tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2705771450596300887.post5493374868735880484..comments2024-03-28T07:36:37.715+00:00Comments on Lord Belmont in Northern Ireland: Valete: Mount Stewart PoolTimothy Belmonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15111145260662707575noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2705771450596300887.post-82489262103204814452018-11-28T12:37:52.577+00:002018-11-28T12:37:52.577+00:00The winch and erstwhile jetty of the Londonderry f...The winch and erstwhile jetty of the Londonderry family (keen sailors) projecting into Strangford Lough were indeed installed/built before 1889, as is evidenced by contemporaneous photographs. When King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra stayed at Mount Stewart for several days in 1903 the Royal Yacht was anchored in the Lough at one point during the visit.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2705771450596300887.post-15713896438269152632018-03-09T18:54:25.606+00:002018-03-09T18:54:25.606+00:00The previously mentioned winch was manufactured by...The previously mentioned winch was manufactured by the Tyneside company started by William Hawks in 1754 as borne out by it's plaque stating Hawks & Company , Newcastle. The company started by making chain , cables and anchors. It was one of the largest and most powerful British dynasties to arise during the British Industrial Revolution. <br />The Hawks company reached its apogee in the early Victorian period, when it employed over 2000 and its reputation for engineering and bridge building was worldwide. The company closed it's ironworks in mysterious circumstances in 1889. So the winch must predate 1889 and it would be interesting to know when it first saw service on the Mountstewart shoreline .<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2705771450596300887.post-65902024400513362042018-03-01T22:49:42.178+00:002018-03-01T22:49:42.178+00:00Walking my dogs near the old stone memorial cross ...Walking my dogs near the old stone memorial cross I was somewhat surprised to observe that the old winching device ( once upon a time used to land goods or small vessels from the stone pier , - the remains of pier are still visible at low tide ) has been cleared of the overgrowth of weeds and bushes which hide it from full view for many years , it was however interesting to observe and photograph this fine old piece of marine engineering still bearing it's manufacturers hawlmark . However I worry that this rescue work has been carried out for private gain , the winch possibly bound for someone's garden , much better if such an historic artefact was displayed with a story board somewhere suitable within the confines of the Mountstewart main estate .Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2705771450596300887.post-63937147278584051542017-12-14T22:07:30.842+00:002017-12-14T22:07:30.842+00:00Yes , as mentioned in the previous comment , a ser...Yes , as mentioned in the previous comment , a servant being the first name on the stone memorial Eliza Dougal , was the Scottish servant born South Leith , Midlothian in 1852 , drowned in Strangford Lough 1896 after only two weeks in service at Mountstewart , she drowned with six others and their bodies were never recovered from the Lough. Seven drowned and memorial stone records five names , one wonders where the names of the other two are recorded ? , ( boatmen according to previous comment ) " Vanishing Day " this saga was called in a BBC radio programme about the tragedy . Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2705771450596300887.post-60729791762371039342016-10-16T19:08:25.558+01:002016-10-16T19:08:25.558+01:00One often wonders where in the salty depths of Str...One often wonders where in the salty depths of Strangford the bones of the drowned servants now lie , seemingly all that was found after that fateful day was a food basket washed ashore somewhere between Greyabbey and Portaferry which isn't inconceivable given the force of running tides in the Lough , point well appreciated by anyone who has sailed these waters. Is it a strange Mountstewart / Londonderry trait that there is no mention of their boatmen also drowned on the day ,the memorial cross only lists the house servants , was there some sort of upstairs / downstairs snobbery going on . However , it is sad that one of the young servants only arrived two weeks previously from Scotland to take up her maid's position should meet her death so untimely. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2705771450596300887.post-60675958844094908382015-02-28T01:05:31.213+00:002015-02-28T01:05:31.213+00:00I remember my mother taking around the shore to sh...I remember my mother taking around the shore to show me this swimming pool in the early 70's, I was about 4 or 5 and I stood in front of the sky blue gate my jaw must have hit the ground, it was the most beautiful place I'd ever seen ! Furthermore there were people using it - lying on sunloungers with sunglasses, although embarrassed I just stood there gawping lol. Later in the early 80's some friends and I visited one hot sunny day, run down a bit, we lay our towels down on the patio around the pool and had our gettoblaster on full when the gamekeeper came around and kicked us out, 10 mins later a bunch of punk rockers walked past us singing and drinking beer, their music much louder and a noisy group they were, we walked to the gate to see and there they were diving off the board into the stinking pool !! Gamekeeper must not have heard them !!! A terrible pity it had to be filled in, such a shame as it was an oasis on Strangford Lough !Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2705771450596300887.post-7079293925853179432011-08-29T06:21:39.560+01:002011-08-29T06:21:39.560+01:00Amazing place and beauty of it always in my mind. ...Amazing place and beauty of it always in my mind. i can't be forgot it.Hotels donegalhttp://www.likemyhotels.com/donegal-hotelsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2705771450596300887.post-85079748351012869832010-01-22T20:10:05.583+00:002010-01-22T20:10:05.583+00:00During a hot August weekend in 1970, hosted at Mou...During a hot August weekend in 1970, hosted at Mount Stewart by her daughter Lady Mairi Bury, Ulick O’Connor described bathing with Montgomery Hyde in its sea water pool: “Monty dives in and swims with quite an impressive trudgeon stroke, up and down.” He quotes Hyde (“He never looks at you straight. Closes his eyes as he encounters yours”) describing his initiation into the Freemasons as “frightening and solemn” and explaining that one of the reasons he lost his “seat was that he had said King Billy was fond of the boys.” (The Ulick O’Connor Diaries 1970-81, pp. 41-46). Lady Bury, whoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2705771450596300887.post-2785355808584436222009-05-04T20:03:00.000+01:002009-05-04T20:03:00.000+01:00I remember visiting that pool some 20 years ago. ...I remember visiting that pool some 20 years ago. My friend and I swam in it though I am sure we should not have been! I went back today to see if it was still there but sadly the pool has gone. All that remains is a see of briars!Amandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00973103639259211105noreply@blogger.com