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Strabane Slater's Commercial Directory 1846
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STRABANE, LIFFORD, CASTLEFINN, AND NEIGHBOURHOODS
STRABANE is a large and flourishing market town, the seat of important manufactures (formerly a parliamentary borough), partly in the parishes of Leckpatrick and Urney, but chiefly in that of Camus-juxta-Mourne, barony of Strabane, county of Tyrone, 129 miles N.N.W. from Dublin, 102 W. by N. from Belfast, 26 W.N.W. from Dungiven, 18 N.N.W. from Omagh, 14 ½ S.S.W. from Londonderry, 13 E. by N. from Stranorlar, the same distance N.W. from Gortin, 10 N.N.E. from Castlederg, 9 N.N.W. from Newtown-Stewart, and 8 S.W. from Dunnamanagh; finely seated on the river Mourne, and on the mail road from Londonderry to Dublin.
The environs of Strabane are replete with interest and beauty; the hills and the mountains, the valleys and the streams, contending for the palm of the picturesque. The Mourne river that laves the town, and, with the Finn, forms, at Lifford, the Foyle, is one of the most beautiful rivers in Ireland; and the valleys of those rivers vie with one another in luxuriance and loveliness. The town was formerly in the district of Mounterlony, but, on the formation of part of the territory of Sir Owen into the county of Tyrone in 1591, it was made the head of the barony of Strabane. It was, however, but an inconsiderable village until James I in 1611 granted the surrounding district to the Earl of Abercorn, who subsequently erected a strong castle and built a town, which now ranks as the third in the county, and is still progressing in extent, population, and commerce.
The Town consists of ten principal and several smaller streets; the houses generally are well built, and many of them are spacious and handsome, especially in such of the principal streets as are of more recent formation. Since 1831 great improvements have been made; the town has been gas-lighted; new roads to Londonderry, Newtown-Stewart and Castlefinn, have been constructed; the bridge over the Mourne widened, and three arches added to that which bestrides the Foyle. The appearance of the town altogether is strikingly prepossessing, and its aspect rendered additionally pleasing by the thriving orchards and gardens attached to the houses skirting the town, producing apples, pears, and cherries, in abundance.
The manufacture of linen and the business of bleaching are carried on very extensively in Strabane and the neighbourhood. The respectable establishments of Messrs. Gwynne and Co., in the town, and those of Mr. F. O'Neill and Mr. J. Scott in the vicinity, are extensive; so are the flax and tow mills ('Sion Mills') of Messrs. Herdmans and Co., three miles distant; and the cotton works of Mr. F. Rogan, Castlefinn. At Holy-Hill and Artigarvan is a large manufactory for spades, shovels, and other farming implements, and in the town is the 'Strabane Iron and Brass Foundry,' conducted upon a large scale by Messrs. Cooke & Co. The trade in grain is very considerable; great quantities are annually shipped from this market for Liverpool, Glasgow, and other ports, and some of the merchants have extensive stores and warehouses in the town, and on the banks of the Canal, two or three miles below it. Mr. Patterson, whose oatmeal mills are two miles distant, was the person who brought the first vessel into the Strabane Canal direct from Scotland. The extension of this Canal is projected to the deep water at Donelong, a distance of nine miles, when it will assume the character of a ship canal, for vessels of any tonnage.
In the vicinity of the town are the extensive and fine nursery-grounds of Mr. J. Brodie, occupying seventeen acres, noted for cabbages of extraordinary size, and of which large quantities are annually exported to England and Scotland. The 'Belfast Banking Company' and the 'Provincial Bank of Ireland' have branches in operation here, and there is a bank for savings. There are several good inns in Strabane-of these 'Doherty's Hotel,' in Bridge-street, and the 'Abercorn Arms,' in Main-street, are well known establishments for comfort and respectability. In the 10th of James I Strabane was made a free borough, and a charter of incorporation granted, by the style of the 'Provost, Free Burgesses, and Commonalty of the Borough of Strabane,' with a weekly market and animal fairs, and the power of returning two members to the Irish Parliament; together with the privilege of holding a court of record, &c. The borough enjoyed the elective franchise until the Union, when it ceased to be represented. Strabane gives the inferior titles of Baron and Viscount to the Marquess of Abercorn. The court of record has fallen into disuse for many years, but general sessions of the peace are held here in April and October, and petty sessions on the second Monday in every month. Strabane is the head quarters of one of the five districts of the constabulary force of Tyrone county.
The church, built here in 1619, by the Earl of Abercorn, has since 1641 been the parish church of Camus-juxta-Mourne, and has been enlarged from time to time: it is now a spacious cruciform structure, in the Grecian style, with a cupola, and the arms of the founder over the principal entrance. The Roman Catholics have a spacious chapel; the Presbyterians three meeting-houses, and the Wesleyan and Primitive Methodists a chapel each. There are several excellent public schools for gratuitous education of both sexes; these, together with a fever hospital, a dispensary, and a union workhouse, comprise the benevolent and remedial institutions. About a mile from the town is a beautiful glen, much admired by the tourist; and the same distance, on the Londonderry road, is a chalybeate spring of considerable strength. The market days are Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, for corn, provisions, and various commodities, together with linen. Fairs February 1st, May 12th, August 12th, and November 12th; there are likewise monthly fairs, on the first Thursdays in January, March, April, June, July, September, October and December. The town of Strabane, including the suburban town of Lifford (which see), contained, in 1841, 5456 inhabitants.
LIFFORD, formerly a market-town and parliamentary borough, is in the parish of Clonleigh, barony of Raphoe; situated on the western bank of the Foyle, opposite to Strabane. Although ranking as the county and assize town of Donegal, it is, in fact, notwithstanding in another county, no other than a suburb to Strabane, with which town it is allied in matters of business and local interests. It consists principally of two streets, and contains the new county gaol and court-house the former is a very handsome and spacious building, in the castellated style, adapted to the classification of prisoners; the latter, convenient for holding the various courts; which are the assizes and the December quarter sessions. Lifford, or Liffer, as it was then called, was incorporated in the 9th of James 1, and the corporation returned two members to parliament until the Union, when the borough was disfranchised, Lifford confers the titles of Baron and Viscount on the family of Hewitt.
The places of worship are the parish church, a neat edifice; a Presbyterian meeting-house, and a Roman Catholic chapel. The county infirmary, and a bequest by Sir Richard Hansard, Bart., for educating children of the parish, is the charities. The fairs and markets have been transferred to Strabane.
Population of the town, in 1841, 752.
CASTLEFINN, formerly a market town, is in the parish of Donaghmore, same barony as Lifford, about six miles S. by W. from that town; situated on the river Finn, which is navigable to the Foyle for vessels of light burthen. This place, which was anciently called Castle-Fynyn, belonged, about the close of Elizabeth's reign, to Sir Neill Garbh O'Donnell; and consists of a single street. The parish church, which stands at no great distance from the town, is a plain old edifice, repaired, some few years since, by the ecclesiastical commissioners. In the parish are place of worship for Roman Catholics and Presbyterians, and several schools partly free and others wholly so. Fairs Easter Monday, Whit-Monday, the Monday before the 10th of October, November 22nd, and the Monday next after Christmas.
Population of the town, in 1841, 567.
Page 531
POST OFFICE, New street, STRABANE,
Andrew Jenkins, Post Master.-Letters from DUBLIN and various parts SOUTH, also from ENGLAND and SCOTLAND, arrive every morning at five minutes past nine, and are despatched every afternoon at twenty-five minutes past two.
-Letters from LONDONDERRY arrive every morning at ten minutes before ten, afternoon at twenty-five minutes past two and evening at half-past five, and are despatched every morning at nine and five minutes past ten and afternoon at ten minutes past four.
Letters from SLIGO arrive every afternoon at ten minutes past four, and are despatched every morning at ten minutes before ten.-Letters from LETTERKENNY and STRANORLAR arrive every afternoon at a quarter before two, and are despatched every morning at half-past ten.
Letters from DUNAMANANAGH arrive every morning at a quarter before ten, and are despatched every morning at half-past ten.
Letters from CASTLEDERG arrive every morning at a quarter before ten, and are despatched every afternoon at twenty-five minutes past two.-Letters from OMAGH arrive every morning at nine, and are despatched every afternoon at half-past five.
POST OFFICE, LIFFORD,
Daniel M'Menamin, Post Master.
Letters from DUBLIN and all parts of the SOUTH OF IRELAND, also from ENGLAND and SCOTLAND, arrive every forenoon at eleven, and are despatched every afternoon at one.
Letters from LONDONDERRY and the NORTH arrive every afternoon at three, and are despatched every morning at nine.
GENTRY AND CLERGY.
Allen Rev. Charles, Irish st
Armstrong Mrs. Lucy, New st
Atkinson Rev. Edward, Greenfield
Blair Miss Isabella, Main st
Brady Mr. William, Lifford
Brown Rev. William, Murlog
Chambers Miss--, Lifford
Clarke Rev. Edward, Lifford
Crosbie Mr. James, Bowling green
Edie Alexander C. D. L. Esq., Thornhill
Fleming Miss Isabella, Main st
Gamble Miss--, Main st
Gordon Rev. David, Church st
Goudy Rev. Alexr. P. Bowling green
Hamilton Lieutenant John, Irish st
Hazlitt Rev, William, Woodden
Henderson Miss Jane, Lifford
Hume Rev. Robert, Urney House
Humfrey Captain Benjamin G. Cavenacor
Humphrys Major John, Milltown House
Jones Walter, Esq. Lifford
Knox Andrew Ferguson, Esq. JP. Urney House
M'Cormick Mr. Daniel, Lifford
M'Crossan Rev, Bernard. Lifford
M'Ilwaine Mr. John, Main st
Mothrell the Misses Jane & Ann, Main street
Neilson Miss Esther, Main st
Porter Mrs.--, Trafalgar
Porter Captain William, Carrick-Lee
Sinclair James, Esq. Holy Hill
Sinclair William, Esq. Broomfield
Smiley Miss Ann, New Town
Smiley Robert, Esq. Camus
Smyth Rev. James, Bearney
Smyth William, Esq. Bowling green
Spence Mr. John, Main st
Sproule Mrs. --. Mellmount
Sproule Mr. Robert, Bowling green
Young Miss Ann, Lifford
ACADEMIES AND SCHOOLS
Allen Rev. Charles, Irish st
Anderson Margaretta, Main st
Arnold Harriet, Irish st
CHURCH EDUCATION SCHOOL,
Irish st-John M'Guire, master; Margaret M'Cormick, mistress
ENDOWED SCHOOL,
Lifford-James Graham, master; Sarah Ann Graham, mistress
ERASMUS SMITH'S SCHOOL,
Camus Johnson S. O'Donnell, master
INFANTS' SCHOOL,
Derry road-Ellen M'Bride, mistress
Lane William, Irish st
NATIONAL SCHOOL,
Townsend st-John M'Caffry, master
O'Brien Francis, Irish st
AGENTS.
(See also Fire, &c. Office Agents.)
Knox George (land), Lifford
Paterson John (commission), Ballymagory
Porter James (commission), Church street
APOTHECARIES
See Physicians and Surgeons.
ATTORNEYS.
Colhoun Samuel, New Town
Doherty John, Irish street
Elliott William (and commissioner for taking acknowledgments of deeds by married women, seneschal of manor court, public notary & town clerk), Bowling green
Glasse William, New street
Joyce John, Beech Mount
AUCTIONEERS.
Devlin John, Main st
Watson Thomas, Back st
BAKERS.
Blair Andrew, Main st
Doran James, New st
Gormans Edward, Main st
M'Grotty Constantine, Main st
M'Laughlin John, Main st
Sweeny Alexander, Back st
Wilson John, Main st
BANKS
BELFAST BANKING CO. (Branch),
Bowling green-(draw on Denison, Heywood & Co. London)-Mr. William Smyth, manager
PROVINCIAL BANK OF IRELAND (Br.),
Bowling green-(draws on Spooner, Attwoods' & Co. London)-Mr. James Crosbie, manager
SAVINGS' BANK,
Bowling green-Mr. John, Kyle, manager
BLACKSMITHS.
M'Loughlin Neal, Castle st
Ward John, Church st
BLEACHERS.
Gwynne William & Co. Main street
O'Neill Francis, Mount Pleasant
Scott Joseph, Spa Mount, Castlederg
BOOKSELLERS & STATIONERS.
Gray John, Main st
Jenkins Andrew, New st
Walker Cowper, Main street
BOOT AND SHOE MAKERS.
Blair Samuel, Main st
Dunbar Joseph, Back st
Frizell Archibald, Main st
M'Monagle James, Bridge end
Snodgrass John, Main street
BRAZIERS.
See Tin-plate Workers & Braziers
BUTCHERS
Conolly James, Main st
Dillon Patrick, Butcher st
Donolly James, Bridge st
Murray Thomas, Main st
BUTTER MERCHANTS.
Blair John, Main st
Burk James (and egg), Main st
CABINET MAKERS AND UPHOLSTERERS.
Boyle Bolton, New st
Brooke & Hanniford, Market-House lane
M'Curray Thomas, New st
Toner James, Main st
CARPENTERS.
Kerney John, Bowling green
Simpson John, Bridge st
Wilson Hugh, Meeting-House st
CART MAKERS.
See Wheelwrights and Cart Makers.
CLOTHES DEALERS.
Burns James, Bridge end
Devlin John, Main st
Floyd John, Bridge st
Floyd Patrick, Bridge st
M'Loughlin Mark, Bridge st
O'Neill James, Bridge st
Toland Patrick, Bridge st
Turish Hugh, Bridge st
Watters James, Bridge st
CORN MERCHANTS.
Baird John, Irish st
Boyd William, Canal basin
Hall Robert, Bowling green
Porter James, Church street
COTTON MANUFACTURER.
Rogan Francis, Castlefinn
EARTHENWARE DEALERS.
Parton George, Market-House lane
Stevenson William, Main st
FIRE, &C. OFFICE AGENTS.
ALLIANCE, James Crosbie, Bowling green
ATLAS, John Anderson, Main st
BRITISH (life), Wm. Ramsay, Main st
CHURCH OF ENGLAND, William Boyd, Canal basin
FLAX & TOW SPINNERS.
Herdmans & Co. SION MILLS
GROCERS
Aikin William, Main st
Anderson John, Main st
Bates William, Back st
Campbell Thomas, Bridge st
Donnell Samuel, Back st
Elliott Thomas, Castlefinn
Gallagher Patrick, Castlefinn
Gi[illegible, possibly Gill Thomas]omas Edward, Bridge st
Hamilton Hugh, Main st
Jamison Thomas, Main st
M'Gowan William, Church st
M'Grotty Constantine, Main st
M'Kee Joseph, Main st
M'Laughlin Jeremiah, Castlefinn
Maguire Ann, New st
Martin James, Main st
Maxwell John, Bridge end
Nelson Eliza, Castlefinn
Nickels William, Back st
Quin Felix, Castlefinn
Thompson James, Main st
Thompson James, Castlefinn
Warnock Leighton, Irish st
Wilson John, Main st
HABERDASHERS.
(See also Linen & Woollen Drapers.)
Blair Anne, Main st
Blair John, Main st
Boak Jane, Main st
Knox Ann, Main st
M'Intyre Margaret, Main st
Pickins Letitia, Main st
HATTERS
M'Crosann Hugh, Back st
M'Dougal Henry, Main st
HOTELS
(See also Spirit & Porter Dealers)
Doherty Neal, Bridge st
Irwin Robert, Abercorn Arms (and posting house), Main st
Simms Nicholas, Castle st
IRON AND BRASS FOUNDERS.
Cooke James & Co. Main st
IRONMONGERS
Hamilton Stuart, Main st
Jenkins Eliza, Main st
Larmour William, Castle st
Stevenson William, Main st
LEATHER CUTTERS AND SELLERS.
M'Neilance Thomas, Church st
Stevenson William, Main st
Thompson James, jun. (and iron dealer), Main st
LINEN & WOOLLEN DRAPERS
Carlin John, Main st
Elliott Thomas, Castlefinn
Evans James, Main st
Gill John, Main st
Henderson Joseph, Main st
Holmes Samuel, Main st
Johnston Arthur & John, Main st
M'Clelland Alexander, Main st
M'Gowan William, Church st
Ramsay William, Main st
Scott Walter, Main st
White Oliver, Main st
LINEN MERCHANTS.
Gwynne William & Co. (and manufacturers), Main st
O'Neill Francis, Mount Pleasant
Scott Jos. Spa Mount, Castlederg
MILLERS
Patterson John, Ballymagory
Smyth David, Main st
MILLINERS & DRESSMAKERS.
Borland Mary, Main st
Colhoon Sarah Ann, Main st
Kinkead Sarah, Main st
Mackey Sarah Ann, Castle st
Scully Elizabeth, Main st
NURSERY AND SEEDSMAN.
Brodie James, Lifford road
PAINTERS & GLAZIERS.
Cooke William, Main street
Cooke William, jun. Main st
Fleming John, Main st
PAWNBROKERS.
Gillespie James, Main st
Joyce Mary Ann, Main st
PHYSICIANS & SURGEONS.
Gillespie James, M.D. Lifford
Gordon William, M.D. Main street
Leney Alexander, M.D. Main street
Mitchell David (and apothecary), Main street
Mitchell David, jun. M.D. Main st
O'Flaherty Daniel (and apothecary), Main street
Rogan Francis, M.D. Castlefinn
Stewart William, M.D. Lifford
PRINTERS-LETTER-PRESS.
Gray John, Main st
Jenkins Andrew, New st
Walker Cowper, Main st
SADDLERS AND HARNESS MAKERS.
Borland Archibald, Main st
Hannah Robert, Main st
M'Crea Archibald, Castle st
Moody John, Main st
O'Hara Edward, Castle st
SPADE AND SHOVEL MANUFACTURER
Sigerson William, Holy hill, and Artigarvan
SPIRIT & PORTER DEALERS.
Adams James, Canal basin
Barnhill Joseph, Back st
Cook Daniel, Meeting-House st
Cullion James, New st
Dolen Francis, Castle st
Foster Patrick, New st
Gallagher Patrick, Castlefinn
Gregory John George, Castlefinn
Harkin Daniel, Castle st
Kelly Charles, Main st
M'Dougal Margaret, New st
M'Hugh Sarah, Main st
M'Kinney Edward, Castle st
M'Neilance Thomas, Castle st
Martin Samuel, Main st
Maxwell Charles, Bridge st
Mehaffy Joseph, Church st
Mehan John, New st
Monaghan Patrick, Church st
O'Neill Francis, Bridge end
Orr John, Castlefinn
Robinson James, Main st
Rogan William, New st
STRAW BONNET MAKERS.
Boak Jane, Main st
Boyd Rebecca, Main st
Frizell Margaret, Main st
M'Crea Alice, Castle st
SURGEONS.
See Physicians and Surgeons.
SURVEYORS.
Aiken Irvine, Lifford
Henderson Robert, Lifford
Montgomery William, Brookfield
TAILORS.
Alexander John, Bowling green
Gwynne Richard, Main st
M'Ginley Daniel, Main st
Orr John, Main st
TALLOW CHANDLERS AND SOAP BOILERS.
Boyd William, Canal basin
Dennin Michael, Main st
Donnell James, Main st
Moreland Alexander, Castle st
Stewart William, Main st
TIMBER & IRON MERCHANTS.
Boyd William, Canal basin
Maguire Ann, New st
Maxwell John, Bridge end
Simms William, Castlefinn
TIN-PLATE WORKERS AND BRAZIERS.
Dunlop William, Main st
McIntosh James, Main st
WATCH & CLOCK MAKERS.
Bell John, Main st
Cooke John, Main st
WHEELWRIGHTS AND CART MAKERS.
M'Loughlin Charles, Church st
Maldrum Ralph, Bridge st
Scarff Alexander, Meeting-House st
WHITESMITHS.
Boyd James (and gun), Main st
Gallagher Toland, Main st
Hamilton James, Church st
Holiday Hugh, Main st
WINE & SPIRIT MERCHANTS.
Donnell James, Main st
O'Neill Francis, Bridge end
Kelly Charles, Main st
Smyth David, Main st
WOOLLEN DRAPERS.
See Linen & Woollen Drapers
Miscellaneous.
Arnold George, architect, Irish st
Campbell Ephraim, tobacco manufacturer, Church street
Dougherty John, cooper, Market-House lane
Holmes Robert, brewer, Meeting-House st
Larmour Francis, coach builder, Castle st
Lemon John, music teacher, Irish st
M'Carter George, tanner, Main st
M'Kee Joseph, druggist, Main st
M'Laughlin John, confectioner, Main st
PLACES OF WORSHIP, And their Ministers.
PARISH CHURCH,
Church street-Rev. James Smyth, rector; Rev. Edward Atkinson, curate.
ROMAN CATHOLIC CHAPEL,
Meeting-House st-Rev. William Brown, parish priest; Rev. Bernard M'Crossan, curate.
PRESBYTERIAN (UNITARIAN) MEETING HOUSE,
Main st-Rev. David Gordon, minister.
PRESBYTERIAN MEETING HOUSE,
Meeting-House st-Rev. Alexander P. Goudy, minister.
PRESBYTERIAN MEETING HOUSE,
Derry road-Rev. William Hazlitt, minister.
WESLEYAN METHODIST CHAPEL,
Barrack street-ministers various.
PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHAPEL,
Barrack street-ministers various.
Public Institutions, &c.
COUNTY INFIRMARY,
Lifford-William Stewart, surgeon and physician; James Gillespie, assistant surgeon.
DISPENSARY & FEVER HOSPITAL,
Townsend street-Alexander Leney, attending surgeon.
EXCISE OFFICE,
Castle street
GAOL,
Lifford-Rev. James Clarke, inspector; William Fenton, gaoler.
LOAN FUND,
Bowling green-James Kerr, manager.
POLICE STATION,
New street-John R. Lynch, sub-inspector.
UNION WORKHOUSE,
Derry road-John Morton, governor; Mary Jane Morton, matron.
COACHES AND CARS.
To DUBLIN, by the Mail, to Drogheda thence by Railway.
To CASTLEDERG, a Mail Car, from the Abercorn Arms, every afternoon at half-past two.
To DROGHEDA, the Royal Mail, from Simms' Hotel, Castle st, every afternoon at twenty-five minutes past two; goes thro' Newtown-Stewart, Omagh, Ballygawley, Aughnacloy, Monaghan, Castleblayney, Carrickmacross and Ardee.
To LETTERKENNY, a Mail Car, from Simms' Hotel, every morning at half-past ten.
To LONDONDERRY, the Royal Mail, (from Omagh), calls at Simms' Hotel, every morning at nine-the Royal Mail (from Drogheda), every morning at five minutes past ten-and the Royal Mail (from Sligo), every afternoon at ten minutes past four-a Coach, from the Abercorn Arms, every morning at nine--& Cars every afternoon at three.
To MONAGHAN, they the DROGHEDA Mail.
To OMAGH, the Royal Mail (from Londonderry), calls at Simms' Hotel, every evening at half-past five; goes through Newtown-Stewart-also by the Mail to DROGHEDA.
To SLIGO, the Royal Mail (from Londonderry), calls at Simms' Hotel, every morning at ten; goes through Castlefinn, Stranorlar, Ballybofey, Donegal and Ballyshannon.
To STRANORLAR, a Mail Car, from Simms' Hotel, every morning at half-past ten-also by the Mail to SLIGO.