4/2/2023 0 Comments Topaz restyle youtubePublic domain image courtesy of the Library of Congress. On the Monday after Assembly Elections in Northern Ireland we go to Belfast and an image of an impressive and deserted (almost) General Post Office. One of the two figures standing on the kerb appears to be a road sweeper a role that has long been mechanised. Oh yes and there are no dogs!īased on the dating investigations from O Mac, Niall McAuley and beachcomberaustralia, it seems likely that this image was taken very close to when the Belfast GPO opened in 1886. And, per the link that B-59 and M0GNM share, we know it stood for just under 100 years - before making way for the CastleCourt shopping centre. From that linked description:Ī three-storey building in Dungannon stone. ![]() Designed by James Owens of the Office of Public Works and opened in August 1886. You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at The General Post Office closed in 1985 and was demolished shortly after to make way for CastleCourt.Ĭollection: Lawrence Photograph Collection Extended shortly after in 1896 and again in 1909. Rtaher interesting this as it gives a clue as to the background of the production of telephone directories back in the day when they were issued as well as being printed by HMSO, His/Her Majesty's Stationery Office as they were 'crown publications' issued by a government department, the General Post Office who had responsibility for nearly all the UK's telecommunications at the time. The directories were then issued twice a year, to keep up to date at a time when the use of the telephone was growing although the NI directory was still quite slender. That said production must have been quite something and there was a department of HMSO's main works at Harrow, in north London, dedicated to them. A few years later, in 1937, the GPO's famous Film Unit produced a quirky documentary called "Book Bargain" that shows the printing and production of directories at Harrow, this being one of HMSO's various printing works and presses. The letter notes this is an 'advance copy' and indeed someone has kept this as the District's "file copy'. The Press also announces that they have dispatched the full order, several thens of thousands, and they'd be in Belfast the following day. As was the case at this date, the cover carried a glued on colour advert, in this case for Belfast based car dealers J B Ferguson. Since the bank closed in 2005, the building has fallen into disrepair. When I first visited to photograph the City Of Belfast I got the impression that it was better maintained and had a better economy than Dublin. ![]() However, visits have convinced me that my first impression was far from accurate. Upon closer examination I have discovered that there are many signs of urban decal and decline even at the centre of Belfast and it gets much worse as one moves away from the centre. This attractive Art Deco building finished in Portland Limestone is located on an important corner site in Belfast. This Bank of Ireland branch closes off the long Royal Avenue vista. The building has three bays along North Street and four bays on Royal Avenue, meeting at a chamfered corner. The corner is capped by a typical Art Deco style tower and clock and features decorative metal panels between the windows.
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