'Sub-Post Offices in the Portadown District'

"Sub-Post Offices in the Portadown District", from BASSETT's "The Book of County Armagh" [1888]"

Note: See Source footnotes, below.

SUB-POST OFFICES IN THE PORTADOWN DISTRICT.

LETTERS addressed to residents of a sub-postal district should bear the name of the head office, thus : Diamond, Portadown. The names of the principal farmers and residents of the rural post office districts of Ballynacorr, Battlehill, Clenroll, Crabtree Lane, Derryanville, Derryhale Corner, and Scotch-street are included in the alphabetical list of Farmers and Residents of Portadown. The object of this consolidation is to prevent, as far as possible, the confusion which might arise by reason of the fact that delivery is made direct from Portadown by rural carriers on the way to the several places mentioned. Ballynacorr is 4 miles from Portadown, Battlehill 2-1/2 miles, Clenroll 2-1/2 miles, Crabtree Lane 3 miles, Derryanville 3-1/4 miles, Derryhale Corner 4 miles, Mullantine 2 miles, and Scotchstreet 3 miles.

GILFORD. [Tullylish parish, County Down]

GILFORD is in the County Down, less than 4 miles, Irish, south-east of Portadown. The post-office at Moyallon, which is nearer to the Armagh border, is served from Gilford. Farmers and residents of Armagh, who receive their letters by way of Gilford, are named in the following list :

MESSRS. W. & S. MERCIER.

IF the millers of Ireland were to follow the example of Messrs. W. & S. Mercier, the competition of American flour manufacturers would not be so severely felt. For some years past the efforts of this firm have been marked by that intelligence and spirit of enterprise by means of which large fortunes have been made in other countries. For more than two years they have been manufacturers of wheat Semolina. Hitherto the Semolina prepared from Indian corn has been extensively used. Their Semolina "contains in a granulated form the richest and most nutritious elements of pure wheat, and is valuable as a food for infants and children, as well as in the various forms of puddings, cakes, etc.," recipes for which are provided on the wrappers of tins. It is nearly two years since they began the manufacture of Oat Flour, and their brand is now in use, by invalids and others, at hydropathic and health resorts generally throughout the United Kingdom. Messrs. W. & S. Mercier, as flour millers, employ the latest improvements in roller machinery. They also make Indian Meal--coarse and fine. The flour mill, stone and slate, was erected in 1839, and the steam mill, brick stone and slate, in 1864. All the buildings are fire-proof, and are connected by a bridge, as seen in the illustration.

Water and steam are employed for driving purposes, both producing about 250 horse power. The mills are situated in the Bann valley, close to the Armagh border, and within a hundred yards of the Newry Canal. A tramway, built by Messrs. W. & S. Mercier, runs from their premises to the canal, which gives them the advantage of direct communication by water with Belfast and Newry. The railway station for Gilford and Tandragee--Madden--is distant about a mile and a quarter, and Portadown is three miles.

AHOREY. [Kilmore parish]

AHOREY is a rural post-office 4-1/2 miles, Irish, south-west of Portadown, and 3 miles south-east from Richhill. The land of the district is good for pasture and tillage. Oats, potatoes and flax are the chief crops. Dairying is carried on to a considerable extent, and many of the farmers make a feature of fruit-growing.

ANNAGHMORE. [Loughgall parish]

ANNAGHMORE is a station on the Great Northern (Ulster) Railway, 6-1/4 miles, English, west by north from Portadown, and 7 miles, Irish, north by east from Armagh, by road. The distance by rail is 18 miles, English. Mr. John A. M. Cope, J.P., Drumilly, Loughgall, is the landlord. The land of the district, when not boggy, is heavy, and not easily cultivated. Potatoes, wheat and oats are the principal crops. There is an extensive tract under bog, and the inhabitants cut and save a great deal of "turf" for market. The road to Armagh, at all seasons of the year, suffers from the constant traffic of turf-carts. Turf is also sent to Moy and Richhill. A large amount of bog-deal is found in the peat, and sold for fire-lighting. Occasionally pieces of oak turn up. They are mostly utilized for fencing purposes. Nearly all the houses of Annaghmore are built of the heavy native clay. When dry it is very hard, and resists the action of the weather for a long time without cracking. Most of the inhabitants of Annaghmore are small farmers and cottage weavers. Nearly every house has two or three looms. Linen manufacturers of Portadown and Lurgan send agents every week to take in webs and give out yarns. Many of the cottagers are also fruit-growers in a modest way, and many also make a feature of sending butter to market in a lump. Lough Neagh is 3-1/2 miles from Annaghmore. Some of the fish dealers ship pollen and trout from here to Liverpool.

THE DIAMOND. [Loughgall parish]

DIAMOND, a village of a few houses, in the barony of O'Neilland West, is about 4-3/4 miles to the west of Portadown. The post-office, which is also a parochial school-house, supported by Mrs. Cope, of the Manor, Loughgall, is three quarters of a mile nearer. Potatoes, beans, oats and wheat are the chief crops of the district. The land is heavy and difficult to manage. Apple-orchards are numerous, and in good seasons--when fruit is not too abundant--farmers find them valuable aids to income. "The Diamond," as it is generall called, is interesting mainly as the scene of a battle fought September 21st, 1795. For some years previously the County Armagh was greatly disturbed. Among the Protestants an organization was formed, which was known as "The Peep-o'-day Boys," and the Roman Cathlics had an organization known as "Defenders." In order to prevent conflicts of a bloody nature, an Infantry Volunteer Corps was embodied at the City of Armagh in July, 1788, under command of Captain Joshua McGeough. The uniform consisted of green jackets, nankeen small clothes, white waistcoats, round hats, and black plumes. It numbered 70, and was speedily increased to 100 by a contingent raised at Derrycaw, under the auspices of Mr. Thomas Clogher. Lord Charlemont, who had accepted command of the first volunteers raised, addressed a letter to the new corps in the following month of the same year, in which he exhorted the men to observe two principles--"Defence of the country against invaders, and the preservation of internal peace and good order." To put an end to the animosity between Protestants and Roman Catholics he wrote : "I do solemly [sic] exhort my friends and fellow soldiers thoroughly to divest themselves of all such criminal prejudices, and to consider their fellow subjects of every denomination as their countrymen and brethren." Assemblages of Peep-o' day Boys and Defenders were prevented by the Volunteers at various places, but at "The Diamond" they came together without interference, and the Defenders were defeated. A few were killed, and several wounded. Residents of "The Diamond" at present talk about the battle with as great an appearance of interest as if it had occurred in their day. "The Diamond House" was a much frequented inn during the 18th century. It was kept by James Winter, and it seems Mr. Winter was not friendly to the Defenders. As a consequence they made him a midnight visit, and having spread his supply of flour and meal upon the floor, spilled all the whiskey and beer upon it. To this was added broken glass from the windows. "The Diamond House" is now owned by Mr. John Watt, but within sight of it there is a neat cottage occupied by Misses Jane and Margaret Winter, of the fourth generation of Winters since 1788. In the kitchen window at the back of the house there are two small panes of glass of the old bulls-eye pattern. These they point to as having been rescued from the "mortar." Close to the door of the Winter Cottage a root of shamrock, of the four-leaved variety, so difficult to "find," has spread until it covers the pavement for several yards--perhaps insuring to the occupants a continuance of peaceful days and nights, the sort of "good luck" which was denied to their progenitor.

SCARVA. [Aghaderg parish, County Down]

SCARVA is a village in the County Down, divided from Armagh by the Newry Canal. It is 3-1/2 miles south-west of Banbridge, and a station on the Great Northern Railway. A full description is given of it, and of the celebrated "Dane's Cast," in my BOOK OF COUNTY DOWN. Residents of the County Armagh named as follows, receive their letters from the Scarva post-office:

SOURCE: Bassett, George Henry, The Book of County Armagh: A manual and directory for manufacturers, merchants, traders, professional men, land-owners, farmers, tourists, anglers and sportsmen generally, London: Simpkin, Marshall & Co. and New York: Robert J. McMillan, 1888.

Transcribed by Alison Kilpatrick, 27 August 2004.

This transcription is intended solely for the non-commercial use of family historians.