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Press Release:
Cloughey Lifeboat photographs discovered!
The recent publication of the book “William Thompson - Low Country Poems” has unearthed yet more Ards Peninsula lifeboat history! David Martin of Calhame Road in Cloughey was amazed to see picture of himself on page 58 of the book – he was the driver of the tractor which towed the lifeboat down to the water when she was being launched. So David got in touch with John Thompson (the poet’s son), and they met up – David brought with him an amazing collection of rare photographs of the Cloughey lifeboats and their many crews.
David worked with the Cloughey lifeboat for 20 years, up until the service was closed down in 1966. Ever since then he has assembled a wonderful photographic archive, and he knew many of the people who feature in the photographs in the book.
A free copy of the book has been donated to the library of every school in the Ards Peninsula. The Thompson family would be delighted to hear from anyone who has information about the poems and the Cloughey lifeboat.
Some of David’s photographs can now be seen on the project’s website http://.www.williamthompsonpoems.blogspot.com
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John Thompson and David Martin looking at some of the photographs, in John's kitchen in Portavogie, Saturday 5th April 2008:
Clipping from the Belfast News Letter, Thursday June 19, 1952. The Constance Calverley arrives at Cloughey:
The official launch of the Constance Calverley, August 1952:
The official launch of the Constance Calverley, August 1952:
The Constance Calverley on her way to the stricken Princess Victoria, January 1953:
The Constance Calverley at Belfast City Hall, May 1955, as part of a fundraiser for "Lifeboat Week":
David Martin drives the tractor, circa 1960:
After meeting David and taking the photos, Jacob (my son) and I went down to the memorial to the Cloughey Lifeboat, at Cloughey car park on the sand dunes:
Close-up of Jacob by the memorial:
These are just a few of the many photographs in David's collection; thanks to him for getting in touch with us and sharing them. David owns the copyright on all of his photographs and they must not be reproduced without his permission.
2 comments:
My great grandfather George Drysdale drove the tractor for the Cloughey lifeboat. He is in the 1901 and 1911 census, living in Ballycranmore. Legend has it that the family name used to be Driscoll. In the distant past the family went to Scotland from Ireland, they came back and settled in Calhame. The family name had been changed to Drysdale.
George's father was James, a thatcher and stone mason. The father of James was probably Edward Drysdale, also a mason. James built a cottage in Ballycran Beg. Now gone. I am told that a younger George Drysdale drove the tractor too. Not sure who he was. My George is in the lifeboat picture that appears on some websites.
Forgot to say message is from megmooney@sky.com
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