Gamble, John
Gamble, John (1770?–1831), physician, traveller, and writer, was born at Strabane, Co. Tyrone, into a local presbyterian family and reared by an uncle (perhaps John Sproull of Strabane), an apothecary. It is likely that he came under the influence of…...
Gulston ('Scott'), Peter Craig
Gulston ('Scott'), Peter Craig (1931–2013), thief, variously described as the 'king of the cat burglars' and 'the human fly', was born on 18 February 1931 in Belfast, the younger of two children, to Frederick Arnott Gulston, chief commercial traveller for White, Tompkins and Courage…...
Haddick, Victor Anderson
Haddick, Victor Anderson (1887–1950), soldier, traveller, writer, and film maker and promoter, was born 14 June 1887 at Crinkill (Crinkle), Parsonstown (Birr), King's Co. (Offaly), the eldest son of Richard J. Haddick, a soldier, and his wife Jane Anne (née Anderson). He was educated…...
Harshaw, James
Harshaw, James (1797–1867), farmer, diarist, and presbyterian nationalist, was born in the townland of Ringbane, Donaghmore parish, Co. Down, last child of James Harshaw and Mary Harshaw (née Bradford). The senior James was one of the major landholders in the eastern part of the…...
Jemison, Mary ('Deh-he-wä-mis')
Jemison, Mary ('Deh-he-wä-mis') (1743?–1833), American frontierswoman, was born aboard the ship William and Mary, when her parents, Thomas Jemison and his wife Jane (née Erwin), (both of protestant Scotch-Irish heritage) were emigrating to colonial Pennsylvania, departing from…...
Long, William Joseph
Long, William Joseph (1922–2008), politician and fisherman, was born 23 April 1922 in Stockton-on-Tees, England, the son of William Long and his wife Frederica (née Walker). He received his secondary education in Friends' School, Great Ayton (North Yorkshire), an agriculturally-oriented…...
McCaughey, Sir Samuel
McCaughey, Sir Samuel (1835–1919), pastoralist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist in Australia, was born 30 June 1835 in Tullynewey, near Ballymena, Co. Antrim, eldest son and second child of Francis McCaughey, tenant of a large farm, and Eliza McCaughey (née Wilson), who later had…...
McGrath, William
McGrath, William (1916–91), loyalist and paedophile, was born 11 December 1916 in Belfast, son of Abraham McGrath and Jane McGrath (née Warrington). McGrath came from a methodist background; in later years he worked with presbyterian and Free Presbyterian churches while operating as a…...
McIlmoyle, Robert John
McIlmoyle, Robert John (1875–1965), Reformed Presbyterian minister and member of the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU), was born 10 April 1875, eldest son among five sons and four daughters of Robert McIlmoyle, farmer, of Stradreagh, Limavady, Co. Londonderry, and Margaret McIlmoyle (…...
Moore, Robert
Moore, Robert (1886–1960), farmer, politician, and presbyterian minister, was born 26 September 1886 at Ballymacannon, Ringsend, near Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, son of Kennedy Moore, whose family had farmed in the area for generations, and Mary Elizabeth Moore (née McFetridge).…...
Nicholson, Asenath
Nicholson, Asenath (1792–1855), traveller and social reformer, was born 24 February 1792, youngest child and only daughter among three children of Michael Hatch (c.1747–1830), farmer, and his wife, Martha (maiden name unknown; 1745–1837), in Chelsea, Vermont, USA. Educated at…...
Norcott, William
Norcott, William (1773?–1820), barrister, satirist, and bon vivant, was eldest son of William Norcott of Charleville, Co. Cork, and Mary Norcott (née Knight). He entered TCD in July 1790, graduating BA…...
Payne, Davy (Hugh David)
Payne, Davy (Hugh David) (1948?–2003), loyalist paramilitary, was born in Belfast, where he was brought up in the Woodvale area of the Shankill Road. He was involved in loyalist activism from his teens (although he later falsely claimed to have been radicalised by IRA bombings in the…...
Pinkerton, John
Pinkerton, John (1845–1908), tenant farmer, magistrate, and MP, was the son of John Pinkerton of Seacon, near Ballymoney, north Antrim, and his wife Nancy (née Pinkerton). John Pinkerton senior was a unitarian tenant farmer and linen merchant who died young after falling from his…...
Reid, Thomas
Reid, Thomas (1791–1825), naval surgeon and author, was one of four sons of Thomas Reid, farmer, from Cadian, near Eglish, Co. Tyrone. He received a classical education from the family pastor, the presbyterian minister Hugh Bell, before attending the Royal College of Surgeons in…...
Shanks, James
Shanks, James (1854–1912), farmer, agrarian activist, and self-taught naturalist and historian, was born 4 November 1854 on Ballyfounder farm, two miles south of Portaferry on the Ards peninsula, Co. Down. A presbyterian, after attending Portaferry no. 2 national school until age…...
Stewart, Sir Herbert Ray
Stewart, Sir Herbert Ray (1890–1989), agriculturalist, was born 10 July 1890, only son of Hugh Stewart and Rebecca Stewart (née Ray), both of Co. Down farming stock. Although born in Cambridge, Mass., USA (because of a family quarrel), he grew up in Co. Down, to which he returned…...
West, Harry (Henry William)
West, Harry (Henry William) (1917–2004), farmer and politician, was born in Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, on 27 March 1917, eldest child and only son (he had five sisters) of William West, farmer and former secretary of Fermanagh County Council, and his wife Harriet (née Spence). West's…...
Whinnery, Thomas
Whinnery, Thomas (1759/60–1830), postmaster and spy, was in business at Newry, Co. Down, as a wine and spirit merchant until 1794 or 1795, when he was appointed postmaster of Belfast. As a state official he had a duty to open and read letters passing through his premises at 6…...
Workman, Thomas
Workman, Thomas (1843–1900), naturalist, traveller, and businessman, was born 14 August 1843, third son among fifteen children of Robert Workman and Jane Workman (née Service) of Ceara, Malone Road, Belfast. His father's family was originally from Saltcoats, Ayrshire, Scotland,…...
Wright, William (‘Billy’)
Wright, William (‘Billy’) (1960–97), loyalist paramilitary, was born in July 1960 in Wolverhampton in the west midlands of England, son of David Wright and his wife, both originally from Portadown, Co. Armagh. The Wrights had moved to England because of harassment after David…...