In this section we hope to reflect the range of people who live, and have lived in Groomsport, over the years. We also want to represent events – community events and family events that have occurred.
We are very grateful to Perry Moore who has given us permission to use images from his extensive collection of photos and from his Groomsport Generations Facebook page.
This photograph is thought to date from 1900s
0063 Photograph supplied by Perry Moore
If you have more information about this photo please contact discovergroomsport@gmail.com mentioning the four digit number above.
The girls are identified as Storeen Niblock, Maureen Oughton and Patsy McDowell
0064 Photograph supplied by Perry Moore
If you have more information about this photo please contact discovergroomsport@gmail.com mentioning the four digit number above.
The children have been identified as: Kitty Niblock, Nellie Waterson, Charlie Waterson, Ellen Bryan and wee John Waterson.
0065 Photograph supplied by Perry Moore
If you have more information about this photo please contact discovergroomsport@gmail.com mentioning the four digit number above.
The Rocket House, which contained lifesaving apparatus, such a breechers buoys was on Main Street, beside the second National School.
Included are James Russell, John Mackintosh, Fred Waterson, Gordon Murdoch and Hugh Bell.
0066 Photograph supplied by Perry Moore
If you have more information about this photo please contact discovergroomsport@gmail.com mentioning the four digit number above.
0068 Photograph supplied by Perry Moore
If you have more information about this photo please contact discovergroomsport@gmail.com mentioning the four digit number above.
Roberta Waterson Fraser has identified the children as follows: Front row: Johnny Wilson, auntie Marie, Eileen Savage and Sammy McDowell.Back row: Unknown, Harry Savage, George Bell, Patricia McDowell and Bobby Dunbar.
0071 Photograph supplied by Perry Moore
If you have more information about this photo please contact discovergroomsport@gmail.com mentioning the four digit number above.
Information from Ann Blachford, her niece:
Fanny Waterson (1907-1990) lived in Groomsport all her life. As far as I know, she left once, in 1949, to travel to London to visit her sister Nellie, brother-in-law, Harry Green, and their daughter, Ann.
0104 Photograph supplied by Perry Moore
If you have more information about this photo please contact discovergroomsport@gmail.com mentioning the four digit number above.
Arthur and Betty were married on 1st December 1941. Arthur was stationed at Groomsport House with the Royal Engineers and the couple met in July 1941.
0124 Photograph supplied by Perry Moore
If you have more information about this photo please contact discovergroomsport@gmail.com mentioning the four digit number above.
Jane and William lived in Main Street.
0070 Photograph supplied by Perry Moore
If you have more information about this photo please contact discovergroomsport@gmail.com mentioning the four digit number above.
This picture of Betty and Arthur Moulson was taken in 1941, sitting on the grass verge beside the Private Walk on the ‘third beach’ (Cove Bay). Arthur Moulson, from Old Swan in Liverpool, was a Royal Engineer and was stationed at the Groomsport House Hotel. Betty Heyburn first met Arthur on the 11th July 1941 when out for a walk with her friend, who had asked Betty if she had met any soldiers. She replied she had not, but there was “one coming along here I quite like the look of”, and that was Arthur Moulson. They got married on 1st December 1941, with Arthur being demobbed in December 1945. They had two children, Susan (1944) and Deborah (1953). It was a marriage filled with love, and they lived most of their married life in Springwell Crescent, Groomsport.
Description provided by Ruth Fee, their granddaughter.
0072 Photograph supplied by Perry Moore
0120 Photograph supplied by Perry Moore
If you have more information about this photo please contact discovergroomsport@gmail.com mentioning the four digit number above.
Ruth Fee has provided this description.
This is a photo of my Nanny Betty Moulson, and my Mum Susan Moulson (as was) and it would have been taken in the Spring of 1945 as Mum was born on 27th June 1944. She looks around 10 months old in this picture.
Nanny is sitting on a wall with the old cottages on Main Street behind her that were knocked down to build the old shelters. She was facing into where they were living at the time, Providence Place on the Hill in the village, in her Granny Heyburn’s cottage. Nanny and Mum lived in Providence Place until Grandad Arthur was demobbed in December 1945, arriving back in Groomsport on Christmas Eve.
0101 Photograph supplied by Perry Moore
If you have more information about this photo please contact discovergroomsport@gmail.com mentioning the four digit number above.
0127 Photograph supplied by Perry Moore
If you have more information about this photo please contact discovergroomsport@gmail.com mentioning the four digit number above.
0122 Photograph supplied by Perry Moore
If you have more information about this photo please contact discovergroomsport@gmail.com mentioning the four digit number above.
From left, in the back row are: Mildred, Janette and Maria Conroy. In the front are Robert Angus and Maureen Waterson. The children are standing outside the door to the dwellings that were created in the building of the First National School which was immediately behind the Presbyterian Church.
0248 Photograph supplied by Maureen Erskine.
If you have more information about this photo please contact discovergroomsport@gmail.com mentioning the four digit number above
The Longs lived in Virginia House.
0114 Photograph supplied by Perry Moore
If you have more information about this photo please contact discovergroomsport@gmail.com mentioning the four digit number above.
Rory is sitting on the horse of John Murdock, the “vegetable man’, near Rory’s home in West Hill. Rory was celebrating Victory In Europe (VE) Day.
0188 Photograph supplied by Rory Greer
0251 Photograph supplied by Ann Blachford.
If you have more information about this photo please contact discovergroomsport@gmail.com mentioning the four digit number above.
Also included is Molly Bullick (née Anderson). The photograph was taken on West Hill.
0190 Photograph supplied by Rory Greer
This photograph of the “High Sheriff of Groomsport” was taken on West Hill.
0191 Photograph supplied by Rory Greer
The marriage took place at Groomsport Parish Church on 9th January, 1947.
0111 Photograph supplied by Perry Moore
If you have more information about this photo please contact discovergroomsport@gmail.com mentioning the four digit number above.
This photograph was taken outside 3 West Hill on 11th September 1948.
Back row: Billy Gardiner, Campbell Gardiner, Rory Greer, Shaun Alexander and Robbie Martin.
Middle row: Moira Conroy, Brenda Hill, Mary Davis and Lesley McBratney.
Front row: Billy Garrett, Johnny Davis, Sean Manning and Moya Bullick.
0189 Photograph supplied by Rory Greer
William Waterson was a fisherman and, possibly, also a member of the Lifeboat crew. He is pictured outside his cottage on Main Street.
0049 Photograph supplied by Roberta Waterson Fraser and reproduced with permission.
Find out more about the Waterson family at:
https://discovergroomsport.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Watersons-version-2.pdf
0178 Photograph supplied by Maureen Erskine
This certificate was issued to Frederick Waterson in 1920. Masonic Lodge 337 has met in the Maxwell Hall (now part of the Parish Halls) since 1911.
0216 Photograph by John Gunning
Those in thsi photograph are thought to be as follows.
Top. Left to right. John Waterson (aged 6), Henry Waterson, John Waterson, unknown
Standing: Unknown, “Wilty” Waterson (holding his daughter, Kathleen Maud Waterson, with his daughter, Annie, standing behind), Jimmy Waterson, John Alexander (“Jander”) Waterson, Tom Waterson (in white top), two unknown boys, Robert Waterson and Billy Niblock (holding basket).
0179 Photograph supplied by Maureen Erskine
If you have more information about this photo please contact discovergroomsport@gmail.com mentioning the four digit number above.
The names of some of the band members are listed on the back of this photograph.
In the back row are: J Orr, N Murdock, R Murdock and T Watterson.
Others listed are: B Dunbar, H J Waterson, Alex Spears, J Waterson, H Waterson, J Gunning, A Conroy., J Waterson, G Conroy, Arthur Waterson, Billy BryanD Gunning, J Hamilton, Hugh Bell, W Savage, Henry Waterson and J Tosh.
0185 Photograph supplied by Ann Blachford
If you have more information about this photo please contact discovergroomsport@gmail.com mentioning the four digit number above.
0206 Photograph supplied by Julie Keith
If you have more information about this photo please contact discovergroomsport@gmail.com mentioning the four digit number above.
Fire broke out in the roof of the Primary School on the night of 20th / 21st July 1996. Despite extensive damage, leading to part of the school being demolished, the school re-opened in September that year.
This photograph shows the damage to one of the corridors.
0195 Photograph supplied by Margaret McCreedy
For more information about Groomsport Primary School, go to:
https://discovergroomsport.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Primary-School-A5.pdf
Fiona McCreedy has identified those in the photograph, which shows the Maxwell hall in the background.
Thomas Russell is holding the horse. The others are Henry Waterson, Violet Waterson and Susannah Russell.
0241 Photograph supplied by Perry Moore.
If you have more information about this photo please contact discovergroomsport@gmail.com mentioning the four digit number above.
Robert and Mary were married in Sunderland in December 1939. Robert was an Able seaman in the Royal Navy.
0249 Photograph supplied by Maureen Erskine.
If you have more information about this photo please contact discovergroomsport@gmail.com mentioning the four digit number above.
Annie Waterson is pictured in her house at 24 The Hill (now number 37).
0184 Photograph supplied by Ann Blachford
The couple were photographed on their honeymoon in Plymouth.
0250 Photograph supplied by Maureen Erskine.
If you have more information about this photo please contact discovergroomsport@gmail.com mentioning the four digit number above.
0252 Photograph supplied by Maureen Erskine.
If you have more information about this photo please contact discovergroomsport@gmail.com mentioning the four digit number above.
0246 Photograph supplied by Ann Blachford.
If you have more information about this photo please contact discovergroomsport@gmail.com mentioning the four digit number above.
Robert was the coxswain of Chapman, the last lifeboat based in Groomsport
0181 and 0182 Photographs supplied by Ann Blachford
0113 Photograph supplied by Perry Moore
If you have more information about this photo please contact discovergroomsport@gmail.com mentioning the four digit number above.
George and Eileen were married on 5th September 1946. Beside the couple are Marie Waterson and Eileen McDowell. The older girl is Maureen McDowell.
0210 Photograph supplied by Julie Crawford
If you have more information about this photo please contact discovergroomsport@gmail.com mentioning the four digit number above.
