With the Tour now in mini-hibernation for the winter (though willing to be woken up on request), I am continuing with research on events in Carrickfergus during the Second World War.
As well as using published material in books, magazines, websites and newspapers of the time, I would like to hear personal stories from those who lived in the town during this period.
Sadly, many of those citizens are no longer with us. However, I am sure many of their personal stories have been handed down the generations.
If you, or people you know, have any recollections of what it was like to live and/or work in Carrickfergus during the Second World War, please get in touch with me.
For example, from my own family I have discovered that:
- my dad studied at the Tech on High Street, before getting a job helping with horse-drawn bread deliveries;
- my grandmother used to watch the American soldiers parading down Lancasterian Street from her first floor landing window (she used to live in what is now a charity shop opposite the Fire Station);
- my grandfather got a suspended prison sentence for his part in the theft of petrol from the Army store at Kinnegar barracks, where he was working (not the sort of story I hoped to find!);
- my father-in-law was in the local Home Guard; and
- my mother-in-law worked in Barn Mills (I recently found a photo of her there, taken in 1943)
Perhaps this request for stories is a good excuse for the younger generations to sit down and chat with their elders about this period in time.
Anyway, as I mentioned earlier, please get in touch to let me know if you have anything you think may be of interest – stories, photos, memorabilia etc.
I can arrange to meet up, if necessary, to record these stories or take copies/photos of any useful items. Or if you are happy to email me the stuff, that’s great.
The best way to get in touch, initially, is by emailing me at: leadthewaytourcarrickfergus@gmail.com
I will follow up any offers of information over the winter months. I may not do this immediately after you email me, so don’t worry if you don’t hear back from me straight away.
