Sea Park House

THOMAS GREER, OF SEA PARK, COUNTY ANTRIM, OWNED 68 ACRES OF LAND

This family is descended from the Griers, or Griersons, of Lag Castle, Dumfriesshire, which family springs from Gilbert, second son of Sir Malcolm MacGregor, who took the name of Grierson in accordance with the charter granted in 1400. The change of name to Grier or Greer occurred about 1630.

ALFRED GREER JP (1805-91), of Dripsey House, County Cork, fourth surviving son of Thomas Greer, of TULLYLAGAN, County Tyrone, married firstly, in 1836, Helena, eldest daughter of Joshua Carroll, of St Patrick's Place, Cork, and had issue,

THOMAS, his heir;
Joshua Carroll (1838-55);
Alfred, of Dripsey (1839-1907);
George Thomas (Dr), MD;
MacGregor (1844-1903).

He wedded secondly, in 1853, Peggy, only daughter of Major John Bowen-Colthurst, of Dripsey Castle, County Cork, and had further issue,

Georgina de Bellasis.

Mr Greer was succeeded by his eldest son,

THOMAS GREER JP (1837-1905), of Sea Park, Greenisland, near Carrickfergus, County Antrim, High Sheriff of Carrickfergus, 1870, County Tyrone, 1876, MP for Carrickfergus, 1880-5, who married, in 1864, Margaret, only child and heiress of JOHN OWDEN, of Sea Park and Brooklands, Belfast, by his wife Jane, daughter of John Greeves, of Bernagh, County Tyrone, and had issue,

THOMAS MacGREGOR, his heir;
Helena MacGregor; Georgina Beatrice; Eva Mildred.

Mr Greer was succeeded by his son,

THOMAS MacGREGOR GREER JP (1869-1941), who wedded, in 1892, Dorinda Florence, elder daughter of James Corry Jones Lowry DL, of ROCKDALE, County Tyrone, Vice Lord-Lieutenant of County Tyrone, and had issue,

Gladys Sylvia MacGregor, b 1896;
Margaret Elizabeth MacGregor (1897-1909).

SEA PARK HOUSE, Greenisland, near Carrickfergus, County Antrim, is a two-storey, four-bay house in the Italianate style, set in sweeping grounds which once extended to more than sixty acres.

The house is dominated by a four-storey tower.

Seapark was built ca 1804 and "improved" about 1835.

It was considerably enlarged and remodelled in 1853 by Thomas Jackson, who was also responsible for designing the present gate lodge.

In 1832, Sea Park had two wings centrally connected to form an internal courtyard.

The Very Rev John Chaine, Dean of Connor, 1839-55, occupied Sea Park in 1836 (later revised to John Owden).

In 1840, Sea Park

"...occupies a delightful situation on the shore of the Lough…the house is a very neat looking and comfortable residence. The garden and offices are suitable as to extent. Sea Park was originally erected in 1804."

The house was further remodelled between 1857 and 1902.

Sea Park Gate Lodge, October, 2017

The Greers lived at Sea Park in 1872, and Sir George Clark Bt in 1929.

Thomas Greer employed Thomas Jackson to carry out work on the house in 1853.

The late Sir Charles Brett remarked that Sea Park was used as a summer residence by the Greers until 1930, and was vacant from 1938-47, since when it became the home of SIR GEORGE CLARK Bt, of the shipbuilders Workman Clark.

It was later used as a residential care home.

First published in October, 2017.