The following is an extract from a Belfast and Ulster Towns Directory
G L E N A V Y. (1907)
GLENAVY is a very charming village, picturesquely situated about one mile and a half from Lough Neagh. As the village is only seventeen miles by rail, and eleven by road from Belfast, it is a most suitable and convenient place for parties wishing to picnic on Ram’s Island, or on the shores of Lough Neagh. The Glenavy River is a favourite resort for anglers, the fishing there being remarkably good. Glenavy is on a branch line from Lisburn to Antrim, there being four trains daily each way, and also direct communication between Dublin and Belfast. The roads around being very good, level, and kept in good order, have great attractions for cyclists, many hundreds of whom pass through the village, in clubs or singly, during the cycling -season, There is a prosperous flock mill, the property of The Ulster Flock Co., which employs a number of people, whilst others find work at the Lough Neagh Tweed Factory, in Crumlin a distance of two miles. There are also beetling engines owned by Mr. James Lorimer, also corn mill and beetling engines, owned by Mr. A. M. Lorimer, which do a large trade for several nines in Belfast, whilst the business of basket-making is largely carried on by the peasants living around and about Lough Neagh. There are various objects of interest near Glenavy such as the ruins of the Church and Palace of Bishop Jeremy Taylor, also the remains of the beautiful stables built by the Earl of Conway about 1664; but all the Buildings including the Church and Palace, were demolished in the year 1761. These ruins are to be found on the borders of Portmore Lake, within easy driving or walking distance of Glenavy. The Crew Stone, where the Kings of Ulster were crowned; from this stone one of the finest and most extensive view in the country map be had on a clear day; the ruins of the Parish Church of Camlin destroyed by the army of James 11 in 1689; the Leap Waterfall at Glenconway, the residence of Mr. Samuel Sandys Briggs; the Parish Church of Glenavy, a handsome Elizabethan edifice situate on the Glenavy River. During the year 1895, through the untiring efforts of the late incumbent, the Rev. Charles Watson, M.A., B.D., the interior of the Church has been thoroughly renovated and beautified ;a chancel and organ chamber built, and beautiful stained-glass windows, presented by interested friends.
There is a large congregation connected with the church, the services on. Sundays being held at the hours of half-past eleven a.m. and seven p.m. An interesting relic is the beautiful Communion Cup presented by the officers of the army of William III, who were quartered in Glenavy. The cup adorns the communion table on “Twelfth of July Sunday,” when the Orangemen march to church wearing their colours. A very handsome little Chapel of Ease, St. John’s, was opened in September, 1903, at Crumlin. It belongs to the Parish Church, Glenavy, and the vicar and curate officiate. It has been opened quite free of debt, and is a very great acquisition to the inhabitants of Crumlin, as the service was previously held in the Court House. The very interesting Middle Church of Balinderry, about three miles from Glenavy, was built by Jeremy Taylor, Bishop of Down, and consecrated in 1668, the year after his death. It has a curious three-tier pulpit at the side of the church, and the gallery is entered by a staircase outside the church. It was restored in the year 1902 by the munificence of Mrs. Walkington, Upper Balllinderry. There is an attractive Methodist Church, surrounded by handsome iron railings, built in the year 1892, and now entirely free of debt.
There are two services on Sunday, at eleven a.m. and half past six p.m. A mile from the village is the Roman Catholic Chapel of St. Joseph, built on an elevation, from which it can be seen for miles around. Population 300.
Post Office – Miss Ferris, postmistress. Delivery of letters three times daily – 7 a.m., 2 p.m. (7 p.m. for callers)
Telegraph Office – Glenavy Railway Station; Wm. Sherlock, clerk
Post Office Savings Bank and Money Order Office, open from 8 a.m. till 3 p.m. – Miss Ferris
Petty Sessions – Held last Monday of each month in Crumlin; Thomas J. English, clerk
At any time cars are available for hire, and a three-horse van an outside car go every Tuesday to Lisburn.
PLACES OF WORSHIP
Church of Ireland – Parish Church, Glenavy Rev. J. B. Glover, M.A., incumbent. St. Andrew’s Chapel of Ease, Feumore – Supplied from Glenavy. Parish Church, Stoneyford – Rev. Wm. Brown. B.A.
St. John’s Chapel of Ease, Crumlin – Supplied from Glenavy
Presbyterian Church – Rev. J.A. Canning. LL.B., Crumlin; Rev. James Little, Dundrod.
Methodist Church – Rev. G.M. Clarke, Glenavy
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS
National Schools – Glenavy, Arthur G. Camp; Legateriff, Mrs Hurley; Ballymacricket, M McCullough; Fourscore, James Turkington; Killultagh, Jas. Hendron.
Glenavy Dispensary – Arthur Mussen, M.D., J.P., coroner for South Antrim
Protestant Hall, Glenavy
INHABITANTS
Adams, Johnston, farmer
Armstrong, Andrew, farmer
Armstrong, James, farmer
Armstrong, John, saddler
Armstrong, John, coachman
Armstrong, Joseph, Crew
Armstrong, Mrs. Sarah, publican and farmer
Armstrong, M.P., Goremount, farmer
Armstrong, Robert, farmer
Armstrong, William, porter
Ayre, James, flockworker
Ballance, Henry, farmer, Crewe
Ballance, James, farmer, Ballypitmave
Bell, Allan, farmer, Springfield
Bell, Jonathan, farmer, Bellgrove
Bell, Meredith, millwright
Bell, Robert, carowner and posting establishment
Berry, Peter, labourer
Bickerstaff, Joseph, fisherman
Briggs, S.S., Glenconway
Brock, Miss, schoolteacher
Camp, Arthur G., N.S. teacher
Campbell, Wm., fish merchant and shipper
Cardwell, Robert, Ram’s Island caretaker
Clendinning, Thomas
Colbourn, Joseph, farmer
Collier, James, farmer, Ballincoy
Connon, H., farmer, Pigeontowm
Connor, George, Knockcairn House
Connon, farmer, Pigeontown
Corken, John, farmer, Hollybrook
Crossey, Daniel
Crossey, Patk., basket manufacturer
Crowe, Robert, beetler
Crowe, Sam, beetler
Crowe, William, beetler
Cummins, Edward, farmer
Curry, Samuel, carpenter
Doak, James, Hope Croft
Dogherty, Joseph, farmer
Downer, Miss, Annandale
Downer, Mrs. , Annandale
Elwood, James, farmer
Evans, William, Crewe Park
Faloon, Henry, carpenter
Ferris, John, publican and farmer
Ferris, Miss, postmistriss
Fitzgerald, William, Tunny House
Gibson, James, farmer, Crossvale
Gillen, James, farmer
Glover, Rev. J.B., M.A., The Vicarage
Gordon, Richard, shoemaker
Green, Samuel, farmer
Hannon, Hugh, shoemaker
Harbinson, Wm., sexton, Methodist Church
Harris, Rev. E.M. The Curatage
Heaney, Mrs. Jane, grocer
Heaney, WIlliam, tailor
Hendron, Janes, N.S., Killultagh
Henry, James, blacksmith
Higginson, John, farmer
Higginson, William, carter
Hume, Mrs., laundress
Ingram, Miss E. , dressmaker
Ingram, Edward, mason
Ingram, John, mason
Ingram, James G. farmer, Ballyvorally
Ingram, William, farmer, Pigeontown
Irvine, Thos., contractor, Glenavy
Johnston, Alex., farmer
Johnston, Edward, farmer, Leap
Johnston, John, farmer, Weir House
Johnston, Miss, Annandale
Johnston, M.L.& S., General Merchant; agents for "Belfast News – Letter" and "Belfast Weekly News"
Johnston, Robert, fowldealer
Johnston, Samuel, Hopevale
Johnston, Thomas, farmer
Just, Thomas, beetler
Kerr, Thomas, manager Ulster Flock Co.
Laird, John, J.P., Gobrana House
Laird, William, Gobrana House
Lattimer, H., Waterworks, Stoneyford
Lennon, The Misses, dressmakers
Lennon, William, blacksmith
Leslie, Henry, smith
Leslie, Robert, Flockworker
Lochart, Robert, clerk
Lorimer, Andrew, farmer
Lorimer, Archibald, miller
Lorimer, James, Edenvale
Lowry, John, farmer
Lowry, William, farmer
Lunas, T.J., farmer, Elmhill
Marsden, Edward, enginedriver
Marsden, Jas., railway permanent way
Meghy, John, farmer
Megarry, Henry, fisherman
Megarry, James, J.P., Ballyvorally
Megarry, John, fisherman
Megarry, John, boatbuilder
Millar, Miss, dressmaker
Millar, Miss M., secretary, I.O.G.T.
Millar, Mrs. John
Millar, Mrs. Sara
Mockler, Edward J.P.
Moore, Letitia, farmer
Moore, Richard, carpenter
Moore, Thos., farmer
Morgan, William, beetler
Mussen, Arthur, M.D., J.P., coroner, The Cottage
Macartney, John, gardener
Mulholland, Isaac, publican
Mulholland, Samuel, farmer
McAllister, Randal, Firs Lodge
McAnley, James, farmer
McClure, John, Landgarver
McCord, Archie, carter
McCorry, Dalway, farmer
McCorry, Miss, grocer
McCorry, W.J., publican
McCotter, Miss, schoolteacher
McCullagh, Mes., farmer, Tullynewbank
McDowell, J., carpenter
McKavanagh, Daniel, farmer
McKavanagh, Philip, farmer
McKavanagh, William, farmer
McKeever, W.J., fowldealer
McKeown, W.J., shop manager, Sunnyside
McKeown, W,J, Insurance Agent
McMullan, Thompson, farmer
McNeice, James, sexton Parish Church
McVeigh, Charles, farmer and contractor
McVeigh, Dennis, farmer and road contractor
Neill, Joseph, farmer
Nelson, Charles, fish merchant and shipper
Nelson, W.r., Aghanadarragh
O’Brady, Rev. James, C.C., Ballymacricket
O’M Malley, Rev. F., P.P., Ballymacricket
O’Neill, Maurice, basket manufacturer
Peel, Arthur, farmer
Phillips, W.J., farmer
Phoenix Fire Office – agent W.J. McKeown, Sunnyside
Quigley, Charles, sand merchant
Rankin, William, Landgarve
Reid, Jospeh, farmer, Crew
Rollins, George, farmer, Crew Park
Ross, James, posting establishment
Rush, Andrew, tailor
Sefton, Alfred, Glendona
Sefton, Misses, Glendona
Sefton, Thomas, Glendona
Sherlock, William, stationmaster
Simpson, John, farmer
Sloane, Alex., carter
Sloane, Jas, R., farmer
Sloane, Samuel, bootmaker
Sloane, Sergeant, farmer
Smith, James, farmer, Crew Park
Smith, William, farmer
Steel,, David, railway permanent way
Steel, Robert, farmer
Steel, Thomas, farmer
Stewart, Francis, farmer, Crew
Stewart, George, farmer
Thompson, Mrs. S.A., Annandale
Thompson, Rev. G.W., Methodist manse
Thompson, Thomas, farmer
Turkington, James, N.S. teacher
Waite, Miss, dressmaker
Waring, George, M.D., Bellbrook
Waring, Lucas, farmer, Bellbrook
Watson, Joseph, thatcher and jobber
White, Walter, carpenter and contractor
Wilkinson, Elijah, beetler, Alma Cottage
Wilson, David, farmer, The Laurels
Wilson, Robert, Stationview House
Wilson, Robert, carpenter
Wilkinson, Thomas, gardener
Wilkinson, W.J., meat merchant and dealer
Young, James, watchmaker and jeweller