Larne - Glen Brown's postcard collection on display

I heard today that my collection of four hundred postcard Larne Borough from c1890 to 2004 are now on public display at the Carnegie Centre, Victoria Road, Larne. The postcards feature views commencing from Islandmagee's (Gobins and Druids Altar etc., )to nestling Glenarma lying at the heart of the Glens. The postcard publishers include the famous, Tuck, Valentines of Dundee, Hartmann and numerous others. Several of the rarer ones were home printed by local shopowners in Larne Borough or by mail order from Cork.

Prior to WW1 and during the peace before WWII, postcards were printed in Germany. In peace time " Printed in Germany " "Printed in Eire" were changed to "Printed Abroad" so that the purchaser or recipent would not assume any offence.

The collection contains both mint (unused) and postally used (post marked) by General Post Office (GPO) Royal Mail. Circular date cancellations (cds) cancelled with the post office handstamp are also sought by the keen philatelist because of the rarity for many of the old sub post offices closed not just in recent times, Like a postage stamp, not always the oldest is the most prized. Magheramorne had a for short time in the 60s a sub post office within the petrol station on the coast road near to the junction with the Ballylig Road near Newlands. Having searched for a cds of Magheramorne my cousin Nance Dorrans kindly gave me an old TV licence of my late Aunt that had duly been cancelled on issue at the wee post office with "Magheramorne". Has you any old postmarks of Larne's various post offices? Or photograph of any post offices?
Two, no three favourites post offices were, (1)the West End Post Office in Larne. where Susie McCreadys warm smile and friendly nature even on the coldest of winter fays served the people of Larne for many years. (2) The Glynn P.O. both the old and new were friendly places.(3) The late Billy Boyd's at Upper Waterloo Road Larne, was a friend and a man of many talents. His fine family, wife, sons Kyle &, Boyd and daughter Marna. Billy ran the corner grocers shop, the sub postmaster, a gardener, a bee keeper, sang in Gardennore church choir, a lecturer and featured on radio on his specialities his dardeners knowledge and Beekeeping.
Back in 1960 at Greenland (now Larne High school) the Science teachers Mr Muirhead, Mr Beggs and Mr Newton decided to add bee hives to the school garden. Mr Muirhead being senior and more wisely kept his distance. Ah but thats another story.
William (Billy) Boyd gave a lecture on beekeeping to the pupils. Being a pupil at the time and shown interest in beekeeping . Billy ( my neighbour) later invited me to help after school with his bees at his allotments at Browns factory plots. Billy being an expert I soon knew all about beekeeping and he shared the rewards by giving me jars of pure honey to take home.
While I was collecting the postcards over thirty years searching around various stamp Fairs, charity shops or market stalls.> Each time I found a different Larne view or a wanted postmark it was like receiving that first jar of honey.

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