Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB26/07/001

Address :
Parliamentary boundary posts Beside Calvary Baptist Church Dee Street Belfast County Antrim

Townland:
Ballymacarret

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Survey 2:
B2

Date of Listing:
28/03/1988 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Boundary Marker

Former Use
Boundary Marker

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
130-14

IG Ref:
J3601 7466

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Owner Category

Local Govt

Exterior Description And Setting

Two identical cast-iron parliamentary boundary posts, probably dating from 1918, but repositioned at the current
setting in the later twentieth century. Situated on the footpath along the west side of Dee Street, at the south end of the approach to Dee Street Bridge and opposite the junction with Mersey Street. To its immediate north is the brick parapet of the bridge approach, behind it is a footpath leading west, and to south is an enclosed carpark belonging to Calvary Baptist Church. Both posts are identical and set into the tarmaced footpath c.4ft apart. They are of cylindrical profile and measure c.3ft high by 1ft diameter. Each is embellished with a circular band towards its base, and with an oversailing flat octagonal cap with a circular indent on its top (probably formed to insert a fluted circular cap, as is the case with such posts elsewhere). Their front and back faces bear the shield of the coat-of-arms of Belfast Corporation (as it then was), all now badly weathered. There was probably a plaque below each shield naming the ward, but it has been removed.

Architects

Historical Information

The County of the Borough of Belfast was created under the Local Government Act 1898 and enacted the following year. The new borough was divided into four constituencies for the purposes of parliamentary elections to the Westminster House of Commons (this was pre-Partition and creation of Stormont) – North, East, West and South. Each division had its own Member of Parliament. Under the Redistribution of Seats (Ireland) Act 1918, the existing four constituencies were abolished and their number increased to nine - Cromac, Duncairn, Falls, Ormeau, Pottinger, St Anne’s, Shankill, Victoria, and Woodvale. Each new parliamentary division had its own MP and encompassed one or several municipal wards; the latter were used for elections to Belfast Corporation. These new constituencies were first used in the General Election of 14 December 1918, just over a month after the cessation of the First World War. This particular election took place under the Representation of the People Act 1918 (also known as the Fourth Reform Act). It is of special significance in that, for the first time, all men over 21 years of age and all women over 30 could vote; it was also the first election to be completed within the one day. Previously, only male property owners but no women could vote, and the election was spread out over several weeks. With the inception of the devolved parliament for Northern Ireland in 1922, the number of Westminster MPs was greatly reduced. Both posts lie within Victoria DED, but neither lies anywhere near its boundary, nor are they explicitly captioned (as ‘B.P.’) on any OS map except for the 1963-64 edition. It must therefore be concluded that they have been relocated here from elsewhere – probably as safety bollards to warn people of the traffic on Dee Street as they approach from west. The posts are similar to others elsewhere in Belfast, but the fact that the plaques naming the wards which they mark are missing suggests intentional removal before being placed here so as to avoid any future confusion regarding the ward boundary. The fact that the posts are paired also lends support to their use as bollards as they are normally just found singly. References – Primary Sources: 1. Local Government Act 1898. 2. PRONI OS/10/3/4/7/1. OS 25-inch map, Co Down sheet 4-07 (1902). 3. PRONI OS/10/3/4/7/2. OS 25-inch map, Co Down sheet 4-07 (1919). 4. PRONI OS/10/3/4/7/3. OS 25-inch map, Co Down sheet 4-07 (1931). 5. PRONI OS/10/3/4/7/4. OS 25-inch map, Co Down sheet 4-07 (1938). 6. PRONI OS/11/130/14/1. OS 25-inch IG map sheet 130-14 (1963-64).

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation H-. Alterations detracting from building K. Group value

Historic Interest

R. Age T. Historic Importance Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance X. Local Interest

Evaluation

These boundary posts, erected c1918, are examples that were originally sited around the perimeter of the County of the Borough of Belfast prior to the General Election of 14 December 1918. They have been relocated and now serve as pedestrian safety bollards. The removal of the name plaque and repositioning as a pair has reduced their architectural and historical interest. Nonetheless, the surviving cast iron cylindrical posts, complete with base collar, shield bearing the coat-of-arms of Belfast Corporation, dentilled capital and octagonal cap are tangible reminders of the first election in Britain and Ireland when nearly everyone (bar women under 30) had the right to vote, which took place on 14 December 1918. Thye are also of interest in marking a short-lived period in the province’s political development up to the formation of Northern Ireland and the Stormont administration in 1922. Many of these posts have succumbed to road widening and removal, so despite their relocation this pair remain significant in terms of local history.

General Comments

Date of Survey

24 January 2014