THE McCLURE BARONETCY WAS CREATED IN 1874 FOR THOMAS McCLURE, TOBACCO MERCHANT AND POLITICIAN The family from which Sir Thomas McClure descended held a prominent position as connected with the Presbyterian Church in Ireland since the time of the Revolution. The first of Sir Thomas's ancestors who settled in Ulster fought under WILLIAM III at the battle of the Boyne.
In the female line, Sir Thomas was fourth in descent from the Rev Francis Laird, who was ordained in 1709 to the pastoral charge of the congregation of Donaghmore, County Donegal; and who was married to the niece of Sir Henry Cairnes Bt, and the daughter of Captain Henderson, of Castletown, near Strabane, County Tyrone.
The Rev Robert McClure was Minister of Annahilt Presbyterian Church, 1760-1823, and Moderator, 1779.
WILLIAM McCLURE (1757-1843), son of Thomas McClure and Ann Swan, his wife, of Summer Hill, Islandbawn, County Antrim, wedded Elizabeth, daughter of the Rev John Thomson, and had
issue,
THOMAS McCLURE DL (1806-93), MP for Belfast, 1868-74, County Londonderry, 1878-85, High Sheriff of County Down, 1864, Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Belfast, married, in 1877, Ellison Thorburn, daughter of Robert Andrew Macfie, of Dreghorn, Edinburgh.
Mr McClure was created a baronet in 1874, designated of Belmont, and of Dundela, County Down.
The baronetcy expired on his death in 1893.
BELMONT HOUSE, his residence, on land which formerly belonged to the EARL OF RANFURLY, stood on the site of Campbell College.
Knock Presbyterian Church is probably unique in that the congregation sprang out of a children’s Sunday School established in 1870 by a James Colville, and which met in an old mill situated in the Cherryvalley area.
This building was owned by the Liberal MP for Belfast, Sir Thomas McClure, who was instrumental in helping to establish not only Knock but also the nearby Belmont Presbyterian Church congregation.
Sir Thomas leased some land in the 1850s to the celebrated architect, Thomas Jackson, who designed many of the large houses in the locality.
It is thought that Sir Thomas's first house was GLENMACHAN TOWER, (old) Holywood Road, Belfast, presumably prior to the Shillingtons.
First Published in September, 2010.
William (Rev), senior minister of 1st Presbyterian Church, Londonderry;The younger son,
THOMAS, of whom we treat.
THOMAS McCLURE DL (1806-93), MP for Belfast, 1868-74, County Londonderry, 1878-85, High Sheriff of County Down, 1864, Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Belfast, married, in 1877, Ellison Thorburn, daughter of Robert Andrew Macfie, of Dreghorn, Edinburgh.
Mr McClure was created a baronet in 1874, designated of Belmont, and of Dundela, County Down.
The baronetcy expired on his death in 1893.
BELMONT HOUSE, his residence, on land which formerly belonged to the EARL OF RANFURLY, stood on the site of Campbell College.
Knock Presbyterian Church is probably unique in that the congregation sprang out of a children’s Sunday School established in 1870 by a James Colville, and which met in an old mill situated in the Cherryvalley area.
This building was owned by the Liberal MP for Belfast, Sir Thomas McClure, who was instrumental in helping to establish not only Knock but also the nearby Belmont Presbyterian Church congregation.
Sir Thomas leased some land in the 1850s to the celebrated architect, Thomas Jackson, who designed many of the large houses in the locality.
It is thought that Sir Thomas's first house was GLENMACHAN TOWER, (old) Holywood Road, Belfast, presumably prior to the Shillingtons.
First Published in September, 2010.
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