THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: Londonderry strike action leads to weekend unrest and power shortages

From the News Letter, May 25, 1924
Brooke Park, Londonderry. Picture: Lorcan Doherty Photography/JPI Media ArchivesBrooke Park, Londonderry. Picture: Lorcan Doherty Photography/JPI Media Archives
Brooke Park, Londonderry. Picture: Lorcan Doherty Photography/JPI Media Archives

The News Letter reported that unrest in connection with the ongoing had continued in Londonderry during the weekend past on this day in 1924.

In one notable incident the city cemetery’s superintendent was shot at. Mystery surrounded the attack, noted the News Letter correspondent.

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Two men had been seen loitering about the cemetery entrance for a couple of hours and when the superintendent, Mr Lindsay, had left his home two shots had been fired from the direction of where the men had been who then disappeared across the fields.

Mr Lindsay was not hit in the incident and the superintendent had told the newspaper reporter that he did not believe that the shooters had ever intended to hit him.

The police were quickly notified of the attack and made “a fruitless effort” to apprehend “the miscreants”.

It was anticipated that the attack would lead to police patrols at the cemetery being stepped up.

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Meanwhile, an additional 50 police officers had been drafted into the city as relations between workers and employees deteriorated further because of the strike.

The officers were being accommodated at the Gwyn’s Institution on Brooke Park in the city.

There had also been power cuts throughout the city after electricity was cut.

Notably, reported the News Letter, church organs in churches throughout the city could not be used during sermons because of the power shortage but, remarked the paper’s correspondent, “small organs and harmoniums were used in some places of worship”.