'During this period I enjoyed so much walking down the Shankhill with my baby, going to the variety markets'

'During this period I enjoyed so much walking down the Shankhill with my baby, going to the variety markets'

Avril Patterson remembers her early married life and the birth of her daughter Pamela.

Avril Patterson

Trinity College Dublin

1961

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Avril Patterson

Marriage and Family

Life Story

Crumlin Road,Belfast,Northern Ireland

1960's

When I got married in July 1959 I went to live above the shop which my husband owned,just off the Crumlin Road. The Crumlin Road is in North Belfast and is parallel with the Shankhill and Falls Road.Our shop was in Danube Street,this was a happy time for me. It was a big flat consisting of 3 small houses 12,14,16 all knocked into our large area. My husband built a beautiful kitchen for me himself ﾊﾗﾖ knowing nothing of carpentry.In 1961 my daughter Pamela was born. I then helped working in the shop as well as looking after the baby. Pamela had a pure white pram which was at a London Exhibition,the like was never seen on the Shankhill Road.During this period I enjoyed so much walking down the Shankhill with my baby,going to the variety markets every Sunday. At this variety market I was always looking for bargains. I collected small pieces of hall-marked silver e.g. small vases,powder bowls,candle sticks and other little trinkets.I do like all antiques but could never afford them,another thing I was always interested in was local artists. I do like Irish paintings.During my period in the shop we had a message boy called Samuel Morrow. Samuel delivered the small orders to our customers in the neighbourhood. Samuel and his wife Myrtle still come to visit me every Christmas. He has retired now after working in the car business.Every Christmas I decorated the window in the shop. Each year I tried to think up something different. Example ﾊﾗﾖ choir boys with a church. One year I made silver angels hanging from the Christmas tree. This used to attract the children from Danube Street.

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Irish Research Council for Arts,Humanities & Social Sciences (IRCHSS)

Dr Kathleen McTiernan (Trinity College Dublin)

Dr Deirdre O'Donnell (Trinity College Dublin)