Notes

Originally part of the same building as no.62, but subdivided before 1859, (HB05/13/011).

HB05/13/011.

An Alexander McLean is names under ‘painters and glaziers’ in Pigot’s 1824 (as Alex Mc Lain) and Slater’s 1846 and 1856 Directories

Post-Office Belfast Annual Directory 1843-1844.

HB05/13/011

Griffith’s Valuation

SMcM research based on Griffith’s Valuation registers.

Census – building no.74

Alexander McLean, 67, head of family, COI, carpenter-master, not married

Margaret Cooke, 64, sister, COI, interest on money, widow

Mary Anderson, 29, niece, COI, not married

SMcM research based on Griffith’s Valuation registers.

Census – building no.79

Alexander McLean, 80, head of family, COI, carpenter, single

Mary Anderson, 39, niece, COI, single

SMcM research based on Griffith’s Valuation registers.

HB05/13/011

HB05/13/011

Harriet Hamilton (12/11/24) is the granddaughter of James Patrick Barton. James had been an apprentice cobbler at Scarlett’s (no.41) across the road before setting up his own shop.

The shop stocked shoes and accessories, including laces and twangs (long laces for working boots), tuxan and meltonian polishes, insoles, boots (wellingtons, argylls, dunlops, half boots and full length boots). James used a special coding system for prices in the shop based on his name: J= 1 shilling, A = 2 shillings etc. L= £1, LL = £2.

Harriet worked in the shop as a teenager and remembers being shown by James how to wrap shoes sales in newspaper and tie the parcel with a special knot.

James was a founding member of McQuillan GAC and Ballycastle Bowling Club. He as an active whist player – around Christmas he would win geese and turkeys that would be hung in the yard until ready for cooking.

James was married to Annie Blue (5’2” from Carn Dubh). She kept laying hens in an outhouse beyond the yard.

Harriet’s father, Dan Barton, repaired shoes and leather goods (including bags and leather footballs) from a small workshop in an outbuilding across the yard and up some stairs. The family referred to it as “up to the loft”. There was a bell in the workshop attached to a cord that could be pulled in the kitchen to let Dan know there was someone in the shop looking for repairs.

Dan would work with balls of hemp which he ran through wax before hand-sewing his repairs. He also kept leather for repairs soaking in a vat to keep it supple which “stank to high heaven” (additional notes provides by Harriet’s sister, Kate).

HB05/13/011

Harriet Hamilton nee Barton (12/11/24) notes that after James’s death, the shoe shop was taken on by her aunt, Sarah Henry nee Barton and her cousin (Sarah’s daughter), Carol Morton nee Henry. Harriet’s father Dan continued to work doing repairs until his retirement.