Whitehead County Antrim Northern Ireland

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WEEKLY PROGRAMME

DEFIBRILLATOR heart restarting machine. This is now stored at the Spar shop Edward Road for borrowing by group events. (A defibrillator was bought for use at events in Whitehead. The Spar shop in Edward Road is open long hours and appears to be the best place to store it.)

TRAINING

Training in use of the defibrillator is available. Speak to the Community Centre manager for more info.

OBITUARY

Ruby Casey

Non-perishable goods, especially, tea, sugar, coffee, toothpaste, toothbrushes, baby wipes, etc needed for Whitehead Storehouse, that helps people on low incomes.

Local, Pauline E Bingham’s book 'Green Pastures', on the  Gobbins over 100 years ago available in local shops, including The Bank House and Jordans.

The History and Antiquities of the County of the Town of Carrickfergus by Samuel McSkimin. New Edition Mullan & Son, James Cleland, Davidson & McCormack 1909

1739- On the evening of Dec. 26, a great frost com­menced, accompanied by a high piercing wind. The frost continued till the 15th February, and was afterwards called the black frost, from the unusually dark appearance of the ice, and because the sun seldom shone during its continuance.

The following particulars of the great frosts of 1684-5, and 1739-40, are copied from the MSS. of Henry Gill, Esq. "On the 26th of December, 1739, the air sensibly altered, and became cooler, with a fresh breeze of wind which encreased every day, until the 29th of the same month, when it did blow violently, as also the day after; and what was most extra­ordinary, that it froze most intensely during the time of the high winds; and the cold was so exquisite, that it was almost impossible to face it, or even to keep warm in the closest room, although with plenty of fire. Said frost continued without any sensible thaw, until the 15th February following. The oldest man now living, does not remember so intense a frost, for the great frost that came on in the year 1684, on the 16th December, and continued until March following, the air after a few days was mild, considering the vast quantity of snow and frost; but during the continuance of the above frost it continued extremely cold." Page 79

1813. December 25th. On this evening a frost commenced, which continued hoary all the following day, and by the 3oth it had become very hard. In January it increased, and on the 4th of that month, the ground was covered with snow, of which, on the nights of the 8th and 9th, there fell a considerable quantity. On the l0th, 11nth, and 12th, it snowed almost without intermission; from which time the roads were choked up, the snow in many places being upwards of twenty feet deep. The frost continuing, the cold was at times very intense; it was remarked that the greatest cold was always about sunrise. On the morning of the 13th. the thermometer stood at 14, which was the greatest cold observed. On the 25th and 26th there were showers of snow, sleet, and rain, and on the 29th and 30th, some snow fell: there was also a very severe frost.

February 1st and 2d, there were frequent showers of snow, and a slight thaw; and on the 4th, the roads having been beaten by horses and foot passengers, and cleared by men in various places, the stage coaches from Larne to Belfast, that had been stopped from the l0th January, began to run. Some carts also passed from hence to Belfast same day; this journey, however, was one of extreme difficulty. On the 8th and 9th, the thaw continued, with showers of snow and hail, and from the latter till the 14th, there were frequent heavy falls of rain, and a gradual thaw; yet some of the snow that fell in the beginning of the storm, remained in low grounds till the end of March. Loughmourne was entirely frozen over for several weeks, during this frost; and people passed on foot between the counties of Down and Antrim, upwards of half a mile below the quay of Belfast. Lough-Neagh was so completely frozen over, that multitudes of people walked, and some rode, on the ice, to Ram's-Island.

Pages 101/102

December 2013 provided us with a very nasty surprise in the form of howling, storm force winds and heavy rain. If you think this is bad, read about the cold, frosty, snowy winters of 1684, 1739 and 1813.