Banbridge

County Down

Raymondscountydownwebsite

Edenderry Works
(By Ernie Gordon)

The History of Edenderry Works and Thomas Ferguson & Co. Ltd. begins with Thomas Ferguson himself. Born in 1820 in Clare, Waringstown, his mother died in 1836 and his father in 1831, so that with the exception of one sister who died in 1833 he and his brother John were left orphans. It is believed their guardian was the Rev. Dr. Johnston of Tullylish Presbyterian Church, as it is known he went later on to the Belfast Academy under Dr. Bryce with both William and Harry Johnston, his sons. The former became minister of Townsend Street Church, Belfast, and was the principal in inaugurating the Presbyterian Orphan Society; the other brother became a doctor with a large working class practice in Belfast. When Thomas Ferguson left school he was appointed to Bruce Smyth of Broomfield, Banbridge, who was a blind man but also an outstanding hand-loom linen manufacturer, and amongst those serving their time about this period was Henry Matier and also the man who later became Sir John Preston.

It is not known when James Ferguson left Broomfield to start up for himself in business but he spoke at times of journeying both to Belfast and Dublin with Bruce Smyth where in the latter city there was also a linen market and a linen hall. The old linen hall in the former was until 1920 still situated in Donegan Street, Belfast. It is believed he started business in a house in Church Square, Banbridge, and probably the warp winding, chain warping and also boiling yarn was earned out about this spot, being beside the river. Assuming he started business when 25 that takes us to 1845 and we find from various deeds that in 1855 he acquired by a lease from May 1st 1854, for 999 years from John Temple Really, Scarva - probably acting on behalf of the Really Estate whose owner would have been a minor - of l0a or 3p statute acres situated on the left hand side of the Banbridge Lurgan road bounded by the old meeting house green, the Bann, properly belonging to the Hayes family of Millmount and the road in question.

There are no means today of ascertaining if on acquiring this property it had had on it previously any buildings connected with the hand-loom trade but it is fairly certain that prior to 1866-67 when the power-loom weaving factory was built that the present warehouse and the old stores and drying lofts with the wet works attached were all the buildings comprised in Thomas Fergusons then business, and so we cannot say if they had already been in existence or were put up by him when he moved from Church Square premises to Edenderry. Space and time does not permit details of the machinery and processing of yarn took place in those early years, suffice to say that after the yarn was prepared and taken out through the country to hand-loom weavers at out offices when the cloth passer called at internals, examined the webs and paid the wages. A good deal of this cloth was sheetings, mostly woven about Banbridge, and in later years when this trade had been given up there were looms for this wide cloth in various collages in which cloth for Crawford & Lindsays was woven - they had Thomas Fergusons name on them. It is interesting to note that in the part of the works which was always designated as the "low yard" there is a building with a brick paved floor which evidently had been a stable for the horsed outfit which went to the out offices with the beams of yarn and weft and returned with cloth.

By 1866 Thomas Ferguson had decided to go in for power-loom weaving, probably probably occasioned by the formation in that year of the firm of Dickson Ferguson and Co, who had previously been in partnership with, amongst others, Hugh Dunbar of Huntly in the firm of Dunbar Dickson & Co. When exactly this factory was put in operation we do not know. The keystone of the entrance archway to the old engine room, part of the mechanic shop, has the date 1866 upon it. The first half of the weaving shed must have been erected between 1867 and 1876.

Space does not permit details of the building of the factory and the equipping with the machinery necessary for power-loom weaving. The planning and effort to achieve this can only be imagined. In those days when labour was of the "pick and shovel" variety, the task of erecting buildings on a not very suitable site must have presented many problems. In later years when alterations became necessary because of expansion of the business walls had to be cut into to make new doorways. Stones akin to very large boulders were encountered which gave great trouble in moving even with modern equipment. There are in existence records in detail of all the operations undertaken with dates and costings, and one can only marvel at the progress made and the amount of planning that went into getting the power-loom into operation.

Little is known about the earlier years of Thomas Ferguson. It is safe to believe however, that he must have been an exceptional person when one considers how he was orphaned at an early age and to commence from scratch to build a business, widely respected at home and abroad for its quality, integrity and fair dealing. In 1883 the Dicksons retired from business and the present company of Thomas Ferguson & Co. Ltd. was incorporated in 1884, with Thomas and his sons Howard and Norman being the first directors, with another son, Thomas, as secretary. In later years three grandsons of the founder entered the company and later still two great-grandsons.

In 1945 the board of the company decided that automatic machinery should be installed to replace the old non-automatic then in use (many of the looms had been manufactured by the company on its own premises). Accordingly, from 1948 to 1956 a complete re-equipment programme was undertaken, since when the factory has operated on a shift system.

Originally the entire production of the company was linen, but over a period of many years, cotton, rayon and man-made fibres were incorporated in the products. Nevertheless, linen remained the chief product and a range of linen damask table coverings was made for the United States market. The companys history of trade with the United States goes back over 100 years and there are records concerning an exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876. Formerly the entire connection was with the wholesale companies of the East and Mid-West, and the linen damasks then sold were in the piece for cutting up and hemming by the consumer. As time progressed and changes took place in selling methods, business was developed with the large department stores and by degrees the products changed so that today the company’s damasks are sent out from the works individually packaged and ready for use.

To detail and analyse all that took place in the development of Edenderry would fill a book, not only from the building of the factory and warehouse, the machinery and looms necessary to change from a cottage based industry to a completely new concept o power-loom weaving but also from the very important recruitment and training of staff necessary to weave damask. The weaving of damask is a complicated, highly skilled process requiring Jacquard machinery, which are motivated by punched cards (the earliest form of computers). This required the provision of two extra, specialised department  mounters who erected and corded the Jacquard machines and a card-room where the cards were cut from a design painted by an artist on design or point paper.  The training of such highly skilled and technically proficient personnel must have presented a serious problem.

It could be said that the reputation of a company is built not so much on bricks and mortar, important as these are, but on the quality of the people who work within that company. I use the word "work" deliberately as Thomas Ferguson & Co. were blessed with having management who set an example of diligence and hard work right down from the Managing Director to the most junior manager. It was a tradition carried down through the generations. In this respect all had to go through a training period in each department before being "let loose" in management. This resulted in a knowledge of all sections of the business and was most useful when problems arose in the factory.

To build up a company from scratch might be thought of as Thomas Ferguson's greatest achievement. I consider that the family he produced to succeed him was of equal merit. He had five sons and two daughters. The eldest boy born in 1856 died in infancy. The second son Howard born 26 January 1861 died 26 March 1941. The third son Stanley born 12 January 1863 died 4 May 1943. The fourth son Norman born 24 November 1866 died 21 July 1960. The fifth son Thomas born 1869 died 10 July 1952. Except for Stanley, who qualified as a solicitor and was connected to the Ulster Bank for many years, indeed it is my understanding that he was Chairman of this bank in 1906, all the sons entered the business at Edenderry. In personality and outlook they were very different except for one very important factor and that was their complete dedication to the success of the business started by their father. They were all outstanding businessmen.

Howard and Thomas in the warehouse and Norman in the factory. It would be invidious of me to choose from the above one who had made the greatest contribution in the development of the company. If I were forced to do so I would nominate the latter. Norman Dickson Ferguson was an outstanding individual. In appearance tall and slim. Autocratic, he was respected in the linen community and much further a field by his great ability and determination. Not only did he know his own business, but his qualities as a leader lead him into various activities. A first class engineer he was at the time Chairman of the old Down County Council, Chairman of the old Belfast Ropeworks, a director of the Banbridge Reservoir Company and other business activities too numerous to mention One would be excused from wondering how he got the time to run the factory and become so involved in local affairs. Very little escaped his scrutiny and if he disapproved you were certain to know about it. To state he was highly critical would be to put it mildly but he was very fair. I first met him in his declining years, having served in the army during the war under many fine leaders I should have been prepared for my introduction that was respected at all levels but I soon found out that before you were accepted by him to be worthy of a position of trust in Edenderry you had to prove your character and ability.

His son Col. J.A. Ferguson and his nephew, Stanley C. Ferguson, had brought me into the company Christmas 1945 when I was demobbed from the army. I had served with both of them in the early years of the war but with promotion and changes in regiments I had lost touch the last two years of the War. It was while stationed in Osnabruck in Germany that I received the letter from Mr. Jim (Col. J.W.) inviting me to call to see him when I left the army. This I did in December 1945 and my initial reaction when he offered to bring me into the company to train as a manager was of great pride that I was considered worthy to be a part of a company with the reputation of Thomas Fergusons In those early days of my training I formed a very high opinion of the skills required to manufacture linen. In handling the yarn, in the warp and weft winding, warping, yarn dressing, weaving and the tenting of looms, the mounters and card room workers and fitters. All these operations required a knowledge and skill that earned my greatest respect and admiration. I soon learnt that linen is a fabric that is difficult to produce and that each operation has to be earned out to a high degree if cloth quality is to be maintained. At Edenderry these skills had been handed down from generation to generation resulting in a reputation of good workmanship that was widely recognised in the linen trade. To describe and explain how this was achieved would require more space than I am allowed.

Today the factory is deserted. The company has been taken over by a local concern and manufacturing has been moved to a more modern building. However, the name of Thomas Ferguson & Co. Ltd. still exists. This in itself is a tribute to the reputation built up over a century and is a memorial to all those who made it so. From what I have seen of the new company I am more than hopeful that the future of linen manufacture in Banbridge will be maintained.

Scenes from the Flax Industry

Repairing fault, meantime please click on photo space

Spreading the Flax	The Flax Industry	View near Banbridge

APPENDIX XVII

Marriage register of the Presbyterian Congregation of Banbridge, County Down, 1756-1794

http://www.raymondscountydownwebsite.com

In 1880 the writer was entrusted with the Register Book of this congregation  by the late Rev. K M'Cammon, minister in charge of the Downshire Road Presbyterian "unreadable" Church. The entries relating to marriages number over 300, and are referred to as "Purposes of Marriage," with the exception of those following the words, "Marriage without Proclamation."  It would appear that a "Purpose of Marriage" meant the actual solemnizeation? of the marriage ceremony, as there is no reason to believe that another book existed recording marriages in fact.   In a few instances, under the heading of "Purpose of Marriage" it is stated that the ceremony of the marriage took place some days later (see entries under date 10th March, 1758, and others at intervals).  The presumption is that the clerk or minister omitted to enter the "Purpose" or proclamation of banns, or that the proclamation took place on the same day as the marriage.  The marriages, up to 30th March, 1761, commence with the words, "A Purpose of Marriage between," and after this date "Between" only is written; and then in later entries "Between is omitted.  It is certain, however, that the knot was tied effectually, no matter what doubts we may have as to the meaning of a "purpose"; and whether the contracting parties were married on the day of publication of banns? or some days after does not make much difference.
Some of the surnames appear in strange guise, as "mahallan" (Mulhollan); "McCubbin" (McKibbin); "Hillows" (Hillia?); "Ewer" (Ewart)' "Dennisken" (Denniston); "McGumery" (Montgomery),  & cc.   There is nothing very peculiar in the names; only in one instance do we find a name other than those of Scotch, Irish, or English origin.  We refer to Jennaux, which surname is, doubtless of Huguenot origin.  Of double Christian names only one instance occurs.

The Purpose of Marriage are as follows:

1756
May   30  Joseph Risk and Isabella Swan.
June     8  William Hamill and Seragh Beggs.
Aug      8  Thomas Anderson and Heloner Locket (Lockhart)
Aug     15  John Meek and Seragh Maballen (Mulholland).
Sept.   19  Jas. Skelly and Mary Majore.
              (1) In almost every instance, where no place is named, the words "of this congregation" are to be
               understood.

1756
Sept.   19 John Coulthart (Coulter) and Mary McMullan.
Nov.   21 Robert Jordan [not legible] Moorelicad.
Nov.   19 William Duff and Seragh Mehaffy.

1757
Feb.   27 James Carnweil ( of not legible) and Jane Mehaffy.
Mar     6  John HiIows (Hillis) and Agnes McWjlliam.
Mar     8  Robert Ewer (Ewart) and Susan Bowman
Mar     8  Thos. Dunn and Ann Dunbar.
June   12 James Robeson and  Saragh (not legible).
July     3  Hugh Miligan and Jane Magill
July   10 Joseph Nelson and Mary Thompson
July   18 James Jordan and Mary Dennisken (Denniston).
Oct   19 Archibald McCullogh and Mary McClung (McCIurg).
Nov.   6  Daniel Magill and Eliz. Anthony.

1758
Jan.    29 James Magin and Mary Robison.
Jan.    29 John McClung (McClurg) and Margaret Robinson.
Mar    19 William Dodds andJane Kelly, Married 23rd March.
April   16 Richard Bell and Elizabeth Adams.
Apil    23 Robert Herron  and Elizaheth Stuart, married 25tth April.
May   14  James Glass of Drumbanagher,and Jane Dumble.
Oct.   15  John McMcMullan and Anne Jenneaux.
Nov.  12  Willian Scott and Mary Maitland
Dec.    3  Hugh McArtney (McCartney) and Hannah Majore.
Dec.  10  Robert Wallace and Prudence Thompson.

1759
Jan.   21  John Thompson and Isabella Grier (Greer).
Feb.  11  The Revd. Mr. Sims (2) of Tulllish and Mrs. Hannah Elliott.
Feb.  25  James Cousans or Magherally, and Mary Adams.
Mar.   4  Josias Anderson and Elizabeth Anderson.
Mar.   4  Alexr. Moffet and Eleanor Rogers.
Nov. 18  John Cowan and Mary Dunn.

1760
Jan.    8  Hugh Diel (Dale) (not legible) and also William Evans and Susan Cochrane.
Jan   13  James Gillespie and Jane Kerr.
Jan.  27  John Maitland and Jane Porter, married, 29th January;  Also James Campbell, of
              Rathyfryland, and Margaret
              Majore, married 31st January; and also Archibald McMaster and Mary Wilson.
Sept.  7  James Stevenson and Hannah Bell.
Nov.  1  William Raine and Mary Smith.
              (2) Mr. Sims was Presbyterian Minister of Tullylish Congregation.

1790
Dec.  7 James Murray and Mary Hamilton, of Donaghcloney.

1761
July.      8 James Bell and Marjory Morrison.
April.   23 William Leister and Elizabeth Ferguson.
April.     9 Saml. Forsyth and Jane Kerr, of Rathfriland.
Nov.     1 John Martin, Of Drubanagher, and Elizabeth Campbell.
Nov.   30 Peter Brown, of Tullylish, and Elizabeth Rogers.
Nov.   30 William Kells and Martha Cherry.
Dec.   20 Saml. Barr and Elizabeth Anderson.
Dec.   25 James Gutberie and Martha McClaine.
Dec.   27 Robert Pilson and Mary Murray.

1762
Jan.    10  Anthony McCay and Hannah Taite.
Jan.    24 George Kinnear and Elizabeth Anderson; and James Anderson and Susan Thompson, of
               Magherrally;   also Archbld. McCubbin (McKibbin) and Ann Hamilton.
Feb.   14  John Scott and Isabel Mulligan.
Mar.    4 John Majore and Catherine Lowry, of Tonaghmore.
May   23 William Jordan, of Donaghcloney, and Jane Gambwell (Gamble).
June   20 George McCashland, of Magherally, and Susan Nisbit; and Danile King and Agness Duff.
July      4 Samuel Black and Bridget McKinley.
Aug   15 Hugh Gordon, of Mountmorris and Mary McWilliams.
Sept  12  William Finlay, of Lurgan and Alice Brown.
Oct.  10 Gilbert Kyle, of Donaghcloney and Jane Robinson.

1763
May    29 John Stephenson and Sarah McCormick, of Donaghmore.
May    29 Daniel Mulligan, of Magherally and Mary Skinner.
Aug.     1 James Barns, of Mountmorris and Mary Clark.
Aug.     7 Archibald McDowell and Agnes Wilson.
Aug.   21 John Mount, of Dromore and Mary Little. and Saml. Geddis and Jane Majore.
Aug.   25 Joseph Diery (Deery), of Donaghcloney and Elisabeth McLeroy (McElroy).

1764
Jan     15 Bernard Neil and Sarah Hook.
Jan     22 James Chambers and Mary Kerr.
May   26 Saml. McMullan and Agnes Chambers; and between Wm. Brown, of Tullylish and Sarah Kerr.
Mar   15 John Croll, of Magherally and Sarah Bell.
April    1  Richd. McMurdey (M'Mordie) and Mary McClelland of Loughbrickland.
June   17 Saml. McClelland and Mary Small of Clare.

1764
July   29 Charles Cowan and Agnes Gilmore of Magherally, and James Anderson and Mary Meek.

1765
n/a            Henry Smith and Esther Mulligan.
n/a            Patrick Brown and Mary Mathews.
Mar     31 John McCracken and Hannah McCammon.
Apr.      6 Wm. Meek and Elizabeth Black, and Joseph Adameston (Edmonson), of
                Loughbrickland and Mary McBride.
April   28 James Mathews and Margaret Fordice.
Sept.     8 John Majore and Mary Forbes.
Sept.   15  James Duff and Sarah M'Cracken of Magherally.
Sept.   22 William Edmonson and Susan Boyd of Magherally.
Nov.   12 Alexander Fullerton and Mary Harrison.
Nov.   19 Andrew Hearshy (Harshaw), of Loughbrickland, and Jane Parker.
Dec.   29 Alexander Scott, Of Dromore, and Isabella Bell.

1766
Feb.    17 Christopher Bell and Mary Scott.
Mar      6 James Lowry, of Ballymony, and Mary Rogers.
Mar    30 Saml. Coulter and Margt. Kelly of Rathfryland.
June     9 Thos. Lackey and Martha Briggs.
Oct.   19 John Kincaid of Magherally, and Margt. Anderson.
Dec.  14 Patrick McDowell and Hannah Spiers.
Dec.  21 James Bingham and Hannah McCullough of Tullylish.

1767
Mar     1 John Esdale of Donacloney, and Hannah Dick.
Mar     8 Thomas Adams and Mary Evans.
Mar   22 Thomas Adams and Jane Cowans of Magherally.
May    2 Jas. Geary, of Magherally, and Isabelle Kinear.
May  17 James Laverty, of Vinecash (Co. Armagh), and Arabella McCormick.
Aug.  23 Wm. Bodel and Isabella Kincaid.
Aug.  30  Jas. Morrow and Margaret Graham.
Sept. 13 Andrew Bradford and Mary Roney.
Oct.    4 Jno. Walker, of Drumard, and Isabel Adams.
Oct.  11 John Stevenson and Elisabeth Gillespie.

1768
Jan.     4 Daniel Parke and Mary Anderson.
Apr.    4 George Forsyth and Sarah Dobbin.
Apr.  10 Thomas Finlay, of Tullylish and Susanna Fordice.
Apr.  10 John Graham and Eliza Robinson.
Apr.  24 James Thompson and Mary Wallace, Magherally.
May    1 Joseph Skelly of Saintfield and Jane Skelly.

1768
May     1  John Forsyth and Mary Dumble.
May   28 William Anderson and Jane Duff.
July    26 David Cairns, of Drumbanagher, and Jane McMullen.
July    31 James McMaster and Sarah Graham.
July    31 James McBride and Mary Mulligan.
Apr.   21 ? Cowan and Mary Morehead.
Sept.  18 Harry Herron and Isabella McElroy.
Sept.  18 Hugh Dyel (Dale) and Agnes Bell.
Sept.  18 Hugh Cromey, of Rathfryland and Ellen Meek.
Oct.   31 John Foster, of Tullylish, and Mary Brown.
Nov.    7 Saml. Black and Mary Hamilton.
Nov.  20 Saml. McMurray and Ester McCoubry, of Kilmore.

1769
Mar    12 William Dickie and Mary Wills.
April   18 John Evans and Martha Mills.
June    18 William Logan, of Donacloney, and Margt. Fordyce.
Sept.    2 Hugh Mulligan and Eliz. Dougan, of Mountmorris.
Sept.    9 William Moor, of Rathfryland, and Widow Sarah Lyon.
Sept.  17 William Dunn, of Tonaghmore, and Jane Deal (Dale).
Oct.   22 Saml. McNight and Jane Patterson, of Magherally.
Nov.  19 Nathaniel Darby and Mary Wallace.
Dec.   24 John Thomson and Mary Fox.
Dec.   31  Arthur Philips, of Kilmore, and Margaret Wallace.
Dec.   31 George Noble and Eliz. Wills.

1770
Feb.   11 Hugh Mathews and Mary Paul of Vinecash, Co. Armagh.
Apr.     8 Hugh Hart of Rathfryland, and Sarah Kearns.
June   17 Saml. Campbell and Jane Thompson, Magherally.
Aug.  19 John Neill and Mary Duncan.
Aug.  19 Saml. Mulligan and Ann Meek.
Aug.  26 Saml. Risk and Margt. Wiley, of Loughbrickland.

1770
Sept.     9 Wm. Andrews, of Tullylish and Deborah Knight.
Sept.   20 George Sleeth and Mary Cuming.
Nov.    4 Andrew Little and Jane Pipers.
Nov.  23 John Burns, of Tonaghmore, and Margt. Gourlay.
Dec.    2 Brice Morrow and Agnes Smith.

1771
Feb.     9 John Wright, of Donagcloney, and Jane Waugh.
Mar   10 Josia Anderson and Elizabeth Mathews.
May    4 James Hamilton and Isabella Crothers.
June  15 James Johnsston and Margt. Matchet.
June  30 Gain Neel, of Mountmorris, and Agnes McBride.
July   15 Wm. McWilliams and Sarah Barber, Rathfryland.
July   22 Gowen Adams and Agnes Irvine.

1771
Nov.    4 Wm. Brown, of Rathfryland, and Sarah Mulligan.
Nov.  11 Saml. McBride and Sarah Makee (McKee), of Drumbo.
Nov.  11 Benjamin McCutcheon, of Loughbrickland, and Mary Herron.

1772
Feb.     9 Hugh Parker and Hannah McCord.
July    19 John McMullan and Barbara Con, of Rathfryland.
Sept.  20 Thos. Kennedy and Margt. Knight.
Oct.   19 John Murray and Jane Savage.

1773
Feb.   14 Robert Adams and Jane Martin, Dromara.
Feb.   18 Andw. Hamilton, of Magherally, and Jane Graham.
Oct.   31 John Mahallan (Muholland), of Markethill, and Eliz. Hamilton.
Nov.  22 James McWilliam and Patience Carns.
Dec.  14 William Hawthorne and Jane Hawthorne, of Loughbrickland.

1774
Feb. 12 Joseph McBride, of Dromore, and Sarah Hamilton.
Feb. 20 Daniel Wilson, of Donacloney, and Martha Thompson.

1775
Oct.    8 Alex. Craig ad Mary Kyle.
Dec. 17 William Edmeston and Mary McComb.

1776
July    14 Saml. Mattear (Mateer) and Margt. McCormick.
Aug.  25 Hugh Cromey and Mary McClelland.
Oct.   28 Wm. Jordan, of Dromara, and Jane Hook.
Dec.    7 James Bell and Sarah Carson, of Loughbrickland.

1777
Feb.   29 Saml. McCartney, of Drumbanagher, and Elizabeth McBride.
June     1 Andrew McBride and Mary Bell.
Aug.   18 James Bell and Mary Bell.
Sept   18  Saml. Hawthorne and Margt. Rodgers.
Nov.   16 John Fleming, Apothecary, and Mary Baxter.
Dec.   30 Andrew Potts, of Loughbrickland, and Mary McMoodie,,of Banbridge.

1778
Jan.     17 Alexr. Sterling and Sarah Green of Markethill.
Jan.     29 John Jonkin (Jenkins) and Sarah Edmenson, of Scarva.
Jan.     29 James Corey (Curry) and Elizabeth Martin, of Dromore.
Apr.     5 Hugh Gordon and Esther Little.
May   31 John Morton and Sarah Magaffockn (McGaffin), of Tullylish.
June     7 James Edmeston, of Scarva, and Mary Edemeston.

1778
Nov.   15 Robert Bell and Isabella Dale, of Loughbrickland.
Nov.   28 Robert Bell, of Loughbrickland, and Isabella Brown.
Nov.   28 James Porter and Isabella Clark.

1779
Aug.    15 Hans Cowan and Mary Wiley.
Sept.     5 Samuel Gourley, of Drumbanaghar, and Margaret Deen.
Sept.   12 Archd. Kneight and Sarah Clogston, of Tullylish.
Sept.   26 John Lockhart and Mary McConwel (McConnell).

1781
July.   22 Thomas Bigham and Mary Forsyth.

1782
May.   19 Thomas Matchet and Elizabeth Crothing (Crothers), married 20th May.
May.   26 Edwd. Henvin and Eliz. Elliot, married 27th May.
Oct.    13 Samuel Glass, of Tullylish and Elizabeth Sterling.
Nov.   24 Isaac Scott, of Drumbanagher, and Mary Robinson.

1783
Feb.   16 Samuel Cowan and Margaret Lockhead.
Feb.   23 William Ingram and Mary Barber.
Mar.    2 Edwd. Hawthorne, of Loughbrickland, and Elizabeth McLeroy (McElroy).
Apr.   20 John Bell and Eleanor Bell of Magherally.
May     5 Samuel Vitche and Brissel Coultard.
Dec.   25 Thomas Downs and Mary McWilliams.
Dec.   28 Thos. Parker and Susan Smith.
Dec.   28 Saml. Seawright, of Loughbrickland, and Mary Gourley.

1784
Apr.   11 William Gregg, of Newry, and Agnes Anderson.
May.    5 John McWilliam and Agnes Bell.
May.    5 Geo. McWilliam and Margt. McCoy.
May.  16 John Minis and Margt. Burns.
May.  16  John McCrum and Janet Bell.
Dec.    1 George Mahallum, Jun. (Mulholland) and Jane McMordie, married by Mr. Jackson.
Dec.  26 John Gibson and Elizabeth Darragh.

1785
Jan.    16  James Wilson, of Dromore, and Sarah Mooreland.
Jan.    20 Bryce Smyth and Agnes Sterling, married 21st by Mr. Jackson.
June.    5 Thos. Boyd and Mary Gulian?, married 12th June.
July.     3 Hugh Graham and Agnes Hawthorn.
Aug.    1  Thos. Park and Jane McBride, of Rathfryland.
Oct.     2 William Campbell and Agnes Cowan, marrieth 9th Oct.
Nov.    6  John Bryson and Mary McGrath, married 7th Nov.

1786
Jan.    29 James Magill and Rose McLinden, married by Mr. Jackson, 30th Jan.
Aug.   20 Alex. McClure and Ann Mulligan, married by Mr. Jackson.
Aug.   27 Henry Herron and Jane Muligan.

1787
Jan.    7 George Crawford and Jane Bradford, married by Mr. Jackson on 22th Jan.
Apr.   1 William Thompson and Ann Hughes, married by Mr. Jackson.,
            (Witnesses of the marriage: George McWilliam and Mary Forsyth).
Apr. 18 John Gillespay and Margt. Patterson, same day married by Mr. Bryson.

1786
Feb.   24 James McCallister and Mary Bodel, of Tullylish.
Mar.    2 Archibald McCallister and Rachel Frickelton.
Apr.    6 Alexander Williamson, of Crumlin, and Ester Gillespy.
Apr.  13 Isaac Brown and Mary Smyth.

1789
Feb.    1 Philip McWilliam and Mary Park.
Mar.   8 John Irwin and May Cowan.
Mar. 15 Samuel Coultard (Coulter) and Hannah Moreland.
June   6 Robert Mathews and Ann Herrin, married same day by Mr. Jackson.
            (Witnesses present: Jane McClelland, Hugh McClelland).

1790
Feb.     7  Thomas Wilson and Jane Wilson.
Feb.   21 Thomas Friar, of Glaschar, and jane Irwin.
Mar.  28 John Cartland and Mary Murdock, of Magherally.
Apr.    4 John Campbell, of Ballyroney, and Ester McBride.
Apr.    4 Thos. Cowan and Mary Stephenson.
July   11 John McKeee and Jane Graham, of Ballyroney.

1791
Feb.   20 Robert Graham and Elizabeth Hazlett, of Loughbrickland.
Mar.    6  William Hewitt and May Kearney.
Aug.  28 John Mathews and Elizabeth Hutcheson, of Loughbrickland.
Nov. 20 Thomas McBride and Susannah Burns.

1792
Aug.   12 Thomas Doran, of Dromore, and Alice Finlay, married 14th August.
Oct.    29 William Forsyth and Mary Bell.

Marriges without Proclamatiom

1784
Oct.   4 William Pike and Mrgt. McClung.
Dec.  1 George Mulholland, Jun., and James (Jane?) McMordie.
           (Witnesses present-Hana McMordie and ? McMordie).

1785
Jan.    19 John Porter and Sarah McClelland, (Witnessesed by Ann Matchet and Isabella
               Bradford).
June.  26 David Black of Glascar and Jane Seawright, (Witnessed by James Kerr and Jane Kerr,
               otherwise Herron).
Nov.    3 Robt. Crothers and Jane Henry, (Witnessed by Rev. James McMahon and George
               Mahallam).
Nov.    5 Francis Bell and Mary Dobbin, (Witnesses by James Withers, Se., AnnWithers, and
               James Withers, Jun.).
Nov.    6 Thomas Graham and Sarah Fleming, (Witnesses present-Rev. Mr. Cumming, Captain
               James Law, and Robert McClelland).

1786
July.   11 Henry Sterling and Jane Neight, (Witnessed by Robert Sterling, Jun., and Mary
               Anderson).
Oct.   30 Edward Turner and Eleanor Waugh, (The groom certified by Mathew Kerr and
               witnessed by Rev. James McMahon and David Waugh).

1787
Feb.   6 Henry Knight and Margaret Goorly. (Witnessed by Robert Gamble and Joseph Morton).

1788
Jan.    8 Thomas Goorley and Agnes McWilliam, (Certified by Philip Graham and Hugh Herron,
             Witnessed by James Hamilton and William Graham).
Feb.  20 Alexander Patrick, of Magherally, and Jane McCann.
             (Witnesses present-James Seawright and Elizabeth Patrick).
June  30 William Fleming and Isablella Green, (Witness present Thomas Briggs).

1789
Mar.   8 Hugh Cowan and Isabella Hook.  (Certified by Philip Graham, (Witnesses present John Irwin and John Finney).
Apr.   9 Captain James Law (1) and Sarah Crawford, (Witnesses present-George Crawford and  James Fleming).
             (1) Captain James Law was a well known volunteer officer and had command of a  company in 1780 known as the Banbridge
             Vol. Infantry.

1789
May.   10 Andrew Minnis and Mary Kells, (Witnesses present-James Kyle and Philip Graham).
May.   25 John McMordie and Rachel Graham, (Witnesses present-Rachel Lawson and Rachel Brown).
May.   27 James Lindsay, of Tullylish, and Mary Anderson, (Witnessed by Henry Wier and John Lockhart. The groom
                certified by Rev. Mr. Sherrard, John Dixon, and Hanry Dixon).
Dec.     1 John Martin and Mry Dick, (Witnessed by Joseph Denharn, Joseph Knox and Henry Jackson, Jun.).

1790
Jan.     14 Robert Mason, of Rathfryland, and Eleanor Park.
Jan.     21 John Linn (1), of Loughbrickland, and Agnes Dunn.
Feb.    23 George Brown and Isabella Lowry.
May.   17 Robert Smyth and Isabella Fulton.
Apr.    28 William McWilliam and Agnes Maitland.
Nov.   28 James Armour and Leticia Workman.
Dec.    23 John McMullan, 14 Light Dragoons, and Catherine Russell.

1791
Jan.    14 Adam Bell and Jane Cowan.
Apr.   25 Samuel Coudy (Coady) and Susan Graham.
May.  26 William McMullan of Mountmorris, and Elizabeth Shields.
Aug.   23 Hugh McClean and Margt. Darragh.
Sept.  30  John Parker, of the Parish of Seapatrick, and Elizabeth Forsyth.
Dec.   12 Robert Bradford and Isabella Dick.
Dec.   14 John Gillespie and Jane Forsyth.

1792
Jan.       1 Thomas Mawhood, of Loughbrickland, and Sarah Robinson.
Apr.    13 Alex. Kearns of Dromore, and Margt. Crothers.
May.   19 Robert Henderson and Sarah Briggs.
May.   25 James Coulter and Agnes Glue (probably Grew).
July.      2 Thomas Hagan and Elizabeth Anthony.
Aug.   10 Hugh McCaw and Martha McElroy.
Oct.   18 William Scott and Margaret Irwin.
Oct.   30 William Mulligan and Mary Mulligan.
Nov.  16 John Griffin, of Magherally, and Sarah Wills.
Dec.    3 James Risk, of Loughbrickland and Eleanor Irwin.
          (1) John Linn of the Presbyterian Congregation of Loughbrickland was the grandfather of the writer.

1793
Mar.     5 Baptist Mulligan, of Magherally and Rose Mulligan.
Mar.   27 Saml. Herron and Agnes Kyle.
Apr.     1 John Parker and Elizabeth Dunn.
Apr.    22 Andrew Ratcliffe, of Cloughakilt and Jane Stephenson.
Apr.    29 William Dale to Patience McBride.
July.      6  Andrew Rainey and Mary Brown.
July.      6 William Maitland and Jane Majore.
Dec.    30 John Coulter and Eleanor McChesney.

1794
Jan.    28 Will Porter and Cath. Phenn.
Jan.    28 Will Dodds and Mary Matchett.
Apr.     5 Abraham Smith and Jane Graham.

Extract from comment by Rev. W. T. Latimer, B. A., on the above
(See Journal of the Royal Society of Antiqueries, Ireland. Vol. XXIX., pp 75-76 )

http://www.raymondscountydownwebsite.com

A "purpose of marriage" was nothing more or less than a proclamation of banns, and as almost all who were proclaimed were soon afterwards married, I believe there was no separate book for registration of marriages.  This opinion is supported by the fact that when marriages without proclamation were entered, this fact was recorded and that in some of the entries the date of marriage as well as the date of the proclamation.
In 1701 the Synod of Ulster enacted that banns of marriage should be published on three several sabbaths, and that any minister who married a couple in transgression of this rule should be rebuked and suspended.  But this law was unpopular with the Presbyterian people.  The publicity given thereby to intended marriages was in itself so obnoxious that many Presbyterians submitted to be married in the Established Church where license could be substituted for proclamation.
But as this publishing of the banns was the law of the Irish Presbyterian Church, it was at first generally carried it by ministers; and when this fact was recorded in the books of the congregation, it was proof that the law had been observed.  This, I think was probably the reason why in some congregations the "proclamation" and not the ceremony of marriage was recorded.  A record of the marriage itself would not have been considered sufficient evidence.

Note: From 1794 to 1814, no record is extant of marriages or baptisms. From 1814, commencing with the pastorate of Rev. James Davis, a record was in existence.

List of Subscriptions

Received up to this date from the Catholics of Banbridge Parish, towards the purchase of their new cemetery, Dromore road, near Banbridge. The grounds bought for the purpose cost £310. The cemetery was consecrated 21st. May 1872.

John O'Brien, P.P. Banbridge Sept.19 1874

http://www.raymondscountydownwebsite.com