From the pages of the Down Recorder, November 30, 1941

30 November 2011

ROSCONNOR — Coroner Wallace conducted an inquest on Monday at Bernard Mullan’s, Rosconnor, concerning the tragic death of the three year-old son, only child, of a labourer, Patrick Hugh Malone, a city refugee, at present living in Mullan’s house.

According to the evidence, the mother missed the little boy on Sunday afternoon. A neighbour, John Brannigan, found him in the nearby river, which was in flood. Had he gone to test the new pair of wellington boots he was wearing, only to be swept away?

Artificial respiration was applied by the police, and also by Dr. McLister, but in vain. The verdict was accidental drowning. Sympathy to the parents was expressed by the Coroner and Head-Constable Murphy. The father, deeply touched, expressed his gratitude to Constable Paul, who for two hours unaided had tried to restore life.

NEWCASTLE — Refugee children are a factor in the overcrowding of Donard View Elementary School. The senior inspector suggested the creation of a Nissen hut in the school grounds as a temporary classroom, and accordingly a plan has been submitted to the Ministry of Education.

SAINTFIELD — Saintfield branch of the Farmers’ Union, in Hewitt’s Hall on Wednesday, under the chairmanship of Mr. W. Morrison, discussed the milk and flax prices for 1942. Exception was taken to the local dealers’ elimination in the scrap drive. And sympathy was expressed with the Red Cross agricultural fund movement, with which leading members of the Union’s central executive are directly associated.

CLOUGH — Downpatrick Rural Council’s A.R.P. Committee, consisting of members chosen from Ardglass, Castlewellan, Crossgar, Dundrum, Killough, Killyleagh and Strangford, met at the workhouse boardroom on Wednesday evening. The Clough ambulance, it was ascertained, was too large for the garage, built by Ogle Bros. According to Mr. B. Ogle, now ushered in, the vehicle was too high for any garage in Clough; in the open it was covered with tarpaulin, and it was in a rusty state before taken over. Authority was not given to have the garage raised accordingly.

HOME GUARD — In this area seven more recruits joined during the week. Few sub-districts are up to full strength yet, though most are near it. Training goes ahead. On Sunday, after a mock coastal invasion, Strangford essayed to clear out parachutes, and Colonel Martin, the umpire, in summing up, pointed out certain little faults. The kind gesture of the parachutists in providing tea was much appreciated.

At the same time, not far distant, Ardglass were engaged in a similar role. P/Commander Chambers carried out his plans with forethought and thoroughness.

The tractor and trailer proceeding through enemy lines, at first with pigs in the trailer, and then returning with seven Home Guards, minus the pigs, put the finishing touches to the descent upon the parachutists. Sergeant Brown with his MG section got into position first to give covering fire, but nullified his good work by being on the skyline.

The Downpatrick parade on Sunday was well attended.

DERRYBOY — Conforming to tradition the County Down Staghounds’ first meet of the season took place on Saturday at the hospitable residence of Mr. and Mrs. J. Bailie Lindsay, Derryboy, a place provincially known for generations as a horse breeding establishment, and invested with the aura of sportsmanship. On what was a forbidding day Mr. Granville Nugent, master, had only a small field under his command. The pack seemed very fit, and every mount spick and span. There were the usual press photographs of the scene, just as in peace time.

DOWNPATRICK — The Forces Entertainment Committee’s programme in Downpatrick Assembly Hall on Thursday evening comprised a clever shadow sketch and much joyous singing, but, above, memory feats by the 34 year-old Robert Nicholl, so exploited of late by the press and on the wireless. The fifth member of a family of ten, this human encyclopaedia, as he is styled, hails from the Strabane district. His sister, Mrs. R. Beattie, lives at Abbey View, Downpatrick.

KILLYLEAGH — A young man, William McKee, machine-master in Killyleagh spinning mill, on Tuesday at his job suffered hurts which had to be treated at the County Infirmary.

CASTLEWELLAN — As to the technical school principalship for the Castlewellan area, in succession to the late Mr. Keogh, a new shortlist has been prepared by the Regional Education Committee. It was suggested that the first one was vitiated by considerations other than the proficiency of the candidates.

TYRELLA — Yesterday Down Regional Education Committee made the following school appointments: principal at Tyrella, Mr. Robert J. Dickson, B.A., Wolsley Street, Belfast; assistant at Downshire, Dundrum, Miss Margaret L. Sewell, Sydenham Gardens, Belfast, at present locum for Mrs. Hunter at Downpatrick.

LISBURN — Eighteen wagons were wrecked at four o’clock on Tuesday morning by the derailment of a section of a loaded goods train on the Belfast-Newcastle single track, about two miles from Lisburn. No one was injured.

KILKEEL — Rosaleen Fearon, of Kilkeel, was shortlisted in the choice on Saturday from 25,000 of Britain’s ideal NAAFI girl. This was no mere beauty contest. Each was judged on appearance, intelligence, self-confidence, technical knowledge, diction, and manners.

GOLF — The golfing community, down the smallest caddie, who remembers Henry Cotton’s visits to Newcastle, will doubtless cock their ears on Tuesday when he starts a series of broadcast lessons on the game. Cotton is now a flight lieutenant in the R.A.F. An enigmatic personality, he is acclaimed as ‘the man who put British golf on the fairway after it had spent weary years in the rough.’ He talks French fluently, and the other week gave a broadcast to Belgium, a country he know well for he was once professional to a club near Brussels.

Tweets by @TheDownRecorder