THROUGH THE ARCHIVE: From the News Letter of January 1941

Letter writer decries ‘spoiling of Stormont’
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

During this week in 1941 a correspondent to the News Letter who signed their letter H A R wrote to the paper criticising plans to erect trolleybus wires and stanchions at Stormont.

They wrote: “The proposal to erect trolleybus wires and stanchions along the side approach to the Parliament Buildings will certainly add to and enhance the general beauty of the site no end. When viewed from the gates the effect of them twisting and twining round the corners as they tortuously make their way to the top, will be monumental and positively charming. No doubt the bases of the stanchions will be proudly embossed with the arms of the Corporation and the year of their erection to mark a great achievement.

“Where else in the world would such a scheme be sanctioned? Our capital has the reputation of being the ugliest in Europe, a reputation which is amply justified, and which the Corporation would seem proud to further. So march on Belfast! Rear up your temples of ugliness. Yours is a city of darkness!

The family of missing Northern Ireland Brian Keenan staged a vigil in Belfast and appealed to passers-by to remember Brian. It had been over 900 days since the 32-year-old teacher was kidnapped on his way to work at a Beirut university in Lebanon. But each day had been a battle for his family to see him freed. In December 1988 his sisters Brenda Gilham and Elaine Spence joined with many of his friends outside City Hall to urge people to pause and think about Brian. Brenda Gilham said: “This will be his third Christmas in captivity, but there's still a chance. We are hoping he'd be free by now – we really had high hopes, but we will never give up.” The previous day a letter from the Keenans had appeared in Beirut newspapers – an appeal sent across thousands of miles, sending love to Brian and a plea to his unknown kidnappers to release him. Brenda added: “We wanted to let Brian known that we are thinking of him and that we will keep working until he is released. We said the Irish people feel the realThe family of missing Northern Ireland Brian Keenan staged a vigil in Belfast and appealed to passers-by to remember Brian. It had been over 900 days since the 32-year-old teacher was kidnapped on his way to work at a Beirut university in Lebanon. But each day had been a battle for his family to see him freed. In December 1988 his sisters Brenda Gilham and Elaine Spence joined with many of his friends outside City Hall to urge people to pause and think about Brian. Brenda Gilham said: “This will be his third Christmas in captivity, but there's still a chance. We are hoping he'd be free by now – we really had high hopes, but we will never give up.” The previous day a letter from the Keenans had appeared in Beirut newspapers – an appeal sent across thousands of miles, sending love to Brian and a plea to his unknown kidnappers to release him. Brenda added: “We wanted to let Brian known that we are thinking of him and that we will keep working until he is released. We said the Irish people feel the real
The family of missing Northern Ireland Brian Keenan staged a vigil in Belfast and appealed to passers-by to remember Brian. It had been over 900 days since the 32-year-old teacher was kidnapped on his way to work at a Beirut university in Lebanon. But each day had been a battle for his family to see him freed. In December 1988 his sisters Brenda Gilham and Elaine Spence joined with many of his friends outside City Hall to urge people to pause and think about Brian. Brenda Gilham said: “This will be his third Christmas in captivity, but there's still a chance. We are hoping he'd be free by now – we really had high hopes, but we will never give up.” The previous day a letter from the Keenans had appeared in Beirut newspapers – an appeal sent across thousands of miles, sending love to Brian and a plea to his unknown kidnappers to release him. Brenda added: “We wanted to let Brian known that we are thinking of him and that we will keep working until he is released. We said the Irish people feel the real

“But destructive criticism alone cannot help beyond a point. How then, are we to drag ourselves out of this awful mire beastliness? The answer it quite simple. Competitions, organised on RIBA rules, should be run for all the larger buildings, as in Liverpool, and most other cities of today, a panel of architects should be set up in Belfast, with full powers of veto, to whom all building schemes must be submitted for approval. The panel should be composed of men qualified from one of the first rate architectural schools, where men are trained not only to build well, but to build beautifully. By these means, and these alone, can a good standard of aesthetic building be set up.”

The letter concluded: “Finally, lest I appear too disparaging; Belfast docs possess some buildings worthy of the name: the Law Courts, the City Hall, the new BBC Building, the Customs House, and the Grove School, and one or two others.”

Related topics: