News Letter

George Fawcett drives a pair of Friesians to a wagonette with Bertie Hanna and John Powell on board at the British Driving Society (NI Branch) Carnduff charity drive at the end of December 2006. Picture: Joe Kirkpatrickplaceholder image

Doors of Mount Stewart ‘never closed to the devotees of Diana’ (1896)

Pictured at the end of October 1981 is Frank Espley, secretary of the Northern Ireland Ploughing Association, sorting out the valuable array of trophies which were to go to the successful competitors of the international ploughing match which was to be held at Ballykelly at the start of November 1981. Assisting him are Mrs Mary Campbell and Mrs Rosheen Adair, who had been busy helping Frank finalise the arrangements for Northern Ireland’s biggest farming event of the year. Picture: News Letter archives/Darryl Armitageplaceholder image

Keen prices at New Year fairs held across the province of Ulster (1924)

Pictured in October 1981 is Mr J Hill, manager of the Ballymena branch of the Northern Bank, handing over championship cheques to John Harkin (supreme champion) and John Conway (reserve supreme champion) at a show and sale of pedigree Blackface ram lambs at Ballymena. Picture: News Letter archives/Darryl Armitageplaceholder image

Corporation scheme proposes ‘no cattle’ on the streets of Belfast (1937)

Pictured in January 1983 is Trevor Simpson from Ballyclare with his supreme champion Hereford bull at the breed show and sale at Omagh. On the right is Mr Mervyn Kinloch of the Livestock Marketing Commission, who supervised the weighing and measuring of the bulls and also presented the championship rosettes. Picture: Farming Life/News Letter archivesplaceholder image

Turbine alternative is suggested after poor Ulster flax yields recorded (1943)

Ulster golfer Darren Clarke being coached by Bob Torrance at Royal Portrush in April 1994. Picture: Pacemaker Pressplaceholder image

Golf club declares ‘war’ on rabbits (August 1950)

Singer Paul Robeson testifies in Washington June 12, 1956, before the House Committee on Un-American Activities. Robeson, who also excelled as a lawyer, athlete and scholar, risked everything to become a human rights activist, and his visits with supporters in the Soviet Union were a cardinal sin in the red-baiting McCarthy era. (AP Photo/Bill Achatz)placeholder image

THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: Former Communist spy’s evidence before US inquiry

Straw bales near Loughbrickland. Picture: Alan Hopps, Markethillplaceholder image

News Letter demands action on “useless dogs” (August 1824)

David Lloyd George statue next to Caernarfon Castle, Walesplaceholder image

THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: Distillers and allied traders urge chancellor to rescind i...

Bridge Street showing First Presbyterian Church, Portadown, Co Armagh. NLI Ref: EAS_0093. Picture: National Library of Irelandplaceholder image

THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: Damage to Portadown national school could have been preven...

A Royal visit was a handy excuse for missing lessons at Deramore High School in March 1991 when Prince Charles paid a visit to Northern Ireland. Pictures: Trevor Dickson and Cecil McCausland/News Letter archivesplaceholder image

THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: Security blunder as Prince Charles pays a ‘surprise’ visit...

Belfast Royal Hospital in Frederick Street: the courtyard. Watercolour. Picture: Wellcome Trust (https://wellcome.org/press-release/thousands-years-visual-culture-made-free-through-wellcome-images)placeholder image

THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: From the News Letter of March 1991

The famed Dervock preacher, sheepbreeder and storyteller the Reverend Robert John McIlmoyle with one of his 'flocks'. His other 'flock' was his congregation at Knockavallen. He was for a long time minister at the Reformed Presbyterian Church at Knockavallenplaceholder image

THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: Dervock tenant-rights meeting agrees petition to Parliamen...

Device for instructing officers on how poteen was made at the Police Museum at Knock Headquarters. Picture: Declan Roughan/Presseye/News Letter archivesplaceholder image

THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: A blow is struck in fight against poteen traffic in south ...

Leaders of unionism, Sir James Craig and Sir Edward Carson. In a letter to the widow of Mr William Waring, the caretaker of the Clifton Street Orange Hall, who had been killed by a Sinn Feiner in February 1922 the private secretary to the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, Sir James Craig, wrote: “Dear Mrs Waring – The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland wishes me to convey to you his deepest sympathy in your terrible loss. He is inexpressibly shocked and distressed at the treacherous death of your dear husband at the hands of brutal assassins.”placeholder image

THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: Impressive funeral scenes as the toll of the gunmen rises

Trevor Shields from Kilkeel, Co Down, exhibited the champion Red Star and performance tested boars at the autumn show and sale of pigs held at Balmoral in October 1989. Mr Shields received his cups from Colin Rea, centre, who judged the two sections, and S Duffield Gibson, president of the Royal Agricultural Society. Picture: Randall Mulligan/Farming Life archivesplaceholder image

BYGONE DAYS: Threatening letter to Lord O’Neill is condemned by tenantry

Main Street, Markethill, Co Armagh. Picture: News Letter archivesplaceholder image

THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: School master takes legal action against Protestant minist...

From the News Letter, January 6, 1869

Darryl Armitage

Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots wrote a joint letter to the UK government claiming it was cutting £34m in rural funding to NI.placeholder image

Brandon Lewis and Edwin Poots in stand-off over £34m agriculture cuts

Some of those involved in the construction of Parliament Buildings at Stormont, Belfast. Does anyone recognise anyone in this old photo? Did anyone in your family help build Stormont? Get in touch, email: darryl.armitage@jpimedia.co.uk. Picture: News Letter archivesplaceholder image

THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: From the News Letter of November 1875

The village of Tempo in Co Fermanaghplaceholder image

THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: Bridge was three feet to low, court is told

A British soldier keeps watch on 'No-Man's land' as his comrades sleep in a captured German trench at Ovillers, near Albert, during the Battle of the Somme in 1916.placeholder image

THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: Great War exhibition to open at municipal museum

On this day in 1958 the News Letter reported that two Shackleton aircraft from Aldergrove failed to locate a lifeboat reported to be adrift from a Russian trawler which had sunk in heavy seas of the rocks of the Shetland Islandsplaceholder image

THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: Ulster planes in day long search for Russian trawlermen

The Duke of Edinburgh inspects a Champion Bull at the 1996 Balmoral Show. Picture: News Letter archivesplaceholder image

Bygone Days: Repairs to farm houses grants scale to be reviewed

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BYGONE DAYS: Particulars of the ‘Big Wind’ of 1839 reported by the News Letter

The Queenplaceholder image

IN FULL: Northern Ireland recipients of Queen's Birthday Honours revealed

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