When Clifton House first opened as an interpretive centre in the early part of the new millennium a long term loan agreement was drawn up with National Museums NI. The loan was of three portraits to hang in the historic Board Room of the old Poor House to help tell the story of Belfast […]
In 2019 the cast and crew of Antiques Road Trip visited Clifton House to hear the story of Mary Ann McCracken. The episode featuring Clifton House will air on 28th January at 16:30 on BBC One.
Don’t forget to tune in!
The reasons for individuals coming into the Poor House were numerous. On this day, 7th Jan 1819, Dr Magee requested the admission of John Gribben, aged 47, into the Poor House Hospital. John was a carman who was “robbed and much injured in his person about a week since on the road between this and […]
The Rev Dr Henry Cooke was one of the most influential Presbyterian ministers of the 19th century and personified the ‘victory’ of Old-Light over the more liberal New-Light Presbyterians, many of the latter from a previous generation were United Irishmen and members of the Belfast Charitable Society.
Like many influential Presbyterians in Belfast, Rev Dr Cooke […]
For over 265 years, Belfast Charitable Society has supported people through difficult times. From admission to the Poor House, its outdoor relief scheme or in more recent years through Clifton Residential and Clifton Care Home. As part of the charity’s ongoing philanthropic work it has recently provided funding towards an Early Intervention Family Support Programme […]
In 1882 George Benn, the generous philanthropist, historian and benefactor of Belfast Charitable Society (BCS) died, leaving the sum of £1,000 to the Charitable Society to set up the Benn Charity. This sum of money was to be used principally to provide a dinner or other entertainment for the residents of the Old Peoples Home […]
The Belfast Charitable Society And The Slave Trade
Today marks International Day for the Abolition of Slavery. The notion of slavery tends to bring us back to African slaves brought to America, however slavery continues as 21st Century problem. The Belfast Charitable Society of the 18th Century found themselves caught in the controversy surrounding this abhorrent […]
When people think of the Belfast Poor House, one of the first things that comes to mind is the children who came through our doors. The month of November was a significant month for the children in the care of the Belfast Charitable Society. In November 1775, the first child arrived at the Poor House […]
A social enterprise is like any other business in that it works to deliver goods and services to make a profit. The difference is that they are driven by their social and environmental purposes and any profit made is reinvested towards achieving these purposes. Today, the government defines social enterprises as “businesses with primarily social […]
Today we celebrate how The National Lottery have supported Treasured and Historic Places for the past 25 years. To mark this occasion, as the lead member of the Great Place North Belfast project, we would like to share with you what a difference this support has made to our North Belfast Heritage Cluster.
This Cluster is […]
