Belfast: Past, Present, Future - lectures at PRONI

A series of lectures on the history Belfast is to be held at PRONI (www.proni.gov.uk). From the archive:

Belfast: Past, Present, Future
Public lectures on the historical development of Belfast
PRONI, May/June 2014

2014 marks the 180th anniversary of industrial flax-spinning into Belfast; 175 years since the city’s first railway; and 125 years after the death of Sir Charles Lanyon. Within this context, PRONI is hosting a special lecture series which will unravel the historical development of Belfast’s architecture, layout and society, as documented in PRONI collections. Join us to hear insights from four respected experts on the city.

Globally, we are also currently witnessing an extremely high rate of urban development: by 2050 for instance, 70% of the world’s population are expected to be living in towns or cities. During this series, we will explore what this means for Belfast, as the face of our local municipality continues to evolve.

The lectures will be held at 1pm on the following dates:

Tues 6th May: Dr. Fred Hammond, industrial archaeologist: Belfast's industry and infrastructure, 1750 – 1911

Wed 14th May: Dr. Paul Larmour, QUB, Shaping Belfast: from early beginnings to Victorian expansion

Tues 20th May: Dr. Peter Smyth, historian and author: Belfast post-1945: a society in transition

Tues 27th May: Andrew Molloy, University of Ulster, Modernism vs. Conservation: planning 20th century Belfast

Tues 3rd June: Gary Potter, PLACE NI, The Contemporary City: Current developments, visions for the future

WHERE: All lectures will be held at PRONI
WHEN: Tuesday and Wednesday lunchtimes, from 1pm to 2pm
HOW MUCH: Admission is FREE but booking is essential. Please contact PRONI at proni@dcalni.gov.uk or telephone 02890 534800 to reserve your place.

The Heritage Café at PRONI will be open before and after these talks for refreshments.

(With thanks to Garth Stewart)

Chris

Time to find your inner Irish...! All the best online Irish genealogy resources can be found through my book Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet - in print and ebook formats. "Very useful, makes me wish I was Irish!" - Saint Patrick, patron saint.