Monthly Archives: February 2020

Despite the vast, rich and yet unique history and heritage of north Belfast, the area is overlooked when it comes to regeneration and tourism opportunities. The positive contribution all of this could make to the wider city tends to be is overshadowed by negative stories that reflect the impact of communities separated and torn apart by road development, deprivation and our recent past. North Belfast is the forgotten jewel in the city’s heritage crown – consider either a one mile stretch from St Anne’s up the Crumlin or Antrim Road and you will take your way past a bounty of listed [...]

This week Belfast Charitable Society were delighted to meet with Dr Christopher Stange, Consulate General of Saint Vincent & The Grenadines, to discuss the ongoing work of the Charitable Society and the Mary Ann McCracken Foundation, as well as Dr Stange's involvement with the Fairtrade movement. Dr Stange is pictured with Paula Reynolds, Belfast Charitable Society CEO, who presented him with a presentation copy of the recently published The Life & Times of Mary Ann McCracken.

When Clifton House first opened as an interpretive centre in the early part of the new millennium a long term loan agreement was drawn up with National Museums NI. The loan was of three portraits to hang in the historic Board Room of the old Poor House to help tell the story of Belfast Charitable Society. The three portraits were: George McCartney- Sovereign of Belfast who donated the Poores Money to Belfast Charitable Society for the use of the Poor House  Stewart Bank- Sovereign of Belfast who laid the foundation stone of the Poor House in 1771 George Benn- Board member, [...]

This week marks ‘National Apprenticeship Week’ and we thought it would be fitting to look back at the activities of the Belfast Charitable Society, who were earlier pioneers of apprenticeship schemes in the Belfast area. Between 1841 and 1846 there was never less than 100 children in the Poor House with a peak of 242 at one point. The question of how best to care for them and prepare them for life outside the confines of the house was constantly on the minds of the Poor House guardians. It was known that children who came from impoverished backgrounds were likely to [...]