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Full Description
The astonishing true story George Henry Thompson - a Black man who found himself leading a 2,000 strong Protestant mob in fierce sectarian rioting that tore Belfast apart in August 1872. This caused a meltdown in sections of the press and earned him a 2 year prison sentence with hard labour. But who was he? Where was he from and what was he doing in Belfast? Was he really a loyalist fanatic and what became of him after he was released from prison?
Meticulously researched, this book answers those questions. The Belfast of that time, then nicknamed 'Linenopolis' and the 'Athens of Ireland', is vividly brought to life - an industrial powerhouse with a very seedy underbelly. The cause of the riots and impact of them is clearly explained. We learn of Thompson's unusual connection to the highwayman Dick Turpin; the editorials and songs that were written about him; the brave Catholic woman called Margaret who suffered terribly in the rioting but refused to condemn him at his trial; a possible child that was left behind in Ireland; appearances at Grand Nationals and the Mossley Wakes in Lancashire and much, much more.
Tangent tales of those who interacted with Thompson - and some who did not are also included - such as the Italian artist Felice Piccione, who also left his mark on Belfast, and Christina Galbraith Richmond, the harp playing Scottish lady who made history at Magherafelt in 1908.
Ghosts of the Shankill is a searing slice of social history that paints an incredible picture of the life and times of a Black man living at the margins of society during the reign of Queen Victoria.
Contents
INTRODUCTION vii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS xv
PROLOGUE xvii
CHAPTER 1: TALES FROM WALKER'S LANE 1
CHAPTER 2: THE ATHENS OF IRELAND 15
CHAPTER 3: THE ROAD TO RIOT 27
CHAPTER 4: FAITH AND FATHERLAND 35
CHAPTER 5: DISTINCTIONS IN COLOUR 48
CHAPTER 6: DICK TURPIN'S RIDE TO YORK 61
CHAPTER 7: THE SONS OF WILLIAM 69
CHAPTER 8: THE WOODEN COCKROACH 76
CHAPTER 9: EXAMINING THE HATE CAMPAIGN 82
CHAPTER 10: ALWAYS GRINNING AND LOOKING PLEASANT 88
CHAPTER 11: ARTISTIC LICENCE 102
CHAPTER 12: BORN IN THE USA? 142
CHAPTER 13: COMPENSATION 149
CHAPTER 14: IS THE TRIAL READY FOR ME? 151
CHAPTER 15: WHITSUNTIDE IN COTTONOPOLIS 164
CHAPTER 16: MOSSLEY WAKES 174
CHAPTER 17: RINGLEADER 180
CHAPTER 18: THE SON OF THE SON OF WILLIAM? 188
CHAPTER 19: BLESSINGS, COURAGE AND LOVE 195
REFERENCES 199
