Publications | Down Survey | 2002 Issue Contents

Foreword
Mike King

As a fitting sequel to our 'Victorian Down' edition of the Down Survey in 2001, the focus for the 2002 edition is 'Twentieth Century Down'. The majority of our exhibitions and events during 2002 focused on aspects of the twentieth century, as will a number of our projects planned for 2003. Major seasonal events during the year included the annual St Patrick's Day celebrations, an Easter Monday Funday, an evening Halloween party which attracted almost 1000 people and the Christmas craft fair which was attended by over 2000 people.

Down Scout Group pictured outside the cell block of the Old Gaol in about 1910. Some of these boys probably fought in the First World War

Other events included living history presentations relating to the history of the Gaol over the May Bank Holiday, Viking living history days, and craft workshops for children at Halloween and Christmas. The year 2002 also saw the launch of a new Education Pack for schools and a total of 5107 visits to the Museum by schoolchildren. Out of a total of 35,843 visits made to the Museum in 2002, 13,561 were made by children under 16. The launch of the Downpatrick Young Archaeologists Club for 9-16 year olds in March 2002 has responded to this interest in the Museum among under 16s, and a total of 60 youngsters have so far taken part in activities ranging from archaeological field walking to making miniature clay 'shabti' figures like those found in Egyptian tombs.

Other highlights from 2002 included an exhibition of drawings by William Conor, celebrating St Patrick, generously placed on loan to the Museum by Armagh Public Library, and the acquisition of an oil sketch of Priscilla, Countess Annesley, by Sir John Lavery. A display about the Boer War entitled 'Soldiers of the Queen' was put on to accompany a play with this title by Dr Damien Smyth running at Down Arts Centre in September.

Our display in Newcastle Tourist Information Centre, entitled 'Coasting Down', featured historic photographs with a maritime theme, while a display of maritime paintings, 'Down by the Sea', was put on at the Museum in December. A new selection of greetings cards and postcards was produced for sale in the Museum shop, focusing on the maritime theme for 2003, and the DJ McNeill Collection. Twelve images from the DJ McNeill Collection appeared in the Downpatrick Lions Club Calendar for 2003, as a result of a partnership project between the Museum and the Lions Club.

The Friends of the Museum have been instrumental in expanding the Museum's photographic collections in 2002 through sponsoring a documentary photography project covering the main fishing communities along the south coast of Down. This new photographic collection, created by photographer Fiona Clarke, will be a valuable twenty-first century addition to the fine twentieth century collections already held by the Museum, such as those created by Pat Hudson and DJ McNeill. The Museum appreciates the enthusiastic support of the Friends for this project, which will provide a present-day perspective to complement the Museum's historic maritime collections, to be put on display in 2003.

The aim of the Museum's 'Sea of Life' exhibition, opening in March 2003, will be to shed light on the past, present and future of Down's maritime communities, and the fishing industry in particular, through the Museum's collections of artefacts and photographs. Later in the year, the Museum is planning to host a travelling exhibition about the First World War, which will be on loan from the Somme Heritage Centre from October 2003.

A First World War gun outside the gate of the Old Gaol, where it had been placed in 1922-23. It was brought to Downpatrick by train, and pulled up English Street by six horses and fifty men.

An on-going project at the Museum is to research the history of the Old Gaol, and to interpret historical features wherever possible. To this end, new signs and information plaques were put up in the Museum courtyards during 2002 to help visitors appreciate the history of the Old Gaol site. The restoration of the interior of the west wall of the Gaol allowed us to highlight the gables of the huts built for the GIs stationed on the site late in the Second World War. These were constructed against a section of wall covered with a layer of 'Roman' cement, which had formed the back wall of a handball alley used by the South Down Militia as early as 1859.

Soldiers of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers (4th Battalion) outside the Old Gaol in 1940

Although we know little about the detail and dates of the US Army occupation of the Old Gaol site, the GI figure put up in the corner of the courtyard in 2002 is designed to remind visitors that the site was a barracks for much longer than it was a Gaol. The GIs were the latest of a series of military occupants, who included the South Down Militia, The Royal Irish Rifles and the Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

We would be delighted to receive further information on this aspect of the Old Gaol's history, and to re-discover similar photographs to those shown here, dating to the first half of the twentieth century.

The aim of this edition of the Down Survey is to look back at the twentieth century, with some of these themes in mind. The common factor among the articles is the focus on people, artefacts and events of the twentieth century, and I am grateful to all the contributors for providing a fascinating collection of articles which relate to this period. The Museum is again indebted to the Friends of the Museum for all their support during 2002 and for supporting the publication of this Yearbook.

A newly arrived GI Stands guard at the Old Gaol next to the remains of the huts built for them late in the Second World War.

As we look forward to 2003, a special programme of events will mark the bi-centenary of the rebellion of 1803 and the execution of United Irishman Thomas Russell at the gates of Down County Gaol. The programme not only underlines the central role played by our gaol in this story, but also the central role the Museum plays today as a venue where the issues of two hundred years ago can be explored and debated through a variety of educational and dramatic events, which are open to all. We hope you enjoy our activities over the coming year.

Mike King Curator