LURGAN is a linen and cambric manufacturing town in the north-east of County Armagh, situated twenty miles S.W. from the City of Belfast, on the line of the Great Northern Railway, and a mile and a half south from Lough Neagh. The population of Lurgan at the last census was 12,553, an increase of 783, or 7.0 per cent, over previous census, annual value of rateable property amounts to £30,081 0s 0d. and the township is annually increasing. Brownlow House and terrace grounds, formerly the seat of Lord Lurgan. were purchased by the Orangemen of Lurgan and district some years ago while the demesne (some 500 acres in extent), which was formerly in the hands of the Lurgan Real Property Company, has now been practically all disposed of, with the exception of a few acres in Windsor Avenue retained for building ground. The Town Council some years ago acquired 73 acres of the choices part of the demesne immediately adjacent to the town and opposite Brownlow House, for the purpose of a public park for the town. This has been laid out at very considerable expense and was formerly opened by the then Lord Lieutenant on the 31st of July 1909. The Council has also secured the 63 acres of ornamental lake bordering on the park, and this is used for fishing and similar purposes, while some three years ago the Council purchased a further three acres of land bordering on the lake for the purpose of providing a carriage drive. In the public park the following sports ground are laid out:- One Association football ground, one Rugby ground, one cricket crease, one bowling green, one tennis ground (4 courts). Lurgan may be said to be the cradle of the Irish linen cambric industry, and to the success and skill of its inhabitants and of the surrounding villages in the fine linen and damask manufacture, and in recent years the handkerchief hemstitching and finishing business, is to be attributed the progress of the town. In all there are 22 factories in the town. These employ roughly 3,000 female hands and about 1,100 male hands; but a very large percentage of these - over 60 per cent - have been unemployed or on part time employment since July, 1921. There is very little unemployment now, and there is a keen demand by managers for operatives. The Labour Exchange have applications for over 200 vacancies, the new register shows a large increase in the voting strength within the urban area. This now contains 6,001 Parliamentary voters and 5,931 Parliamentary and Local government electors. Lurgan has also two fine golf courses, Woodville, situated on the Lough Road, and the Lurgan Golf Club in the Demesne.

PLACES OF WORSHIP

Church Of Ireland, Parish Church, Church place
A. G. Hannon, M.A.; Rev. George Johnston, B.A.; Rev. J. T. Belton, A.; and Rev. G. Moore, B.A. Organist, Sydney P. B. Smyth, A.R.C.O.

Presbyterian Church - First- High street-
Rev. W.B. Sproule, B.A.

Second, Hill street -
Captain the Rev. Andrew Gibson, B.A. B.D. M.C.

Methodist Church, High Street -
Rev. Rev. J. Linahan, B.A., and Rev. H. H. Sayers.

Queen street -
Rev. J. Whittaker, B. A.

Baptist Chapel, Windsor Avenue
Pastor F. Forbes

Friends’ Meeting-house, Queen street

Roman Catholic Chapel, North street
Very Rev. M.B. McConville, P.P., V.G.Dean of Dromore; Revs. A. Lowry, C.C.;
H. McGivern, C.C.; Wm. Ronan, C.C., D. Gallery C.C. J. M'Nulty, C.C

Salvation Army, Union street

PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS

Postmaster - Mr. J.H. Baird, B.A., Hill street
Registrar of Marriages - Mr James Calvert, Clerk of Union
Registrar of Births and Deaths - Dr. R. Pedlow, Dispensary, Union street; assistant, Miss A. Agnew
Lurgan College - Headmaster, Mr. V. Harper B.A
Model School - Headmaster, Mr Joseph Harrison; assistants,
Mr A.S.P. Lightbody and Mr A. Smith; headmistress (girls’ school), Miss Kennedy; assistant, Miss Mitchell; headmistress (infants’ school), Miss Greer; assistant, Miss McConkey
Muncipal Fire Brigade Station, Union street - Superintendant, Robert Burns
National School, North street - Principals, John Smith and
Miss Evans; assistants, Miss Livingston and Miss Sholdis
National Schools, Windsor avenue Patron, Rev. W.B. Sproule, B.A.; principal (boys), John Savage; principal (girls), Mrs Kyle,
Miss Sooter and Mr. Alex Shields
George’s Street P.E. School - Patron, Rev. Andrew Gibson; principal, W. Brown, LL.B.; assistants, Mrs. Brown and Miss S. Shields
P.E. School John street - Principal, Francis Sloan, B.A.; teachers, Geo. Knox, Miss Magurran, J. Graham, Miss Haire, Miss Baird, and Miss Waite.
St. Peter’s P.E. School, North street - Patron, Very Rev. M. B. M'Conville, P.P.. Dean of Dromore; principal, T. P. Keville; assistants, Thos. Kelly, Thos. Armstrong, and P. M. Breen
P.E. School, Victoria street - Patron; Very Rev. the Dean of Dromore; principal, D. J. Kyle; assistants, Mrs. Kyle, Miss Liggett, and John Richardson
P.E. School, Queen street - Principal, Wm. M'Conkey; assistants, Miss Bratty and Miss Livingstone
P.E. (Methodist) School, Queens Place - Teachers, Jas. M'Cann, Geo. M'Cann, and Miss Mullen
Convent P.E. School, Edward Stret
Convent Technical School, Church Place
School Attendance Committee - Officer, Jas. Weir; secretary, John W. Pollock. Meeting held third Wednesday of each month at 4 p.m. in Town Hall.
Lurgan Technical School Union street - Principal, H. O. Armstrong. Meeting of Technical Committee first Friday in each month at 8 p.m.

BANKS
Belfast, High street - Alex. Minnis, manager; G. Grant, cashier.
Northern, Market street - G. A. Alister, manager: G. C. Mitchell, cashier.
Ulster, Market street - Simpson, manager; J. H. Clegg, assistant manager; C. W. Hoy, cashier.
Bank of Ireland - W. Johnston, agent; G. Frazer, sub-agent

Gas works William street - W. Tallentire. manager David M'Gibbon, clerk; J. W. Pollock, secretary
Railway Station, William street - Walter Johnston, stationmaster
Mechanic’s Institute, Market street - President. Thomas Watson. Co. C. ; honorary secretary, A. Minnis; honorary treasurer, C. Johnston; librarian, John B. Anketell
British Legion, Ex-Service Soldiers and Sailors (Lurgan Branch)—James Magill, secretary; office, Carnegie street
Free Library - Charles Mc Guigan, librarian
Shankill Buildings - Parochial hall and refreshment rooms, Church place
Lurgan Catholic Young Men’s Association - Chairman of committee, R. Kennedy, J.P.; hon. secretary, John Gallery, solicitor
Lurgan Agricultural Association - Chairman of Committee, Nicholson Best; hon. secretary, C. W. Neill; W. P. Fairley, Windsor avenue, Lurgan, sec.; office, Windsor ave

CONSTABULARY STATIONS

There are two constabulary stations in Lurgan, the principal being situated in Church place and the other in Queen street, thirty men, commanded by District Inspector J. P. Ferris

Courthouse, William street
Union Workhouse - Clerk, James Calvert; master, John H. O'Neile; matron, Mrs O'Neile; rate-collectors, Robt. Jones, John Tavlor, W. H. Stevenson ; medical officer, Dr. Darling.
Board of Guardians meet on first and third Thursdays of each month at 11 o'clock a.m. Chairman, Thomas Faloon. J.P. Relieving Officers- Messrs. J. Sandford, John street. Lurgan; and Richard Twinem. Portadown. Workhouse porter, W. Johnston
Petty Sessions Office, Courthouse - Thomas Moffett, clerk
Rural District Councils - There are three Rural councils in this union, Lurgan, Moira and Aghalee. Lurgan and Moira Councils hold their monthly meetings in Lurgan, and Aghalee Council meet, at Aghalee. Clerk of Lurgan and Moira Councils, W. J. Corner; Clerk of Aghalee Council, Williaim Sinclair, Lisburn
Urban District Councils - Chairman, Mr. J. S. Carrick; clerk and registrar of stock, J. W. Pollock; assistant clerk. Miss M'Gcown: medical officer of health, Robt. Pedlow, M.B.. B.Ch. ; sub sanitary officer, R. Elliott: rate collector. Robert Jones, sen.: assnt. rate collector, R. Jones, jun. ; weighmaster, W. J. Gibson; water inspector. H. Dunbar; town surveyor, W. R. Rutherford, C.E.
Old-age Pensions Committee - Messrs. Edwd. Lunn (chairman); George A. Anderson, John Hopps. James Murke, Thomas Brady. Samuel Metcalfe, and Henry Cummins. Meets on second Tuesday after monthly meeting of council at 7-30 p.m.
Child Welfare Committee Mrs. G. Greer (Woodville), chairman
Y.M.C.A., Windsor Avenue - Capt. the Rev. A W Gibson B.A., B.D., M.C. Hon.sec. Ernest A. Barr supt.
Y.W.C.A., High street - President, Mrs. Bell; hon treasurer, Mrs Alister; hon. secretary, Miss Ross; lady superintendant, Miss M. Hamilton

HOTELS
Brownlow Arms - Miss Lucy Elmes
Great Northern - Mr Edward Berwick
Commercial - Mr. James McGreavy
Grand Central - Mr. John Hughes
Star (Temperance) - Mr. R. H. Pentland
William Street Temperance - Miss Clendinning

Our thanks to Mary Lennon for her kindness in providing this information. We make this information freely available to genealogists and Family Historians, but at no time may this information be used on a pay site or sold for profit.