TENANTS DEMONSTRATE AT BELFAST CITY HALL: PROPOSAL TO REVERSE RENT REDUCTION, EXTRAORDINARY SCENES

Derry Journal, Friday 22nd May 1936

Belfast City Hall was the centre of amazing scenes yesterday, when tenants of municipally-owned houses, many hundreds strong, made demonstrations both within and without the building when the Corporation met to reconsider their recent decision to reduce the standard rents by 2s per week.

The meeting was summoned by the Lord Mayor on a requisition signed by 16 members, and the special business before it was a resolution to rescind the reduction voted by 15 votes against 14 on May 1.

The result of yesterday's meeting was that the reduction stands, again by a majority of one, the voting this time being 22 to 21.

In view of expected demonstrations, a force of police, under a district-inspector, was on duty. They had some difficulty in keeping the more exuberant of the demonstrators, the majority of whom were women, within bounds.

Only a small percentage gained access to the public galleries, where accommodation is very limited. There was disappointment amongst them that more could not gain admission, and they remained a clamorous crowd in the vestibules and stairways.

TENANTS' CHEERS

While the preliminaries of the meeting were in progress, cheers from the body of deputationists could be heard. Many women sat on the floor of the apartment adjoining the Council Chamber while the debate went on.

When the result became known outside the camber, the tenants broke into round after round of delirious cheering. Cries of "Down with the landlords" filled the air and the members of the Council who supported the reductions came in for demonstrations of warm approval. Some of those who had voted the other way were openly denounced.

It was some time before the demonstrating tenants moved off. They were addressed in the City Hall grounds by Alderman Pierce and Henderson and others.

The decision of the Council to reduce the rents is subject to the Home Ministry's approval.

To find out more about the history of Belfast City Hall click here.

WATCH AND CHAIN STOLEN: FOUND IN A BELFAST PAWNSHOP

Belfast Telegraph, Thursday 21st July 1927

At Belfast City Commission to-day, before Lord Justice Best, Michael John Quinn pleaded not guilty to stealing a silver watch and gold chain, value for £12, the property of William Kennedy, grain merchant, 117 Great Victoria Street. Accused was not professionally represented.

The case for the Crown was that Quinn went to William Kennedy's establishment to cash a cheque for his employer. Mrs. Kennedy went out to get the money to change it, leaving prisoner alone in the place. She returned with the change, and when prisoner had left the watch and chain belonging to her husband was missing.

A pawnbroker's assistant spoke to taking Kennedy's watch and chain from Quinn and advancing him money upon them.

Accused entered the witness box and swore that he was never in a pawn office in his life, and, therefore, could not have pawned the articles in question.

Prisoner was found guilty and put back.

BELFAST DANCE HALL SCENES: MAGISTRATE TAKES STERN VIEW, FINES IMPOSED

Northern Whig, Tuesday 7th June 1938

Disorderly scenes outside the Ivy Dance Hall, Ravenhill Road, led to the appearance in Belfast Custody Court yesterday of William Jones, Clermont Lane; John Johnson, Dufferin Street; and William Johnston, Dufferin Street, who were charged with disorderly behaviour on Saturday night. Albert Close, of Westbourne Street, who was charged along with the others, did not appear. His mother said he had got to work after being off for some time, and that he would lose his job.

Mr. J. H. Campbell, R.M., imposed a fine on 20s for failure to appear on his mother, the bailee.

Constable Fleming said on Friday and Saturday there had been trouble outside the hall, caused by groups of young men partly under the influence of drink shouting and cursing the police and acting in a disorderly manner. There had been several very serious assaults with knives in this dance hall. On Saturday the four boys came out of the Ivy, three of them under the influence of drink. They were arm-in-arm. There was a crowd of over 100 gathered outside. This was a usual occurrence. The night before there had been a bad row, bottles through windows on the road. The accused used filthy language towards the police, and he had to call reinforcements to have them arrested.

The Johnstons and Jones denied the offences.

Mr. Campbell said it was quite apparent for some time that this Ivy Dance Hall was a plague spot in the city. It was attended by various crowds of well-dressed black-guards, who were a nuisance and an annoyance to people in the vicinity. “I have determined,” he continued, “for some time past that I would not deal as leniently as I have done in previous cases from this dance hall.”

John Johnston, who had a record, was sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment with hard labour, and ordered to enter into bail at the termination to be of good behaviour for twelve months. The other three were fined 40s and ordered to enter into similar bail.