History of Developments in Mourne

1870 to 2000

By John Newell

("The Construction of Greencastle Aerodrome" chapter on the Kilkeel index page was also taken from this book)

Passenger and Freight Transport to and
from Mourne from 1870
to present day
Before the advent of the long car in the early 1 870s John Kelly’s short car ran daily from Newly to Kilkeel and back carrying the mail. While Arthur Doran’s short car ran a service from Kilkeel to Belfast and returned the next day. The Post Office regulations were that the mail bags carried had to be chained and locked to the bus seats for safety reasons. In the year 1875 the Earl of Kilmorey started a long car service under the name of Messrs Norton and Company. The manager for this company was Mr H A Matier. The company flourished and around 1883 His Lordship sold the business to Mr Matier who was later joined by his son who resided in Kilkeel. It took the car two hours to travel from Kilkeel to Newcastle. With the state of the ‘roads’ then the time was not too bad.
 

In 1880 Messrs Shaws and Company Touring Services operated daily from Newcastle to Kilkeel and back making many stops on the way. Fares in the 1878 timetable were: Kilkeel to Newcastle 1 / 6 and Rostrevor to Kilkeel 1 / =. A tour from Warrenpoint to Rostrevor, Kilkeel, Newcastle, Castlewellan, Rathfriland and back to Warrenpoint cost 61=.
Also the LNWR operated paddle steamers from Greencastle Pier to Greenore and Warrenpoint. Their names were: The Dodder (181 tons), The Mersey (125 tons), The Servern (125 tons), The Greenore (216 tons) was renamed the Cloughmore in 1912. The Warrenpoint route closed in October 1920, Greencastle April 1921.
In 1901 the Tariff in The Kilmorey Arms Hotel was: Bedroom 2/6, Breakfast 1/9, Luncheon 1/6, Dinner 2/6. Boarding Terms: 51= per day, 351= per week. Longcar:
Warrenpoint-Newcastle (26 miles) 4/= single, 7/6 return; Kilkeel - Greencastle 1/6 return.

The Great Northern Railway Company ran tours to the Mourne Mountains and County Down Coast as a combination of rail and coach transport in 1900.
In 1907 The Mourne Mountain Touring Company ran a passenger service from Newcastle to Kilkeel via the Head Road/Silent Valley; this continued for some time. The same year another passenger touring company called The Scottish and Irish Motor Service also ran tours daily from Newcastle to Kilkeel return. Another family owned passenger transport company called Radfords of Rostrevor ran the old tram-like motor buses from Warrenpoint to
Newcastle via Kilkeel. The engines Horse-driven long car at corner of Newry Street, Kilkeel.
used crude and paraffin. The paraffin oil driven bus was bought in Dublin. This in turn gave way to the Ford petrol engine and chassis. James McMullan in his Kilkeel Joinery Workshop skillfully built the body shells on the buses. The company ran scheduled daily services in those days. A lot of horse traffic were also using the roads in the early days.
 

Roads were in very poor condition with pot holes and soft spots here and there. Some places were very rough especially in wet weather. Care was essential on these roads by both I the drivers of horse and motorised transport.
During the 1914-18 war a shortage of petrol kept the buses down to two double runs per day. The return fare from Kilkeel to Newcastle was still 1/6. When the petrol got more plentiful they were able to do four doubles per day.
In 1916 the Belfast County Down Railway joined the fray and started motor coach tours from Kilkeel to Newcastle. Mr Matier, jnr, continued as manager and one year later started with a service to Warrenpoint. This continued until 1929 when he sold his business to the Great Northern Railways and became their manager.
James McVeigh was one of the first bus drivers on the Kilkeel to Newcastle route. They used Dennis chassis at first but changed to Leyland Motors. These were more powerful and easier to drive on the roads.
 

In 1924 David McAtee and Sons started a bus service call The Mourne Fleet Enterprises Lancia Coaches. They ran a daily return passenger services to Belfast and Newry McAtee’s were the first bus service to run direct from Kilkeel to Belfast. The return fare was 6/6. For anyone who could afford to travel this was a luxury.
As well as scheduled daily runs they did excursions to Portrush and The Glens of Antrim in the Summer. They introduced private hire with buses being booked to go to football matches. The names of their drivers were Tommy Haugh, Willie Grills, Jim Macintosh, Cecil Kelly and L Shields. They operated four buses.
In 1924 another Kilkeel man, Paddy Sloane, pioneered a Kilkeel-Newry bus service each day. Again they were available for private hire. Paddy’s two Sons, Pat Joe and Barney, drove their   ‘Roseville” buses.

By now passenger transport was very big business and soon BOC (Belfast Omnibus Company) had taken over both companies (1927) as part of a rationalisation programme. McAtee’s sold their fleet to a Dublin-based company.
People who used these early transport services still remember their clockwork regularity and cheerful dispositions of driver and conductor.
The Belfast Omnibus Company was formed in 1927 as part of a general attempt to rationalise the rather chaotic situation with regard to road passenger transport in Northern Ireland. At the time of the BOCs formation there were some 150 independent bus operations in the Province. Most of these consisted of very small independent entrepreneurs who ran a handful of vehicles each.

The BOC set out to acquire some 136 vehicles from private operators to establish a network of services. New bus depots and offices were opened in most provincial towns. Substantial compensation payments were made to the outgoing companies in return for an agreement to cease all operations. Most drivers got the option of a job with the new company in their own areas but some had to travel to other depots. All drivers had to pass a medical and driving test

 

The company purchased fleets of Leyland and ABC Reliance coaches to cover their public service commitments and ensure that the public had no worse service than they had under the private operators.
As the routes were increased and bus travel became more popular more staff were needed. This was a Godsend as at that time (early thirties) work was hard to come by. By 1934 there wasl47 vehicles in use; bus transport had become a very distinctive feature of country living.
The Northern Ireland Road Transport Board (NIRTB) was established in August 1935 under the auspices of Road and Railway Transport Act(NI) 1935. The BOC was acquired on 1 October 1935 along with HMS Catherwood Ltd. The picture for transport was complete by the three big railway companies: GNR(I), LMS(NCC) and BCDR.
 

Around 1936 there were about seven bus crews working out of the Kilkeel Depot, but controlled from Portadown. Within a short space of time the number had risen to over twenty. The drivers and their conductors were known by everyone along the main roads. Bus route No 39 was Kilkeel to Newry, No 20 was Kilkeel to Belfast - just two ways out. Our depot in Kilkeel had several clerks and there was a special pay-in office and staff rooms from where the conductors handed in and collected their boxes, bags, record cards and time-sheets. There were then two men in each crew. You could also purchase, in advance, weekly tickets and luggage could be handed in well before your bus journeys.
 

OFFICE STAFF
John Foy was the controller in the early days in Kilkeel depot and John Skillen succeeded him. The last of the controllers in the really busy days were Alister Lockhard and Bill Ferris. Clerical staff were W. J. Magowan, Cecil Commons, Tom Neill and George Walker were clerks in charge of both passenger and freight services. Tommy Haugh was Traffic Inspector permanently based in Kilkeel. He has been in the transport business in his home district for many years having served in the old days with McAtees as a driver. A second traffic inspector based at Kilkeel was Cecil Lewers.
 

UTILITY BUSES
The utility buses were introduced from 1942 onwards. Over the subsequent three years a total of 175 vehicles entered service with the Northern
 Ireland Road Transport Board (NIRTB) at all these depots. Three buses were based at Kilkeel Depot and two known Fleet Nos. were 936 and 953. These buses were all single deck Bedford OWBs equipped with the most basic bodywork features suited to wartime austerity. The seats in the buses were made from narrow strips of hardwood timber mounted on tubular frames bolted down to the floor. These seats were very uncomfortable to sit on for any length of time. They were only used for short runs if possible.
 

Around 1946/7 more comfortable and stream-lined Leyland buses were introduced to the service. Gradually the utility buses were phased-out.
Around 1947 the Ulster Transport Authority (UTA) took over the NIRTB. The quality of the service offered was almost beyond belief. Timetables displayed at local depots took up a whole big printed sheet. In many cases especially at weekends buses ran every half hour. If the first and second were full there was always a bus and crew to follow up. In the mid-fifties the UTA was a most important factor in the modem school system in Mourne.
The Centralisation brought about by the opening of the two big secondary schools in Kilkeel taking all children aged eleven from the primary schools. In order that all students arrived in time each morning drivers had to be on the road at an early hour to Greencastle, Lisnacree, Ballinran, Atticall, Silent Valley, Ballymartin, Longstone, Ballyvea, Annalong and Glasdrumman. The same process was repeated in the evenings to enable children to arrive home at a reasonable hour There is no doubt that drivers shouldered a heavy responsibility for the lives and limbs of the future generations.
 

Before the secondary schools were built students travelled to Newry and Downpatrick for their secondary schooling.
When the UTA took over from the NIRTB the conductors were using “Willibrew” Punchers/Ticket machines carried on a leather strap round their neck. In 1951 new Setright Registers were issued to the conductors also with a leather strap. The partially pre-printed tickets were slotted into the front of the machine, the dial adjusted to record the correct fare and the handle wound to complete the details. These machines were reliable but slow.
The mid 1960s heralded the end of the U17A and a further re-organisation of transport took place with Ulsterbus taking over. The 1047 vehicles that Ulsterbus inherited were almost all at the end of their useful working lives as the UTA knowing that they were on their way out had invested no new stock for three years although some of their buses were 25 years old.
 

Determined to reduce the average age of the fleet to around 14 years Ulsterbus placed orders for 83 new buses including 70 Bedfords
built in Blackpool with Duple bodies. Their major attraction was a low purchase price, important to the new company, but they proved
 

unpopular with drivers and were not very durable. The remainder of the order was made up of Leyland vehicles for express services and 6 tour coaches.
Some months before Ulsterbus actually began operating services, senior managers of the newly formed company established to take over the running of bus services from the old Ulster Transport Authority called a meeting of Trade Union officials in Belfast cinema. The
managing director of  Ulsterbus Werner Heubeck spelt out the challenges and the opportunities facing
every one involved One of  the key messages was that costs would have be cut dramatically if the new company was to survive. A main element of that cost- cutting would be the introduction of a one- person operation of buses; no longer could a commercial bus company afford to have a driver and conductor. Many conductors were re-trained to become drivers while others went into clerical jobs. The known names were Benny Cunningham,
Mick Hardy, Benny Hardy, Willie Newell, Joe Sloane, Stanley Cousins (The Moor) and Fergus Mcllroy, who later became an Inspector and transferred to Newry Depot.
 

Ulsterbus the new company eventually took responsibility for running Northern Ireland bus services outside of Belfast on Monday l7April 1967. On the Sunday night UTA finished up with 1600 duties; next morning Ulsterbus operated all the normal services with just 1200 duties. It had become the first bus company in the British Isles to move to one man operation, a development which laid the foundations for its future success. It has one of the youngest vehicle fleets in the public transport industry.
There was a need to standardise as much as possible thereby reducing the difficult and cost of maintenance. The decision was taken to standardise mainly on Leyland product; the Bristol RE for urban routes, the Bristol LH for rural services and the Leopard for mult purpose use. With the introduction of one person-operated buses the company adopted the Setright Speed Model - a more advanced ticketing machine.
The introduction of decimalisation in 1971 added further impetus to the change over. For a time some of the old machines, with modifications, remained in use.

 

In the early 1980's the Almex model A register was intruduced to Ulsterbus, this machine not only issued tickets more quickly but also recorded copies of each ticket issued as well as totalling the cash amounts. In 1988 the Wayfarer Electronic System was adopted by the company and is still in use.
Soon it was decided to expand and in 1970 an interlink service in conjunction with CIE and centred around Athione was introduced. Now Bus Eireann coaches from Belfast and other major centres converged on Athlone offering passengers a convenient change over to continue their Interlink Ireland Journey. There were also cross border services to Dublin and Galway.
 

Also in 1970 the first express route across the Irish Sea to Glasgow via Larne/Stranraer. In those days the coaches went across on the ferry but shipside transfers were established thus saving the cost of ferry transport for the coach. In 1975 when the Belfast/Heysham passenger ferry service was withdrawn Ulsterbus stepped in to provide an express service from Belfast to Blackpool via Stranraer. During peak weekends up to a dozen coaches were used on the route. A year later they headed further south to London. Adult Return fares were then £22; now the fare is £50 return (off-peak) and £60 Return (peak) and operates daily. There are also day trips to many places during the summer and package tours to Southern Ireland.
per week and providing tour commentary and advice to passengers. Most drivers can speak French and German to deal with any minor difficulties which passengers might encounter. Two new tour coaches used on European holidays have 46 seat interiors instead of the usual 49 as this gives passengers more comfort and leg room. Each coach boasts full air- conditioning, double glazing, videos, a toilet, drink dispensor, fridge, curtains and, of course, seat belts. By taking delivery of a batch of 50 Mark lv Gold Liner Express coaches, which offer passengers another step up in the luxury stakes, IJlsterbus brought its’ fleet of Goldliner coaches to 110. Fitted with tinted double glazing, an auxiliary heating system, seat belts and have additional roll-over protection for added passenger safety.
 

Tours to sporting fixtures were introduced such as Premier League Football and Cheltenham Races. Ulsterbus planned a “Have A Go” day at Nutts Corner’s facility for Transport Training. It was extended by two extra days because of demand. More than 450 women took their turn at the wheel of a bus and this resulted in an increase in driver applications from women from 3% to 100% . Low floor buses for the disabled and mothers with buggies have been welcomed. Reduced smoking area is another welcome policy. Newcastle became the first depot to be fully computerised in January 1996
.Public transport has come a long way since 1880 with the horse drawn bus to Translink air-conditioned coaches of 2000. A lot of private companies have again started to operate. Indeed there are few places that one cannot travel to in Europe by bus by leaving your local depot.

 

Road Freight Transport

From 1935 to the present day The Northern Ireland Road Transport Board established August 1935 under the auspices of the Road and Railway Transport Act 1935. They acquired the BOC on 1 October 1935 along with HMS Catherwood Ltd and bus operations of the three big companies: the GNR(1), LMS (NCC) and BCDR. In subsequent months virtually all the other independent operators were acquired.
The Board then acquired most of the road freight operators in Northern Ireland between June 1936 and August 1937. They took over some 1100 seperate commercial companies. The Board then proceeded to operate both bus and road freight services across the country. There were a lot of problems to overcome in the early days as compensation payments had to be paid to the outgoing companies in exchange for agreements not to operate in this field again. Most lorry drivers with the companies got the option of a job with the Transport Board in their own depots if possible. Some had to travel to other depots. Each driver had to undergo
the same procedure as the bus drivers before they were employed. Kilkeel depot was allocated a fleet or pool of 10 vehicles of different sizes and makes to cater for every job they were employed to do. There were Octopuses, Beavers, Hippos, Lynx and Badgers (all Leyland diesels); Bedford round- and square-nose type petrol.
 

Most depots including Kilkeel had an American International petrol articulated with a flat body and it was mostly used for long
distance haulage. This lorry was sent down to Kilkeel from Newry as its drivers were unable to drive it and keep it going. Beddoe Hanna, a fitter and driver was the only man able to operate it and make it pull it’s full load of 20 ton drove her.
A Leyland Leopard, typical of 300 vehicles of this type purchased during the early years of the company. Octopuses, Beavers and Hippos were mostly used to draw trailers as they had extra power. One of the Hippo’s fleet number was  90 30 and it was driven by Jim Norris. The flat lorry carried 10 tons and the trailer The drivers got £2 per week extra for driving a lorry with a trailer. Other lorries were fitted with versatile bodies to operate as flat, dropside, or cattle trucks with ramps. They wre used to draw cattle and pigs from the farms to the grading centres and factories. Interestingly the above models were all named after wild animals!
James Henry Cousins from Ballykeel, one the Board’s senior drivers, drove the Bedford square-nose as he collected pigs from the local farms on a weekly basis and conveyed them to the Moy Pig Marketing Board. In the absence of the freight controller he and an senior driver Jim Norris took charge of clerical operations. Interestingly Jim Norris w man who introduced the Transport and General Workers Union into the Kilkeel Depot
 

Other drivers engaged hauling potatoes from the farms to Belfast Docks, fish Kilkeel Harbour and many other jobs that the private operators had carried out before were acquired. Livestock transport was paid for on a headage and distance costing and the driver collected the amount due if it was not paid for when the call was booked; potatoes, fish, and sand were paid for on a tonnage basis. Lorries seldom returned empty from marts as farmers would have animals which they bought to be taken home or even a load of hay which had been bought from the proceeds of sales. Alongside the passenger service Transport Board built up a very large freight network and heavy haulage removals throughout the province. Customers requests for lorries were dealt with promptly and efficiently.
 

Head of the freight department for many years in Kilkeel was Bob Kerr. His clerical staff were George Walker and Tom Neil.
Around 1937 the Transport Board started operating a night freight service province  wide to the Great Northern Railway Station, Grosvenor Road, Belfast. All the depots had their name sign displayed above the despatch and loading areas. Each evening the night, freight collection lorry left Kilkeel around 5 pm direct to Belfast with the collections made earlier around the Kilkeel area by the day driver. When the goods were discharged at destination the lorry was then reloaded and returned to Kilkeel in the early hours of morning and ready for the day driver, John Collins, to deliver the goods around the shops, stores, and garages. He also made collections at the same time of any damaged or returned goods that had to be sent back and the lorry left ready for the night freight driver to take over and head for Belfast again.
 

As the Transport Board’s network spread more and more drivers and helpers were needed to man the fleet to plan for the future and make it a profitable company which they did. The Board were only operational for around 3 years.
In 1939 when the war was declared some immediate changes had to made along with the blackout and fuel shortages to enable them to keep going. At this stage the Transport Board had 15 drivers and six helpers on its payroll and had plenty of work to carry out under the present circumstances. In 1942 when the construction started of the Aerodrome at Creencastle/Cranfield the heavy vehicles were ordered to help with this work collecting materials needed. They also had to continue with their existing freight service. As the need arose lorries from neighbouring depots were drafted in to help with the heavy workload.
By 1944 most of the Board’s involvment on the construction was coming to a close; they were returning to pre-1939 activity. In 1945 the war was also over. Many of the lorries were coming to the end of their useful life being well over ten years of age. Lorries were still hired to local councils for help in road relief schemes - I remember them being on contract to Down County Council when they were doing a road by-pass scheme at Moneydarragh School.
 

CHANGE ON THE WAY
In 1948 Ulster Transport Authority (UTA) was established under the terms of the Transport Act(NI) 1948. It began operating on October 1948 taking over the NIRTB Freight and Passenger Services and continued to operate a similiar service but additionally began the process of acquiring the railway systems which operated entirely within Northern Ireland (BCDR and LMS{NCC}).
The ultimate aim was to provide a full integrated road and rail transport system for passengers and freight. It set out to improve services to the general public by renewing its aged fleet of vehicles and upgrading its buildings throughout the province. The mid-60s heralded the end of the UTA and a further reorganisation of transport. The present public transport organisation originated with Section 47 of the Transport Act (NI) 1967. Under this legislation the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company was established with the object of acquiring and subsequently managing all the assets and liabilities of the former UTA. Road freight also came under the ambit of the 1967 Act. It became Northern Ireland Carriers
Limited and was 50% owned by NITH Co with the other half owned by the British National Freight Company.
In 1981 NITH Co. sold its share of NICL as the era of privatisation dawned. The company now trades under the ownership of the National Freight Consortium and continues to operate in Northern Ireland under the name BRS and has thus never ceased trading.
 

LORRY DRIVERS
The following lorry drivers and helpers were employed in the Kilkeel Depot; they worked for both the Northern Ireland Road Transport Board and the Ulster Transport Authority.
Drivers: James Henry Cousins, John Williamson, Jim Norris, Stanley Cousins, Beddoe
Hanna, John Collins, Charles Collins, Jim Sloane, Thomas Stafford, Thomas McCrink, Louis
Wilson, Hugh D Wilson, Danny McConville, Leonard Hanna, Pat Joe McLoughlin, Jimmy
Bradley, Alfred Morris, and John Ewart.
Helpers: Terence Haughey, Bob McMath, Sam Donaldson, James Kearney and wee Hugh Finnigin (who travelled every morning on the 7 am bus from Newry)
 

Fitters who worked for NIRTB were John Norris, Albert Annett, Willie Grills, Jimmy Campbell, Sam Copeland and Bob Cousins. Interestingly three of them Albert Annett (Man Engineering now carried on by his son Hubert), Jim Campbell (Citroen Garage in Rostrevor
and John Norris (Haulage contractor) went on to become successful business men. Jim Campbell was from Tyrone and came to Kilkeel in 1942 where he worked until 1947 when he started the garage in Rostrevor. Willie Grills stayed on at the Kilkeel Depot until his retirement. Beddoe Hanna transferred to Belfast. Jimmy McKee and Sandy Heaney worked on the wash and grease end of affairs. Samuel Bingham, Ballykeel, was in charge of the fuel and oil distribution for the fleet.
 

BUS DRIVERS AND CONDUCTORS OF THE B.O.C.,
NJ.R.T. BOARD, U.T.A. AND ULSTERBUS
Bus Drivers: Robert Annett, Victor Crozier, John Ewart, Francis Ward, Joe Kindlan,
Sam Hanna, Vincent Clarke, Dick Riddler, Alex Girvan, Leslie Gordon, Alex Gordon,, Dick
Cunningham, Gerry Fitzpatrick, Thomas George Burden, James Peacock, Thomas Wilson,,
Thomas Johnson, Mervyn Thomas, Pat Joe Sloane, George Ewart, Malcolm Small, Laurence
McVeigh, Willie Weir, Jimmy Weir, Felix Valentine, William Martin, Thomas Martin, Louis
Wilson, and Justin Phillips.
Bus Conductors: Benny Cunningham, R J Newell (Bobbie), Jack McVeigh, Millar Neill,
Benny Hardy, Michael Hardy, Paddy Sheilds, Victor Johnson, Bobbie Clements, David
Clements, Stanley Cousins, Paddy McConville, Stanley Cousins, Thomas Beck, Fergus Mcllroy,
George McClory Willie Hanna, William Goss, Cecil Forsythe, Cecil McVeigh, Joe Sloane,
Vincent Cunningham, Sydney Cousins, George Martin, Willie Nugent, Robert McCormick,
Jim Annett, Sam McKee, Willie McKee, Jim McKnight, Liam McKeever, Willie Newell, Bertie
Annett, Robbie Wilson, Kevin Phillips and Charlie Davidson, who became an Inspector and later transferred to Ballynahinch Depot.
It has been a pleasure to recall the men who manned the vehicles in the boom days of the buses and lorries.
 

KILKEEL DEPOT 2000
One person Operator/Drivers: Robert Ewart, James Hanna, Andrew Newell, Joy Patterson, John Graham, Herbert Herron, Martin O’Rourke, and Jim Wilson
With only 8 Translink employees based at Kilkeel Depot today, this represents a big change from the early days.

MOURNE SAND
First Sand Pits in Mourne from 1914 and
Sand Hauliers to present 2000

The Names of owners, operators below are in addition to those already mentioned in block making. In the early years several farmers made openings on the lands to extract sand and gravel for their use and later for sale to the public. The topsoil stripping operations were carried out manually, especially in pits with shallow excavations, using a horse and soil slipe to remove the topsoil from the working areas. The known list of sandpit operators before, during
The successful operation of a sandpit requires skill, knowledge of plant machinery, forward planning and above all, capital investment, during and after World War 2 will be covered in a circular trip around Mourne, starting at Dunavan. From 1914 William Morris, Dunavan, Willie John Wilson (a well-known farmer carter) operated a sandpit from Morris’s ground. Robert Niblock and Sandy McKee worked from the Scrogg Road sandpits.
 

In 1930 James & William Morgan - Dunavil opened and operated a small sandpit their land along the shore bank. The sand and gravel was manually loaded. In 1933-34 Morgan Bros. supplied the contractor of the new concrete roadway and sea wall on Rostrevor - Warrenpoint road with all the concreting sand he needed.
In the 30s Michael Greene - Leestone, Maghereagh discovered sand in his back garden he carried the sand up the bank in a potato basket to load up the horses and carts. years later his son Thomas started to extract sand from the farm and he is now one largest sand merchants operating in Mourne today -

The Blackford Sand Company L
In 1935 Patrick Doran - Grange opened and operated a sandpit on his land close Cranfield School. He hauled his sand to Newry and other places in his small lorry. when they started to construct the aerodrome large amounts of sand was taken from ‘Pats Pit, later years when he retired, it was taken over by Messrs Hanna & Linton and operated daily by Harry Cunningham. Later this land was reclaimed for farmland.
Between 1935-1943 William Nicholson ‘Laurel Cottage’ - Derryoge opened and operated a sandpit at the rear of his dwelling using sand skips which ran on a rail track up the road,the sand skips were loaded up manually at the pit face. The skips were then discharged beside the steam operated 1O RB Face Shovel. The sand was loaded onto his Commer Thornycroft lorries and hauled to Belfast amongst other places. His drivers were Speers and Norman Nicholson. The 1ORB driver was Sam Gordon. His workforce included Sam Graham, Jim Cousins (DID), Jim Bradley, Willie & Philip Clarke (Attical), Willie Higgins (Millbay), John Hiland, Peter Frost and John Collins.
 

SAND AND GRAVEL PITS AND SAND MERCHANTS
IN MOURNE FROM THE 1940s
In the early years machinery was very primitive and the work labour intensive. Around the late 40s sand screeners and loading equipment were first used. The Chaseside and Muirhill Loading Shovels were the most common used and the manual screening and loading of lorries had disappeared. Listed below are the names of the landowners and merchants who opened or operated sandpits from 1940.
Patrick Fitzpatrick, Road Contractor and Sand Merchant, Mount Panther, Dundrum opened James Gordon’s pit, Mullartown for the extraction of sand in 1941. He was supplying and delivering concreting sand for the construction of runways and hardstands at Bishopscourt Aerodrome. Mr Fitzpatrick was delivering approx. 1500 tons per week. Mr Gordon received 4 old pence per ton, later this amount increased to 1 shilling - some change today. Further up the main road in the same townland W.D. Irvine Sand Merchant, Portadown opened Ira Orr’s pit and operated there for some time before moving down the road to James Gordon’s pit.
We leave Mullartown and travel up to Attical. Again in 1941-42, George Speers and the Sloan Family, Sandy Brae Road, Ballymageogh Upper, opened up sandpits on their land to supply sand to Greencastle aerodrome which was under construction at the time.
Around the same time several other landowners opened up pits on their land. They include Archie Gordon and Sandy McKee, Kilkeel. Sandy operated from James McKee’s land on the Scrogg Road and Marmions pit at Lurganconary. Joe McKay opened up a sandpit in Lurganreagh. Messrs Baird and Haugh, Sand Merchants, Kilkeel opened and operated sandpits and washing plants at Jim Mitchell’s, Derryoge; Bairds, Drumcro Road; Riverside; Moneydarraghmore; Dunavil; Convent Land and Flanagan’s Land, Belmont Road and Paddy White’s Derryoge. Messrs Sloan and McAvoy operated from Marmions Land, Lurganconary and Paddy Corr’s land, Derryoge. C E Stevenson’s first pit was James Gordon’s pit,
 Mullartown, in 1948. Quinn’s pit Maghereagh; Patterson’s pit and washer, Cranfield; Willie Morris, Dunavan and Willie Hanna’s, Moor Road; Ira Orr’s Mullartown and many others to the present.
 

Ken Skillen, Glasdrumman worked from his uncle’s, James Gordon’s pit, Mullartown for several years until retirement. Kenny Hobson, Lisburn Sand Merchant operated out of most sandpits in Moume, including Patrick McCartan’s, Derryoge. The Kilkeel Sand Company directors were Jim and Sonny McCulla, Kilkeel who operated sandpits on Doran Bros. Land, Lurganreagh and James Campbell’s land Maghereagh. When they retired their sand trade was taken over by A H Patterson, Cranfield and he continued to operate from pits at Mill Road, Annalong; Joe McKays, Lurganreagh; McBurney’s pit, Derryoge and from his own land and McKee’s land near Cranfield School. Eddie Wilson, Sand Merchant, operated sandpits at  New Cut, Riverside; McBurrtey s, Derryoge; Lurganreagh  pit Maghereagh, 1951. and on his own land. Whitewater Sand Company Ltd directors, McQuillan Bros., Newry operated pits at Tullyframe and on the Island Road, Attical as well as Derryoge.

 Willie Annett
 (now deceased), his family still operate from his sandpits at Derryoge and other places. Gilbert Patterson’s (now deceased) sandpit is now closed. Edward Carville operates sandpits on his own land. Norman McKee operated from Sam Grills sandpit at Maghereagh in the 60s before moving to America.
Very recently 5 new sandpits have been opened in Moume. On the Leestone Road one is owned by Les Campbell and the other by David Campbell. Sean O’Hanlon, Moor Road has opened a new sandpit on his farm. Rodney Patterson, Cranfield Road has opened a new sandpit on the Scrogg Road on land owned by James McKee. The “Oak Grove Sand Company Ltd.” owned and operated by William McBurney, Derryoge have reopened the sandpit that Edward Wilson and Albert Patterson operated in the early years.

SAND HAULIERS FROM THE 1940’s AND 1950's
C E Stevenson & Sons., Kilkeel, Huddleson Bros., Carryduff hauled sand for years to Belfast and other places. Bobbie drove a Leyland Beaver and when he was driving through Ballymartin stood out on the mudguard - he took some chances. His brother drove a AEC Mercury and drove at a speed normal for a heavily loaded lorry Other sand hauliers included Paddy Megoran and P J Walls whose driver was Jim Truesdale, Newcastle. He drove Fodens and AEC lorries hauling sand from the Mourne sand pits to his building contracts in Belfast amongst other places.
Other sand hauliers in the 50s were Peter Cunningham, Charles Campbell, Willie Haugh, Messrs. Hanna & Linton all from Kilkeel; Ernest Newell, Ballymartin; Alex Robins and Wesley Chambers, Annalong; Sean Fitzpatrick, Moyadd; Wilfred Rogers, Valley road, Hugh Ward and Joe Maguire, Newcastle; Willie McGreevy, Glasdrumman; Sean Doran, Dunnywater; William Trohear, Dundrum; Joe Maguire, Carrigenagh; Messrs W. Stevenson  & W Robinson, Belfast. Messrs. Bovaird and Ferguson, Ballynahinch operated sad pits up the Sandy Brae Road, Ballymageough Upper, and from Joe McKay’s land at Lurganreagh
 

KILKEEL SAND HAULIERS FROM
THE 1960’s - PRESENT
Phillips Bros., Maghereagh; Willie John Annett, Moor Road; Willie John Hanna, Ballinran
Road; Willie McAtee, Carrigenagh; Sammy Gamble, Harbour Road; Ernest Coffey, Cranfield road
 Messrs W J Annett and Charles Haugh, Harbour Road; Jarleth McKibbin, Leestone
Road; Eugene McManus, Dunavil; Seamus Sloan, Dunavil; Messrs Niall Quinn and
John Annett, Carrigenagh; Huston Annett, Brackenagh; David Clements, Newcastle
Hanna Bros. (Sonny & Eric), Harbour Road; Andrew Annett, Moor Road; Wilson
Derryoge; A H Patterson, Cranfield Road; John Campbell, Newcastle Street; RAS Transport
Aughnahoory Road; Patterson Bros., Ballynahatten Road; O’Neill Bros., Glasdrumman
Ivan Chambers, Annalong.

JAMES GORDON’S PIT
1941 PADDY FITZPATRICK 1947 DEAN GORDON 1948 C E STEVENSON
As we progress a few hundred yards up the main Kilkeel - Glasdrumman Road towards Annalong near Edgars Row, there is a laneway on your left leading down to James Gordon’s Sandpit.
In 1941 Patrick Fitzpatrick, Road Contractor, Mountpanther, Dundrum opened James’s pit to supply Bishopscourt Aerodrome with sand to construct runways and buildings etc.
In 1947 Dean Gordon, Sand Merchant, Kilkeel moved into James’ sandpit and started operating from there, manufacturing concrete bricks and blocks and delivering sand and blocks to his customers. His blockmaking squad was Richard Cunningham, Valley Road, Dan Quinn, Ballyveagh and Hugh James Mc Cartan, Ballyveaghmore. Jim Annett(Big) Ballyveagh drove the green Bedford lorry, registration number FTB -204 and Arthur Patrick Smith, Annalong, drove the green Q4 Commer lorry hauling sand and blocks to the building sites. Dean continued from this pit for some time before moving back to his own sandpit in Kilkeel.
 

In 1948 C E Stevensons, sand merchant based at The Moor, Kilkeel, took over part of James Gordon's pit to manufacture and sell concrete blocks, and deliver sand to J. and R. W. Teggart,s building site in Newcastle. Cyril’s blockmakers were big George Sloane, Ballyvea, and big John Newell, Ballykeel. Cyril drove the Commer Q4 lorry himself, and Thomas Hanna drove a left hand Dodge, an ex-US Army lorry, Cyril worked from this pit for about a year before returning to his own yard at The Moor.
At the junction of the Annalong Road and the Quarter Road, Sammy Campbell and Thomas Burdon manufactured and sold concrete blocks from a yard opposite the petrol filling station. He used sand from Sammy Campbell’s pit nearby.
At Ira Orr’s old Sandpit. Cecil Newell and Rubert Orr, after the war, formed a company and purchased block and brick making equipment plus an ex-army Bedford lorry They worked on their own for some time but as the business built up they employed Robert Edgar and Johnny Newell as full-time employees. Later they changed their lorry to a bigger one a 7 ton Austin with tipping gear to cope with the increase in their trade. They also supplied building and concreting sand to the contractors around the area. In 1952 they secured a contract with Calvert Brothers of Bleary, Co. Armagh, to supply and deliver concrete blocks and sand to their building sites. Calverts were awarded a large building contract from Kilkeel Rural District Council to build dwelling houses at Ulster Avenue, Annalong (26), the Valley Road (18) and Longstone Lane (6). They had other contracts on the go at other places. These
 

contracts lasted almost three years. Newell and Orr later secured the contract with Down County Council to supply and deliver granite building stone from Hamilton’s Quarry in the Mourne Mountains to the men building dry stone walls along the public highways in the Mourne areas; this lasted for several years. Newell and Orr dissolved their partnership around 1959. Rubert stayed in his own sandpit and continued blockmaking for some time before selling his business to William Annett, Ballymartin Hill in June 1962. Rubert moved to running a confectionery shop on Knockchree Avenue, Kilkeel until he retired and sold it to Harry Coulter.
Cecil moved his share of the plant down to his brother’s field along the Main Road and carried on his blockmaking trade and lorry work. His workforce was Johnny Newell and himself. He continued in this business until his retirement. Cecil was a member of Kilkeel Rural District Council for several years.
Back up the Main Road to Ira Orr’s sand quarry where William Annett, Ballymartin Hill, operated two blockmakers. One made 6 no 47 2” blocks at the one time on their edge on a concrete base while the other made 2 no 6” blocks. His workers were Robert and Gerry Edgar and Mickey Pue. They worked on a piece-work rate and Willie supplied and delivered his blocks to the contractors that were building houses at Mullartown Park, Annalong. After a few years he quit the blockmaking and concentrated solely on the sand and gravel trade. He purchased screening and washing plant, loading equipment and a number of lorries. He died in 1997. His family is still in business.
 

We then travel up to the village in Annalong to Jack Jones’ Hardware Shop (now operated by John Kearney - boat builder). Jack was a building contractor in the late 1930s and made blocks for his own use, using sand and gravel taken from the Mullartown Shore via the Springwell Lane by Rubert Orr’s horse and cart. John Pat Chambers, Arthur McCartan and Bob Annett worked for him.
Our next call is Major’s Hill where in 1948 Wesley Chambers started manufacturing bricks and blocks. His was quite an extensive business and he employed many men over the years. Nearly all of his employees were local men: Jim Orr, Paddy Doran, Herbert Hyland, Jim Gordon and Jim McComb but many others came and went over the years. He erected a large shed in which to work so that he could continue production regardless of weather or time of year. He sourced and hauled all his own materials whether it be sand/aggregate from local quarries or cement from Fishers in Newry. He hauled and delivered using his Morris Commercial lorry. When Wesley started, petrol was 2/6 (l2p) a gallon. He sold 41/2 blocks for £2-18-0 (€2.90) per 100 ex-yard in the late 40’s. He also hauled for CE Stevenson (his brother-in-law) and collected potatoes from several Mourne farms to deliver to Belfast Docks. He closed his blockyard in the late 60’s but continued general haulage until he retired in the 1980’s.
We return to the Main Road and travel to Byewater House where McKibbin brothers, building contractors, made blocks to use on their own sites. Again they had their own lorries, Morris Commercials, and John Gordon and Arthur Patrick Smith were their drivers.
 

The Lurgan sand quarry is next up the road and this was owned and operated by Bob Orr in 1947. He hauled sand with his Bedford Lorry to J & R W Taggarts’ building sites in Newcastle. After a fatal accident it closed as a sand quarry but was used in 1949 by Francis Charleton, Ballymartin, to make concrete blocks for use on his contracts. Hugh Rooney, Willie Collins and myself made blocks on a piece-work rate which was l2/=(6Op) per 100
41/” blocks - all manual labour. Another block manufacturer started in 1951, dose to the Lurgan sand pit. This was owned by James Annett (senior and junior) of Blackrock, Ballymartin. They opened the pit on Arthur Annett’s land, the River, Moneydarragh to extract sand for blockmaking. They used a donkey and cart to draw sand and aggregate from the pit face down to the block yard, a short distance away. They hauled cement from Jack Jones hardware store on Main Street, Annalong to the yard. They sold their blocks to Dornan Brothers, Building Contractors,for many years.

Attical is our next call and the Murphy Brothers operated a sand quarry and block making operation opposite St Patrick’s Terrace for several years.
Continuing down the Tullyframe Road and up the Sandy Brae we come to Speers’ pit where Willie McConnell, Brackenagh West, made blocks in between manually loading sand on to lorries.
Further along Paddy Sloan had a yard which was supplied with materials from John Grant. He also delivered his own products to his customers. John Grant had his own blockyard at the bottom of the Tullyframe Road and this continued to operate for many years. Some of the people who worked there were Eddie Cunningham, Jackie Sloane, Willie Doran, John Morgan and Willie Curran; many others came and went. John did all his own hauling and delivering. A small shed still stands on the site.


The Causeway Water Bridge was where Sloan and McEvoy manufactured blocks getting their supplies from Marmion’s Sandpit. Earlier they used Paddy Corr’s pit where it was well known that they could load an eight-ton lorry manually in one hour using shovels. Later they decided to seek their fortune overseas and they sold their plant to Willie Doran, also from Attical. Willie continued to operate here for many years. John McAvoy went to Australia, whilst Thomas Sloane went to USA. Both are now dead.
We retrace our footsteps towards Kilkeel and stop at Mourne Cottages. Down the laneway here Wil]ie Morris operated a sand quarry and block yard. This later was reclaimed for farmland after being used by both South Down and Newry and Mourne Councils as waste disposal landfill sites.
 

We return to the Newry Road and take the Scrogg Road where close to Munroe Villas we find Andy Wilson’s pit and block making yard. Andy had a few strings to his bow as he hired out Ford VS trucks for some years also hauling sand and blocks to his customers. Again this ground has been reclaimed.
Further along, Sandy McKee opened a pit on ground belonging to James McKee and here he produced sand and blocks during and after the war years. In 1954 Norman Hamilton and Andrew Graham purchased a Bedford lorry and re-opened this pit. The scars can still be seen opposite a renovated cottage.
 

Paddy Corr’s pit is down the Bog Road off the Greencastle Road. It was one of the first sand quarries to be opened in Mourne. Paddy carried on a very successful sand supply and blockmaking business and ready mix concrete there for many years. His workforce was the Quinn brothers, Jerr Joseph and Thomas and Joey Cunningham. He was also involved in contract hire with his lorries, which were driven by himself, Joey Clarke and John Mc Avoy. Paddy was a member of Kilkeel Rural and South Down District Councils for many years as well as being a teaching instructor for engineering at the local Technical College.
In near by Derryogue, Thomas Nicholson opened a block yard in the thirties. Tommy was also a potato merchant for many years, and he had his own lorry and did all his own hauling and delivery James Byers of Derryoge and Hugh Speers of Dunavil worked for him, Next stop is Ballynahatten where, in the
thirties, Barney McManus was a building contractor who manufactured blocks for his jobs. William Morgan hauled all the sand and gravel from his sandpit at the Shore Bank with his horse and cart while P. J. Mc Comiskey made the blocks.


Potato Merchants in the
Mourne area
Here are the names of the potato merchants, their agents, lorry drivers, helpers, store men and office staff that were involved in the potato trade before, during and after the Second World War and in the 50s and 60s and the location of their potato stores.
Merchants Agents Lorry drivers, helpers, storemen,
office staff, etc.

Merchants, Stewart and Orr. Their stores were on Newcastle Road where Martin Cromwell’s car sales are and where Messrs. Aiken’s store is today.

Agents, Adam Annett & Sons

Lorrydrivers, helpers, storemen, office staff Etc.
 William McBurney, Harry McKibbin, Jim Cunningham, Andrew Forsythe,
Willie Hanna, James Hanna, James O’Hare
Secretaries: Mrs Isabel Shields (nee
Parke), Mrs Dorothy Haugh (nee
Annett)
 

Merchants, R England, This store was at 34 Harbour Road. It is still there and used locally.

Agents, W J Annett & Sons

Lorrydrivers, helpers, storemen, office staff Etc.
 Hugh McBurney, Willie Doran, Pat Joe Doran, Albert Skillen, Jos Speers,
Leonard Norris, Charlie McComb, Robbie Speers, Sonny Hanna, Jimmy, Hanna, Harold Nicholson, Hugh, Speers, Arthur McCartan, Sam McConnell, Jim Sloane, John Henry Sloane, Charles Sloane, (Big) Hugh Speers, Willie James Graham
Secretary: Mrs. Jacqueline Nicholson
(nee Monaghan)

Merchants, W G Hamilton, Their store was down at Riverside on the

Agents, Charles Campbell

Lorrydrivers, helpers, storemen, office staff Etc.
   Willie John Annett, Hamilton Campbell, Roy Campbell, Hugh D Wilson, Jackie McKee, Hugh McBurney, Paddy Marks, Joe Harper, Gerry McDonald, Seamus O’Hanlon,
Willie Cunningham, Christy Keogh, Thomas Norris, Jim Sloane, Alex Girvan
Secretary: Mrs. May Campbell

Merchants, James McNabb. 1943 store was at Kilkeel Harbour where Albert Annett’s marine works is sited now. 1950s moved to Harbour Road now James Knox’s store.

Agents, Peter Cunningham.  farm. It is now used as farm buildings

Lorrydrivers, helpers, storemen, office staff Etc.

Hugh Greene, Jim Greene, Pete Cunningham, Steven Trainor, Wilfred Rogers, Hugh Barney O’Neill,
Niall Quinn, Arthur Cunningham, Willie Rodgers, John Ewart, (Big) Johnny Cunningham. Jim Annett store man in 1943
Secretary: Mrs. Eilish Keamey
(nee O’Hanlon)Merchants,

Merchants, Joe Johnson & Sons, Their store was at the Lower Square where Kilkeel Post Office is.

Agents, Norman Cromie

Lorrydrivers, helpers, storemen, office staff Etc.

 
  (Big) Thomas Annett, George Ewart, Thomas Cousins, Frank Wilson
Secretaries: Miss Cromie and Mrs.
Rowilson (nee McCullough)

Merchants, H. T. Barry .Their store was on Newcastle Street at Doyle’s Store opposite Knox’s shop where Safeways is now. There was also a store on Greencastle Road beside  “Hillcrest”.

Agents, R. E. Nicholson Ltd

Lorrydrivers, helpers, storemen, office staff Etc.

 Jim Annett, Sam Nicholson, Harold Pryce, Leonard Crutchley, Robbie Speers, Big Hugh Speers, Henry Edgar,
Big Thomas Annett, John Henry Sloane, Freddie Hanna, Sam McConnell, Norman McKee.
Secretary: Mrs. May Stevenson
(nee Annett)

Merchants,Cullen and Allen , Their store was at the Harbour where Chambers’ oil storage tanks are now (near the boat slip).
 

Agents, Jim Ferguson

Lorrydrivers, helpers, storemen, office staff Etc.

Alfred Morris, Sean Doran, Jim Cousins, Bingham Cousins, Francie Baird, Charlie Haugh, Paddy Morgan, Wesley Baird

Merchants,Messrs. Lockart. Their store was on Newcastle St. where J. Graham’s garage is now.

Lorrydrivers, helpers, storemen, office staff Etc.
 John F. Speers Thomas McCullagh, Leslie Hanna, Joe Haughian, Robbie Speers.
Secretaries: Mrs. Lily Quinn and
Miss Via McKee.

Merchants, Fred Ley .Their stores were at Kilkeel Harbour as per name sign FRED LEY

Agents, Robert Linton & Son

Lorrydrivers, helpers, storemen, office staff Etc.

 Bob Irvine, Joey Clarke, Charlie Haugh, Willie Scott, Joe Donaldson, Bob Haugh, Kenny Russell,
Big Robert Speers, Jim Barbour.
Secretaries: Mrs. Netta Haugh ( nee
Annett) followed by Mrs. Elsie
Stevenson (nec Bums) followed by
Mrs. Edith Bums (nee McCullough)

Merchants, Samuel Stewart.Their store was at the bottom of the Harbour Road. It is now demolished. There is a car park there today

Agents, John Mc Aleenan

Lorrydrivers, helpers, storemen, office staff Etc.

 John Norris, Hugh McGlue, Harry Edgar

Merchants, Robert Taylor, Their stores were at the bottom of the Harbour Road, now demolished, and also at Derryoge.
 

Agents, Cyril E. Stevenson

Lorrydrivers, helpers, storemen, office staff Etc.

 Thomas Hanna, Ernest Newell, John Newell, Cyril McKibbin.
Secretary; Mrs. Mavis Stevenson
(nee Moffett)

Merchants, Provincial Produce. Their store was at Kilkeel Harbour and was formerly used by James McNabb, Belfast, in
1943.

Agents, Patrick J. Fitzpatrick

Lorrydrivers, helpers, storemen, office staff Etc.

Hugh Speers, Patrick Quinn, Steven McCrink, Pat Joe Cunningham, Jim Doran, Gerry McDonald, Hugh McCrink, Willie Speers, George Seeds.
Secretary: Mrs. Maureen Fitzpatrick.

Merchants, James McVeigh. Their store was at Cyril Reilly’s, Dunavil.

Agents, George Cousins Cyril Reilly

Lorrydrivers, helpers, storemen, office staff Etc.

Frank Wilson, Hugh McCrink, Hugh Barney O’Neill, Leonard Nicholson

Merchants, James Grew, This store was on the Harbour Road at the rear of Thomas Trimble’s Store.

Agents, James O’Rourke

Lorrydrivers, helpers, storemen, office staff Etc.

 Joe Haughian

Merchants, Thomas Trimble, His store was next door to England’s, Harbour Road.

Agents, Thomas Trimble

Lorrydrivers, helpers, storemen, office staff Etc.

 Leonard Hanna, Bob Haugh.

Merchants, Robert Taylor, His store was at his home at Derryoge (Laurel Cottage)

Agents, Thomas Nicholson

 Lorrydrivers, helpers, storemen, office staff Etc.

Hugh Speers, Dick Nicholson, Peter & Paddy Morgan, Joey Clarke.
 

In recent times Hugh McGlue, John McKibben, William J. Hanna, James Morris, Quinn
Brothers, Jim Barbour, D.E. Wilson act as buyers / exporters whilst Alex Speers acts as an
Agent for Cullen & Allen. The varieties grown for home consumption / export are Arran
Banner, Pentland Dell, Home Guards and Dicerius, Navan — Feanin — Record.
During the war years some of these stores were taken and used by the 10th Infantry Regiment stationed at Kilkeel and used as Billets, medical office, mess halls and workshops. They were all handed back to their owners in 1945 at the end of the war, as shown in the
map.
1889: Permit No.55 Kilrnorey Estate allowing George Hanna, The Close,
Aughnahoory to draw cut wrack from the Mill Bay Shore to his farm for
use as fertiliser for his crops, for the sum of 1 Shilling for a year.
(Date on permit 28/12/1 888).
 

    Photographs from book