Cemetery: County ARMAGH, Shankill (or Belfast Parish) Old Grave-yard

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Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives
Armagh Index
Copyright

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Contributed by C.Hunt and Michelle Thompson

CEMETERY: SHANKILL (OR BELFAST PARISH) OLD GRAVE-YARD
    [From the Rev. R. S. Maffett.]

'The old parish church on this site (St. Patrick's) became
ruinous about the time of the Reformation, service being
afterwards held in one of its dependent chapels on the site
of the present St. George's Church, as we are told by Mr. L.
M. Ewart, in an interesting epitome of the parish history in
his Handbook of the Diocese. 'A licensed schoolhouse was
opened on the Shankill Road, on ground adjoining the
graveyard, in 1839 (Report of the Down and Connor Church
Accommodation Society, 1843), but, I presume, the graveyard
itself has Passed under the Poor-Law Guardians.'The
following inscriptions were copied for me by a relative, in
the Autumn of 1892': -

Armagh.			418

"Here lyeth the body of Thomas Williamson, who died
  February the 12th, 1712, aged 88 years."
						[A
						headstone]

'Near the above are two others with the dates "1765" and
"1790,"'
						[Old
						sandstone]

'A headstone (also of sandstone) has the following': -
    "This is the burying place of William Allen, Here lyeth
    the body of Margaret Allen his daughter who Depd
    this life May 6th, 1790 agd 17 Yrs also others of his
    children     viz. William, Sarah & Mary Ann."

'A headstone-on a shield within a square frame': -
			"Gardner.
		The precious dust beneath that lies
		Shall at the call of Jesus rise
		To meet the bridegroom in the skies
		That day we'll meet again.
		No more interments."

    The tombstone with the above inscription is of polished
    grey granite. It bears no date.'

    'Near the Gardner headstone is a flag which bears the
    date 1839; also another tombstone, with the following
    words':-
	"Think not of to-day nor say to-morrow ? is thine,
	lest thou be called away ? by a sudden death like
	mine."

    'This latter stone is in memory of C. Edgar, who, we are
    told, died by the explosion of a steam boiler, 1849.'


'Another tombstone in this graveyard reads as follows': -

    "Erected ? by Sarah Maginnis in memory of her beloved ?
    daughter Isabella Maginnis who died on the ? 12th July
    1832 aged 16 years.
	Here now she sleeps, ye angels round her stone
	Keep your strict vigil till our Saviour come
	In unknown splendour then her dust shall rise
	And mount triumphant through the opening skies.
    Also 6 children who died in infancy."


419	Armagh.

'A headstone': -

	"Erected by her daughter Jane Mortimer ? in memory
	of Mrs. Jane Doyle who departed ? this Life on the
	20th February 1810 ? in the 66th year of her
	age.likewise her husband John Doyle aged ? 74 years.
	and her son ?1(urm?) aged 12 years who lived beloved
	and died lamented ? by all who were acquainted with
	them.
		Mortals attend as you pass by
		As you are now so once was I
		As I am now so you must be
		Prepare to die and follow me."

				________

    'A headstone with a curious device (skull and crossed-
    bones, crown?, cross, angels?, death's head, &c) has the
    words on the other side so effaced as to be illegible.
    It stands near a tombstone with the date "1752" upon
    it.'
				________
'A headstone': -

    'Erected ? by ? James Maxwell of Portaferry ? in memory
    of his beloved wife ? Mary Maxwell who departed ? this
    life 12th April 1845 aged 26 years ? also two of their
    children (viz) Isabella and James who died in ? Infancy.

		With Suffering sore a long time bore
		Physicians' was all in vain
		But death has seiged & God was pleased
		A happy release from pain."


'A headstone (weathered sandstone)': -

    "Erected ? by ? William Brown ?of Mill Street, Belfast ?
    in memory of his parents ? David & Elizabeth Brown
    here also are interred ? the bodies of their sons ?
    James,     William, George, ? & others who died young."


'Near the above is a tombstone with "W. Dunville 1790" on
it.'


'A headstone bears the following inscription': -
    "A tribute from William Miller ? to the memory of his
    mother ? Sarah Miller who died ? 1st January 1829 AE
    57."


SOURCE:  Journal of the Association for the Preservation of
the Memorials of the Dead in Ireland, 1894.  FHL# 1279252