Maxiene Johnston
I often visied as a kid in the 70's, 80's and 90's as my dad was from Belfast and they lived Matillda Street sandy row. Tom Johnston was his name

Dorothy Melville ne Dorothy Jones - Apr '07
Hi ,i lived in Gaffiken st in the 50 &6o i got married & moved to Australia my name was Dorothy Jones married name Melville , we had a great time in the street , i knew Billy Brown very well he was a good friend , he sold & it was named Sams bar , nick name swinging diddy , i would love to no if Doris Brown is still around as i am comming over to Belfast in June for a hoilday , Dorothy Melville

Eilish Crooks - Aug '06
To John McCullough, Hi I am Eilish, i remember walking up there with Patsy, hope you are the right John - they were good times

Sandra Whinnery - July '06
My grandfather, William Brown owned The Cosy Bar in Gaffiken street, which had at one time been called The Swinging Diddy, this was many years before he owned it, and was appearently called this because "Ladies of the night would be there".

Walter McAllister - June '06
I was born and bred in Sandyrow and the only arch we ever saw was the one outside the orange hall, there was a bar in Gaffikin Street, it was called Sams (but as kids we were never told the nickname of the bar.)

Frank McCann - Nov 05
This is Millfield and this Pub my father rented for a while, he sold second hand clothing from it while waiting for a permanent location in old Smithfield. He got a place that was facing the back of St Mary's Chapel. It was called McCann and Son, my brother is still located in the new Smithfield where the bus station used to be. Ma Carroll was located down off Corporation St.

Chris Butler - Sep 05
wonder if you can help me trace a firm called Martin & lemon from around this area. if you could supply an address all the better. My wife used to work there around 1960's
Thanks.

Geordy Austin - Sept '05
The Pub is Pat Carrols coner of Wilsons St and Mill field facing towards West St.

Geordy Austin (orignally from Belfast)- Sept '05
I believe the lane leading up to this cottage was called Buttermilk Loanin by the locals and was near the Corrigan Park Gaelic pitch.

Jake Clarkin - November '04
This cottage was indeed at that spot , and the man in the picture is none other than Charlie (aka Charlie the milkman) Montgomery the local milkman ! Sadly the cottage is gone now, it was at one time a working farm but as the city grew Charlie sold it off bit by bit. Most of it was sold to build St. Aidans school, then later some was sold to build a carpark for Phill Kelly's bar plus extention. When I was a kid growing up near Charlie, we would sell him old hard bread to feed his flock of chickens and turkeys which he fattened for christmas sale, he gave us 3d a bag for the bread - a princely sum back then. Charlie done all his deliveries with a pony and closed in cart, at christmas my mother ordered a turkey from him and as good as his word it came on christnas eve ... STILL ALIVE!

He knecked it in front of my mother excliaming that "they dont come fresher than that".. I heard in 1984 that Charlie was still alive : theres a lot to be said for hardy living as Charlie had no electric and his water came from a pump.

My older brother told me why it was called the "swingingdiddy " ( see John R's comment below ) and it did exist ....it involved something done for a bet with a "diddy" - not sure what is and one of the heavy old sturdy pint glasses -:).

cacJohn McCullough - November '04
This cottage was just a few yards from where I live. In the 1950's old Charlie the milkman lived there. The McCabe brothers used to help him deliver milk in the upper Whiterock. Sadly, it has been demolished for many years.

John R.
Your picture of the Sandy Row Arch seems to be in the wrong place. I always thought it was further down on the left near the Sandy Row Picture house. But I have viewed your other sketches and you do have an eye for accuracy so I will guess that the arch is south of Boyne Square and near Reads Shoe Store. If that's the case, then the Chimney is an old Chemical factory behind Gilpins Furniture Store.

Dave H from the Row
The arch is in the right place. There were several arches in The Row over the years, the one shown is outside the Orange Hall. One was also near The Brewery Builgings.The Chimney is not Murrays as Sandy Row bends to the right and Murrays could not be seen from this position. It may be in the Brewery. Nice sketch!!!!

your place and mine contributor
The Sandy Row Arch was situated at the top of Sandy Row beside the Orange Hall and Gaffiken Street. The lady who sold ice-cream outside the Botanic Gardens was called Florrie. She worked with her father who was called Rabbie.

John R.
I was told that there was a pub on Gaffiken Street off Sandy Row called the Swinging Diddy - did/does this pub exist or was someone pulling my leg? If it's true, does anyone know why it was called the Swinging Diddy?