lock up when a hooded and armed youth burst in. Mr. Ferguson told him he had no money on the premises as a salesman had taken it home.

The youth then took a gallon of petrol, sprinkled it over the floor of the garage and ignited it, but it caused little damage. An accomplice was thought to have planted a bomb at the side of the garage.

Traffic was diverted as the police made a check and an appliance from Downpatrick fire station stood by, but nothing was found. Police are continuing investigations and they have made an appeal for information.

NEWCASTLE — In their battle to try and interest people in their town, Newcastle Town Committee are enlisting the aid of children by asking them to write an essay entitled ‘What can be done for Newcastle.’

The competition will be open to all primary school children in the area. Each essay should contain between 300 and 500 words. The adjudicators will be looking mainly for practical ideas on ‘What can be done for Newcastle’ and the quality of the ideas, but full consideration will be given to the literary content of the essay.

The first prize will be £5, the second £2 and the third £1. Entries should be sent to Mr. Martin Waddell, Central Promenade, Newcastle.

KILLYLEAGH — Members of the Killyleagh and Shrigley Friendship Club were delighted to be entertained by Killyleagh Secondary School’s junior girls’ choir on Tuesday. The 12 and 13 year-olds in the 60-strong choir put on a musical programme with the help of their musical teacher, Mr. Haydn Hardinge, which included hymns, solos and a selection from the musical ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.’

All the items were warmly received, but none more so than when Jan Geddis, Beverly Beers and Ann Breeze stepped forward to render the revived ‘Paper Roses.’

And the senior citizens’ reaction. “Lovely,” said Mrs. M. Dorrian, of Clea Lough Road. Mrs. S. Smyth, of Kerry Wynd said: “I don’t know much about music, but I know it was great.”

BALLYCULTER — Mr. Charles Quail, accompanied by the church wardens, Mr. Robert McGhie and Mr. John Press, laid a wreath at the grave of the unknown Royal Marine at Ballyculter on Remembrance Sunday. The Rev. W. E. Kennedy gave a short address at the ceremony.

Earlier in the morning Mr. Kennedy conducted the service in Christ Church, Ballyculter, when Commander David Maxwell, R.N., laid a wreath at the church’s war memorial.

Mrs. Nora Kent, of Grove Park, thought the kids were marvellous. “It was very good and very nice of them to ask us round.”

CHAPELTOWN — A hooded youth held a Chapeltown family at gunpoint while his two accomplices searched their home on Thursday night. The youths, who had forced access through the rear door, made off with a shotgun.

BALLYCRUTTLE — Downpatrick firemen had an early call on Monday morning when they dealt with a hay shed fire at the farm of Mr. Daniel Magee, Ballycruttle. Farm machinery, 700 bales of barley straw, 700 bales of corn straw and 1,500 bales of hay were completely destroyed in the blaze which is believed to have been started maliciously.

CASTLEWELLAN — Two men, posing as would-be passengers, stopped an Ulsterbus outside Castlewellan on the main Newcastle Road on Thursday night and left a duffle bag — which they claimed was a bomb — in the entrance. The driver and four passengers, on their way to Newcastle, got out and raised the alarm. Police diverted traffic and an Army Technical Officer declared it safe the following morning.

SAINTFIELD — The future of the United Unionist Coalition was discussed by loyalists before a packed Saintfield Orange Hall on Wednesday evening. Vanguard Unionist Chief Whip, Mr. Cecil Harvey, sad he was optimistic that the discussions taking place between the three party leaders would be brought to a successful conclusion within the next few months.

Mr. Harvey also told the meeting that he hoped a single consolidated Unionist party would fight the forthcoming Convention election.

ARDGLASS — The president, Miss P. Wallace, welcomed new members at the November meeting of Ardglass Women’s Institute in the Fishermen’s Rest. She introduced the guest speaker, Mrs. G. Wheeler, from Downpatrick, who demonstrated to a very interested audience the art of cake icing. A vote of thanks to Mrs. Wheeler was made by Mrs. Todd.