The Presbyterian Historical Society of IrelandAuthor(s): Joseph ThompsonSource: North Irish Roots, Vol. 2, No. 4 (1989), pp. 125-126Published by: North of Ireland Family History Society (NIFHS)Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27696729 .

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THE PRESBYTERIAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND Rev Dr Joseph Thompson (Joint Honorary Secretary)

In the past year it has been a happy experience to meet members of the Family History Society branches in Belfast and Bangor This article is based on a talk which the writer gave to the Belfast branch in April 1989 Around the same time the Bangor branch visited our

premises in Church House and there we were able to chat, examine, see and talk Let me seek to explain to you who we are and what we hold in our premises

Our full name - THE PRESBYTERIAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND - tells you four main things about us

(i) Our main concern is historical, and we would interpret this in its broadest sense in that we are glad to preserve anything relating to our history which we can accommodate,

(ii) Our particular interest is Presbyterian history The reason for this is obvious, but in our

library we have materials which are of wider ecclesiastical, social and political interest,

(iii) Ireland is the main area of our concern and involved in this concern are the three streams of the Presbyterian tradition In historical order, the stream flowing from the first presbytery in Ireland in 1642 (although some Presbyterians are known to have been in Ireland around 1 600), is The Presbyterian Church in Ireland which was formed by the union in 1840 of the

Synod of Ulster and the Secession Synod (the Secession Synod itself was the union in 1818 of two Secession streams viz the Burgher and the Antiburqher Synods) What now is known as The Non Subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland was the result of a secession from the Synod of Ulster in 1829 and the union of some other bodies It is worth noting that some of those who seceded in 1829 kept their church buildings and records and consequently the records can be older than the formation of the Church The Reformed Presbyterian Church

of Ireland's first Irish presbytery was constituted in 1 763 and from that time the Church has grown

(iv) We are a society, which members of the Presbyterian Churches previously mentioned may join in annual or life membership Non-presbytenans may join on the recommendation of a member of the Council Let it be very clearly emphasised that all are very welcome to visit us and view our holdings

What we seek to do

Our office is located in Church House, Fisherwick Place, Belfast, on the second floor We have a part time secretary, Mr R Bonar, who will be glad to welcome you As many

probably know, the entire suite of buildings will be extensively renovated after June 1990 and we shall have to move to temporary accommodation for some two years, but wherever

we shall be housed you will be welcome When you come to us you will immediately see a number of exhibits, which indicates one area of our work, viz the gathering of items of Presbyterian interest

Collect Items of Interest

On display you can see a large collection of communion tokens from different congregations, examples of more modern communion cups, badges of former societies in the Church, and books with illuminated addresses to some ministers or prominent members, and so we could go on Whatever is of Presbyterian interest we are glad to receive and this applies not only to artefacts, but also to books, etc

Preserve Books, Manuscripts, etc

Our walls are lined with books, revealing another aspect of our work We try to collect books of interest to Presbyterians, or others, who want to learn something of our history Included are books on our general history, congregational Histories, biographies which may

throw light on some aspect of our past, and general works relating to Ireland because the Church lives and witnesses in society

Manuscripts are valuable for research purposes and we possess some original manuscripts of published works This area also includes some diaries, letters, manuscripts of speeches and written sermons We are adding copies of academic theses to our collection, especially copies of those not held in Union Theological College Our pamphlet collection is in process of being re catalogued, 550 of these are prior to 1851 We hold some records of congregations, but the overwhelming majority of records are held by the local congregations The writer has nearly completed a survey of what Presbyterian records exist and consequently we can tell

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you what records a local congregation has Last year we purchased a microfilm reader which

permits the viewing of Presbyterian materials on microfilm in our office You will understand

that, in order to safeguard what we have, all our collection must be consulted in our premises and is not loaned

Among newspapers our main holding is The Witness (1874- 1941) This is a veritable treasure trove and a valuable source of information, our collection is the most complete one in existence We also hold magazines of the Churches from 1829 onwards

Publish Books

In 1981 we published A History of Congregations and to date have sold over 1200 copies, this work gives a short outline history of all Presbyterian congregations in connection with the General Assembly The Seceders in Ireland, by Dr David Stewart, is still available priced at 10 At present writers are working on a volume of essays to celebrate the 1 50th anniversary of the General Assembly, Dr R F G Holmes is editing this work Added to these, smaller

publications, which are a blend of the academic and the popular, are available in our office

(A full list is published in our Bulletin No 18, pp 41 -42, to avoid confusion all prices are in sterling and postage is extra)

Special mention needs to be made of Irish Presbyterian Fasti (i e , biographical details of ministers) For the years 1613-1840 the work was that of Rev James McConnell, revised

by Rev S G McConnell, it is now out of print The section for the years 1840- 1910 has now been published in three parts (at 2 50 each) by Rev Dr J M Barkley These three volumes deal with ministers of the General Assembly Part I of the Fasti of The Reformed

Presbyterian Church of Ireland, prepared by Rev Dr A Loughndge, is available at 20p Work is still proceeding on other areas, e g , the Secession ministers The value of the Fasti is that it gives an account of a minister, his wife, family and relatives, and this can be of value in

tracing family roots

Arrange Events

We usually have five events each year when we meet as a Society and all are invited to join us at any or all of these Our programme for the latter part of the 1 989 -

90 session is as follows

October 26 a lecture entitled 'Aspects of Presbytenanism in Cookstown' by Rev Dr W J H McKee in First Cookstown Presbyterian Church

November 23 at 7 30 p m , an Open Night in Union Theological College Library (Botanic Avenue, Belfast) under the guidance of Rev Principal R F G Holmes, D D

March 8, 1990 at 8 p m in May Street Presbyterian Church, Belfast (Annual General

Meeting)

This article will give you a glimpse of what we do and of some of the materials we hold Do visit us, if only to see what our premises are like If we can help you we shall gladly do

so, and, if not, we shall try to direct you to where you may get help Please accept this as a personal invitation to join us at any event you may wish to attend

THE PRESBYTERIAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF IRELAND

Key Information

Address- Room 218, Church House, Fisherwick Place, Belfast BT1 6DW

Telephone- 323936

Opening Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 10am -12 30 pm

Wednesday 10am -

1pm 2pm

- 4pm

Information on the Clan CLELLAND can be obtained from John Clelland Hockmill, PO Box 1350, Darwin 5794, Australia

From member No A 370, Mr S Brown of Hamilton, Scotland 1871 Census, Dist 3, Page 6 72, Muirs Street, Hamilton, Lanarkshire Sarah Jane Cinnoman, Head, Widow, 56 years, stocking weaver, birthplace, on the battlefield of Waterloo

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