Rare Local Directory Donated to Newry and Mourne Museum

A rare copy of 'MacCabe’s Directory of Newry, Warrenpoint and Rosstrevor’ from 1830 has been donated to Newry and Mourne Museum by Gareth Chambers and Tommy Farrell. 

The directory, printed by Thomas Verdon in Drogheda in 1830, contains an abstract history of the three towns, along with a list of their gentry, clergy, professional gentlemen, merchants, manufacturers and shopkeepers. Trades and professions in Newry are classified and include many that we still use today, such as butchers, bakers and grocers. Trades that are no longer in existence in the town include coach builders, coopers, cutlers, dyers, flax dressers and lime burners, to name a few.  

The book also gives an insight to life in the area in 1830, when Newry was a thriving manufacturing town in an age before the building of the railways. It includes details of steam packets to Liverpool and Dublin and shipping belonging to the port of Newry. Stagecoaches and cars travelling to Belfast, Armagh and Dublin and mail coaches were all hugely important to the businesses and people living in Newry at that time.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Pete Byrne said, “As a local history enthusiast, the wealth of information in this book will be invaluable for genealogists tracing family in the area and for researchers wanting to find out more about life in three local towns in 1830”. 

Local businessman Gareth Chambers was originally gifted the book from Tommy Farrell. Gareth realised the significance of the publication and with encouragement from Michael McKeown he decided to gift it to the Museum, as it would allow more people to access and view the historical information within it. 

Each year Newry and Mourne Museum receives visitors from around the world, many seeking to establish a link with their Newry ancestors. The donation of the MacCabe’s Directory and the information it contains will hopefully add a piece of the puzzle to their family history.  
For further information on donating objects to Newry and Mourne Museum, please email museums@nmandd.org or telephone 0330 137 4308. To explore the collections of NMD Museums visit www.visitmournemountains.co.uk/museums. 

Entry to Newry and Mourne Museum remains free of charge. For information on opening hours, upcoming events, exhibitions and other services please telephone 0330 137 4422.