Co. Down

Bennett, Alexander (‘Alec’) (1897–1973), motorcyclist, was born 25 April 1897 in Craigantlet, Co. Down, son of Robert Bennett, farmer, of Craigantlet, and Isabella Bennett (née Rea). Having emigrated to Canada at an early age, he began competing as a motorcyclist, primarily on half-…

Beresford, Lord John George de la Poer (1773–1862), Church of Ireland archbishop of Armagh, was born 22 November 1773 in Tyrone House, Dublin, third son (among four sons and two daughters) of George de la Poer Beresford (1735–1800), 2nd earl of Tyrone and 1st marquess of Waterford…

Berwick, Edward (1754?–1820), classicist and anglican clergyman, was born in Co. Down, son of Duke Berwick, gentleman. After attending the Rev. Saumarez Dubourdieu's school in Lisburn, Co. Antrim, he entered TCD (1770), gained a…

Bing, Geoffrey Henry Cecil (1909–77), barrister and politician, was born 24 July 1909 at Rockport, Craigavad, Co. Down, son of Geoffrey Bing (an anglican clergyman who had founded a preparatory school there) and Irene Bing (née Duke). The family spent some time in China, and Bing…

Bingham, Edward Barry Stewart (1881–1939), rear-admiral, RN, was born 26 July 1881 in Bangor Castle, Co. Down, third of seven sons and three daughters of John George Barry Bingham (1852–1916), 5th Baron Clanmorris, landowner, and Matilda Catherine Bingham, daughter and heiress of…

Birch, Thomas Ledlie (1754–1828), radical and presbyterian minister, was born at Birch Grove, Gilford, Co. Down, youngest among nine children of John Birch, a large farmer and officer in the Down militia, and his wife Jane, daughter of John Ledlie of Arboe, Co. Tyrone, a prosperous…

Blacker, William (1776–1850), land agent and agricultural writer, was born in 1776, probably in Co. Down, the third of four sons of St John Blacker, a clergyman who was then curate at Kilbroney, and his wife Grace, daughter of Maxwell Close of Elm Park, Co. Armagh. He became land…

Blackham, Dorothy Isabel (1896–1975), artist and teacher, was born 1 March 1896 in 4 Beechwood Rd, Rathmines, Dublin, daughter of Charles H. Blackham, chief cashier at Kingsbridge railway terminus, and Jane Ruthven Blackham (née Lowry) of Killyleagh, Co. Down. She was related on her…

Black, Samuel (1763/4–1832), physician, was born at Marymount in the townland of Lurganbane, Dromore, Co. Down, son of James Black (1719–1803), a minor landowner who was engaged in the linen industry, and Mary Black (née Cullen) (1724–1810). He had five brothers and a sister and was…

Blackwood, Frederick Temple Hamilton-Temple- (1826–1902), 1st marquess of Dufferin and Ava , diplomat and writer, was born in Florence on 21 June 1826, the only child of Price Blackwood, 4th Baron Dufferin and Clandeboye (in the Irish peerage), and his wife,…

Blackwood, James Stevenson (1755–1836), 2nd Baron Dufferin and Claneboye , MP and soldier, was born 8 July 1755, second son of Sir John Blackwood (qv) of Ballyleidy, Upper Clandeboye, Co. Down, and Dorcas Blackwood (née Stevenson; d…

Blackwood, Sir Henry (1770–1832), vice admiral, was born 28 December 1770 at Ballyleidy, Upper Clandeboye, Co. Down, seventh son of Sir John Blackwood (qv), 2nd baronet, and Dorcas Blackwood (née Stevenson), afterwards 1st Baroness…

Blackwood, Sir John (1722–99), 2nd baronet and MP, was eldest son among three children of Sir Robert Blackwood (1694–1774), landowner and 1st baronet, of Ballyleidy, Upper Clandeboye, Co. Down, and his first wife Joyce, sister of Joseph…

Blakely, Colin George Edward (1930–87), actor, was born 23 September 1930 at Bangor, Co. Down, the son of Victor Charles Blakely and Dorothy Margaret Blakely (née Ashmore). Educated at Sedbergh school in Yorkshire, he began work as a salesman in the family sports retail business,…

Blakely, Fletcher (1783–1862), presbyterian minister, was born 13 May 1783 at Ballyroney, Co. Down, youngest son of Joseph Bleakly, farmer, and was named after the Rev. William Fletcher, the presbyterian minister at Ballyroney. Both his parents died when he was very young; nothing…

Blake, Michael (1775–1860), catholic clergyman, was born 16 July 1775 in Arran Quay parish, Dublin, eldest among six children (two sons and four daughters) of George Blake, originally of Nobber, Co. Meath, and Catherine Blake. He was educated in Dublin under the care of Dr…

Boal, Desmond Norman Orr (1928–2015), lawyer and politician, was born on 8 August 1928 in St Columb’s Court, Derry city, the third of five children (and only son) of James Boal, cashier and bakery manager, and his wife Kathleen (nèe Walker). Brought up in the Church of Ireland, he was…

Bowman, Alexander (1855–1924), trade unionist, was born 16 March 1855 at Dromara, Co. Down, eldest child among three sons and two daughters of William McKeown, farmer and weaver, and his wife Elizabeth (née Rodgers). McKeown was a catholic; Rodgers, a presbyterian, had been previously…

Boyd, Henry (1749?–1832), clergyman, poet, and translator, was born in Co. Tyrone, son of Charles Boyd, farmer; nothing is known of his mother. Educated by Mr Davison, he entered TCD as a sizar (June 1770), gained a scholarship (1773),…

Boyd, John St Clair (1858–1918), surgeon, Gaelic Leaguer and philanthropist, was born at Cultra House, Holywood, Co. Down, only son of John Kane Boyd, co-proprietor of the Blackstaff Mill. He was educated in Paris and Edinburgh before graduating from Queen's College, Belfast (QCB), and…

Boyle, (Christopher) Kevin (1943–2010), lawyer, academic and human rights activist, was born on 23 May 1943 in Newry, Co. Down, the fourth of nine children of Louis Boyle, a taxi driver, and his wife Elizabeth (or Alice) (née McArdle). The family was catholic. Kevin was educated locally…

Brett, (Sir) Charles Edward Bainbridge (1928–2005), solicitor, architectural historian and public figure in Northern Ireland, was born 30 October 1928 in Holywood, Co. Down, eldest of three children, two boys and a girl, of Charles Anthony Brett, a Belfast solicitor, and his wife…

Brogan, Harry (1905–77), actor, was born 5 May 1905 in Holywood, Co. Down, son of John Brogan, bricklayer and stonemason, and Margaret Brogan (née Hickey). The family moved to 17 Emmet St., Harold's Cross, Dublin, in his infancy. In 1918 he made his first stage appearance with…

Brontë, Patrick (1777–1861), Church of England clergyman and writer, was born 17 March 1777, in Emdale, Drumballyroney, Co. Down, the eldest of the ten children of Hugh Prunty , or Brunty, a protestant farm labourer, and Eleanor or Alice (née McClory), born a catholic. He is known…

Brown, Edward Godfrey (1874–1955), conductor and musical director, was born 15 January 1874 at 74 Blake St., Barrow-in-Furness, Cumberland (Cumbria), the only son among four children of Edward Brown (1853–1941) and Emma Brown (née Godfrey). His father came from Marlow,…