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Cullybackey
A History
Part
Three
As we continue our journey
along Main Street we pause to look at the
Old Police Station.
(Courtesy
of Jack Adams Collection)
The
Old Police Station circa 1912, next door
to it is the "Buick Memorial Primary
School".
(Courtesy
of Ballymena Reference Library Historic
Photographic Collection)
A police sergeant
surveys the Main Street from outside the
police station in the early decades of the
20th century.
(Courtesy
of Jack Adams Collection)
The
centre of Cullybackey Village Main Street
before 1901, when the Buick Memorial School
was constructed. On the left of the photograph
is one of the poles for the old street lamps.
(Courtesy
of Jack Adams Collection)
Main
Street before 1900, from approximately the
site of the Buick Memorial Primary School,
looking towards the Cuningham Memorial Presbyterian
Church.
This building now houses
the Royal British Legion. Next to it stood
a large solid building which was the "National
School". It was erected in September
1901 at a cost of £1800 to accommodate
300 children. It was constructed in such
a manner that the rooms could be opened
into one another and the seating capacity
increased to hold 600 people at concerts
or lectures.
(Courtesy
of Jack Adams Collection)
The
"National School".
(Courtesy
of Jack Adams Collection)
Some
of the pupils pose for the camera outside
the "Buick Memorial Primary School"
in the early years of the 20th century.
Puddles of water can be seen lying at the
side of the road.
In 1904 the school changed
its name to the "BUICK MEMORIAL PRIMARY
SCHOOL" in honour of Dr. George Raphael
Buick, M.A. LLD., (18411904) Minister of
the Cuningham Memorial Presbyterian Church,
who it is said had given all his money towards
the building of the schools. In 1937 the
school was rebuilt and enlarged.
Courtesy
of Jack Adams Collection)
The
Buick Memorial Primary School circa 1939.
Behind it is Pottinger Street.
(Courtesy
of Jack Adams Collection)
The
Buick Memorial Primary School circa 1955
with the old Police Station next door.
(Courtesy
of Jack Adams Collection)
The
Main Street circa 1937 from the Police Station
(right of picture with porch) looking in
the direction of the Ballymena Road. This
scene remains largely unchanged today.
(Courtesy
of Jack Adams Collection)
The
centre of the village circa 1900 from just
beyond the Reformed Presbyterian Church.
(Courtesy
of Jack Adams Collection)
The
centre of the village circa 1900 from the
Ballymena Road end of the village looking
towards the centre of Main Street.
(Courtesy
of Ballymena Reference Library Historic
Photographic Collection)
Main
Street circa 1900, looking towards the Ballymena
Road. In the distance on the left of the
picture we can just see Station Road. Just
behind the tree where the ladies are standing
is the gable of the Reformed Presbyterian
Church.
Our journey nears to
a close as we reach the Reformed Presbyterian
Church erected in 1789. The adjoining graveyard
contains many headstones dating from the
18th century. This church was once known
as "The Pound Meeting House".
On the north side of its gable was the "Pound"
to which stray animals were taken and kept
until the owners paid compensation for any
damage they had done and for the sustenance
of the animals during the time they remained
in residence there.
(Courtesy
of Jack Adams Collection)
An
aerial view, circa 1939, of the Main Street.
The Reformed Presbyterian Church is on the
left of the picture.
Our journey nears to
a close as we reach the Reformed Presbyterian
Church erected in 1789. The adjoining graveyard
contains many headstones dating from the
18th century. This church was once known
as "The Pound Meeting House".
On the north side of its gable was the "Pound"
to which stray animals were taken and kept
until the owners paid compensation for any
damage they had done and for the sustenance
of the animals during the time they remained
in residence there.
Above: The Reformed Presbyterian Church
Just beyond this church
is the corner where five roads meet, the
Old Cullybackey Road, the Ballymena Road,
the Station Road, the Fenaghy Road, and
Main Street. At the top of the Station Road
is the village railway station constructed
in 1865 and still operational.
(Courtesy
of Jack Adams Collection)
The
bottom of the Station Road, circa 1900,
where five roads used to meet. At this corner
was the site of the old National School,
the "Auld School at the Pun" the
predecessor of the National School built
along Main Street in 1901 and now called
the "Buick Memorial Primary School".
(Courtesy
of Jack Adams Collection)
The
same view a few decades on.
(Courtesy
of Jack Adams Collection)
Cullybackey
Station circa 1901. The station opened for
business in 1865 and was an important link
in the communications chain between the
village and the outside world.
(Courtesy
of Jack Adams Collection)
A steam
train leaves Cullybackey Station heading
for Portrush circa 1970. The signal box
on the right of the photograph has now been
demolished.
On the outskirts of the
village, on the Ballymena Road, stands Cullybackey
Chapel, erected in 1866.
I do hope you have enjoyed
your journey through our village and will
come to visit it one day soon.
CREDITS:
Research & Production:
Albert McKendry
A very special thank
you to Jack Adams for unlimited access
to his historic photographic archive and
for permitting us to use his photographs.
His book "Cullybackey Yin Nought Yin"
may also be of interest to visitors to our
site.
Thanks also to the National
Library of Ireland for permitting us
to use photographs from the Lawrence Collection.
Our thanks also to Ballymena
Reference Library Historical Photographic
Collection for permission to use photographs
from their collection.
Special thanks to Cullybackey
Library and Ballymena Reference Library
for research material and their assistance.
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