Lurgan College Register 1873-99

Vol. 6 No. 3 - 1993

Lurgan College Register

1873-99

by Ian Wilson

Some years ago I received a request for information about someone who had been a pupil at Lurgan College in the early 1880s. At that time I had to respond to the request by saying that no records of pupils had survived for the years 1873-99. However, the request, along with others that started arriving, started me searching for all the evidence I could find of who had actually attended the College in those far off days.


I found, among a file of old newspaper cuttings dating from the 1880s, a faded notice, giving prize-winners in terminal examinations for the year 1877. A number of visits to the Linenhall Library to consult its files of Newsletter back numbers yielded further such lists. In addition I discovered that it had been the practice for the Newsletter to publish, in full, the Intermediate Examination results for the North of Ireland, along with the name of the school attended.

This proved to be a rich source of information for the embryo School Register, although, unfortunately, the Newsletter stopped giving the full list after 1891.

Lurgan College
Lurgan College - an early photograph

Then, in 1984, I was given a little note-book, which turned out to be the lists of parents of pupils at the school entitled to vote for representative Governors, along with Old Pupils who satisfied the voting criteria (they had to live within 20 miles of the School). These lists were commenced in 1890, and, since we know that no elections for Representative Governors were held until after 1899, it seems unlikely that a great deal of care went into their compilation. On the basis of the above information, I completed a first draft of the School Register, which was published in the 1985 edition of the School Magazine, Ulula.

Headmaster's notebooks

Since then, a most remarkable series of notebooks has come into the School's possession. These give lists of pupils for the years 1877-1899. and are in the handwriting of Mr. W T Kirkpatrick, who was Headmaster from 1876-1899. They were found with some documents in Watson & Neill's, and I am most grateful for having had the opportunity of perusing them.

It is, I think, appropriate to ask what exactly these books are. There is a letter in the School Archives from Kirkpatrick written in 1900, in which he says, replying to a request for a full list of pupils, that such a list would now be impossible to produce, since no official records were maintained, and such lists as were kept were destroyed when of no further use. Yet here we have 5 manuscript notebooks listing, in Kirkpatrick's own hand, the pupils at the school and clearly written after he had left, since the entry for the second quarter of 1899 says "This was my last in Lurgan".

I can only assume that Kirkpatrick was prevailed upon to put together as complete a list as was possible for the School records, and that this is what we now have. This may explain some of the discrepancies that I have found. Some names that appear in the Intermediate lists do not feature in Kirkpatrick's notebooks, particularly in the earlier years, and I put this down to memory failure!. It is also interesting to note that the notebooks are in two sets. Two have annual lists - that is one list of names for each year - while the other three contain quarterly lists. 

The two sets do not necessarily agree - there are names in the quarterly lists that do not appear in the annual. The only explanation of this that I can venture is that the quarterly lists contain everyone, while the annual lists contain only those who attended for at least one school year. It must also be said that the total number of names does not always match the enrolment number which Kirkpatrick gave in his annual report to Governors.

Bearing all these points in mind, I present this expanded School Register. I must, as I did in my earlier register, give some words of caution. I cannot guarantee the completeness of the list, although I am now reasonably confident that there are very few, if any, omissions, at least for the years 1877-99. I must also underline that there are difficulties where there is a number of pupils with the same name. This is particularly, the case with the Allens and Allans, the Bells, the Browns and the Hamiltons. This problem arises from the fact that, in the lists in the notebooks mentioned above, Kirkpatrick did not see fit, on most occasions, to distinguish between such pupils. This I have come across on a number of occasions that most frustrating entry - "Browns-2". I have attempted to unravel these names as far as possible, and based on the assumption that a pupil would have been unlikely to have been more than 7 years at the school.

I must, however, underline that I have some evidence to suggest that some at least of those listed left and then returned. We know of one pupil (G S Darling) who did this, since his return is marked in the School Register that was commenced by Cowan (Head-master 1899-1922) in 1899, and which is still maintained. The same problem exists for the early years of the school, for which our only evidence, at the moment, is the twice yearly honours lists published by Mr. E V Boulger (the School's first Headmaster 1873-76). Boulger adopted the strange method of referring to Hamilton 1, Hamilton 2 and Hamilton 3. Kirkpatrick also produced such lists until about 1882, and this leads to all sorts of confusion, because he used the more usual method of initials. We have no means of telling, therefore, whether Hamilton 1 was Hamilton C, or Hamilton R S G, or Hamilton W M. Again I have done my best to unravel this, but it is difficult to be absolutely sure.

A similar warning must be given about dates. What is shown is the earliest date that I have found in the records, followed by the latest date. I can give no guarantee of the absolute accuracy of these dates. In some cases they simply refer to the first appearance in the Intermediate Examinations lists, and it may well be safe to assume that attendance commenced earlier. There is a number of interesting discrepancies, however, particularly in relation to the Intermediate examination lists, where pupils are shown as "Lurgan College" up to a year after Kirkpatrick's lists suggest they left!


Lurgan College Register 1873-99
Surname Christian Names Start Leave
Acheson Francis D 1890 1896
Acheson Frederick W W 1888 1890
Acheson John A 1895 1899
Acheson Malcolm K 1898 1899
Adamson 1874 1874
Adamson 1874 1874
Adamson 1879 1879
Adamson 1890 1890
Agnew Henry M 1887 1893
Agnew William J 1896 1899
Allan H 1881 1882
Allan 1890 1894
Allan 1875 1875
Allen Frederick A McC 1890 1890
Allen H 1881 1881
Allen J 1882 1882
Allen John P 1883 1886
Allen Joseph 1885 1887
Allen William James 1880 1884
Almond Albert E 1882 1885
Anderson Andrew 1885 1887
Anderson Henry 1882 1883
Anderson Hugh 1877 1878
Anderson John 1891 1895
Annesley Albert T 1894 1896
Armstrong Charles L 1885 1888
Armstrong 1891 1891
Atkinson 1885 1885
Baird James Taylor 1881 1881
Baird William B 1877 1882
Baird William 1886 1890
Bannon F J 1897 1899
Barnett G 1877 1877
Barnett M B 1877 1878
Beattie Joseph N 1884 1885
Beattie 1885 1885
Bebe 1894 1894
Bell 1878 1880
Bell 1882 1884
Bell 1883 1883
Bell 1886 1886
Belshaw T 1881 1883
Bennett William 1883 1885
Bennett 1883 1885
Best C 1891 1893
Best James Patterson 1889 1891
Best Norman 1897 1899
Best Victor Greer 1897 1899
Bigley Francis W H 1894 1899
Black John 1877 1879
Bodel Robert H 1886 1890
Boyce William Henry 1897 1899
Boyd William Arthur A 1883 1883
Boyle 1895 1896
Bridgett 1892 1892
Brown Armstrong 1884 1885
Brown Edmund StC 1885 1888
Brown Howard 1877 1884
Brown James 1877 1881
Brown James C 1885 1888
Brown Norman 1881 1884
Brown R G 1877 1880
Brown T B 1886 1887
Brown T W 1887 1888
Brown 1883 1885
Brown 1883 1885
Brownrigg W H 1893 1899
Bunting Thomas W 1890 1894
Bunting Wilfred 1892 1893
Burke Matthew Alexander 1882 1883
Burke 1882 1883
Caldwell 1877 1877
Campbell C W 1882 1884
Campbell 1882 1883
Cantillon 1894 1896
Cargin James A 1887 1888
Cargin John S 1888 1892
Carlisle 1879 1879
Carrick John S 1877 1881
Carter 1878 1878
Carter 1896 1897
Carter 1896 1896
Caw 1898 1898
Chambers James 1877 1878
Chambers 1888 1890
Chambers Walter D 1898 1899
Chapman 1881 1881
Churchill 1889 1889
Clarke George 1878 1878
Clarke Thomas 1881 1884
Clarke Thomas W 1895 1899
Clendinning H 1884 1885
Clendinning James P C 1882 1883
Clendinning W W 1877 1878
Clendinning 1882 1882
Clokey 1893 1894
Cochrane 1882 1882
Coey James 1878 1879
Collen F D 1882 1884
Collen G D 1882 1883
Collen 1883 1884
Collen 1893 1894
Connor Joseph H 1886 1886
Cooke Alfred E 1891 1893
Cooney 1886 1889
Cooper Hugh 1891 1894
Cooper William 1890 1893
Corbett Edward StJ HdeB 1888 1890
Cousins William J 1883 1885
Cowan W W 1874 1877
Cowdy Anthony 1888 1888
Cowdy William L 1884 1887
Crozier John A 1881 1882
Cummins 1875 1875
Darling Guy Singleton 1895 1896
Davidson A J 1876 1878
Davidson J H 1877 1877
Davidson 1889 1891
Dawson 1878 1880
Dawson 1880 1880
DeCourcy John E B C 1890 1890
Dewar Elliott P 1895 1899
Dewar James 1895 1899
Dickson Robert J 1886 1888
Dickson Andrew J 1888 1889
Dickson James Hill 1876 1878
Doake 1885 1887
Doake 1891 1892
Donaldson 1886 1886
Donnan 1877 1879
Doran 1893 1893
Dougan George 1897 1898
Douie A 1875 1882
Douie James 1880 1883
Douie 1886 1887
Downard John 1886 1887
Downard Thomas 1885 1886
Dugan Winston J 1887 1889
Duke Joseph A 1891 1892
Duke 1897 1898
Duncan 1893 1895
Dunwoody James F 1891 1893
Dynes 1877 1877
Eccles William R P 1877 1881
Ellis 1895 1895
Emerson Herbert 1896 1896
English Henry 1897 1897
English Howard 1895 1899
English Thomas S 1896 1898
Ensor Charles H 1890 1892
Ensor 1897 1897
Ervin 1877 1877
Evans 1883 1883
Fenton P 1876 1876
Fenton R F 1877 1880
Fenton S 1877 1878
Fergus William J B 1893 1894
Ferguson Howard 1877 1880
Ferguson Norman Dickson 1880 1882
Ferguson Stanley 1877 1880
Ferguson Thorns Spencer 1880 1885
Ferris 1895 1895
Fleming Charles 1883 1885
Fleming William J 1888 1891
Foy 1887 1888
Frazer 1886 1886
Frazer 1886 1886
Frier William 1893 1896
Fullerton Andrew M 1881 1883
Fullerton Thomas A 1881 1881
Fulton Frederick 1886 1887
Gamble 1879 1880
Gardiner Frederick T 1884 1890
Gardiner George 1879 1882
Gardiner George B C 1892 1895
Gardiner William 1879 1885
Gardiner William 1892 1893
Gardiner Thomas Robert 1894 1895
Garrett 1877 1877
Gaskin 1888 1888
Gilbert 1881 1882
Gilbert 1881 1881
Gilchrist William 1881 1882
Gilchrist 1881 1882
Gillespie James 1889 1892
Gillespie 1890 1891
Gilmore Robert G 1884 1885
Gilmore 1885 1885
Gilmore J 1898 1899
Gilmore T 1898 1899
Glenn 1879 1881
Gore John R 1898 1899
Gore Arthur H B 1898 1899
Gore 1898 1898
Gorman R P 1896 1899
Gorman 1896 1896
Graham David 1887 1891
Graham John 1881 1885
Graham Joseph B 1879 1885
Gray David 1892 1894
Gray 1881 1882
Gray 1892 1893
Green S E 1894 1894
Green Walter 1894 1897
Green Albert 1898 1899
Greer George 1875 1880
Greer 1888 1888
Greer 1893 1894
Hall John E 1893 1896
Hall James A 1899 1899
Hamill 1884 1884
Hamilton C 1874 1877
Hamilton Claude C 1881 1883
Hamilton Reginald 1882 1882
Hamilton Robert Smylie Greer 1874 1877
Hamilton Walter M 1877 1881
Hamilton 1875 1875
Hammond 1880 1880
Hanna William V 1880 1884
Harbinson William D 1888 1889
Haslett James H 1890 1894
Hayes 1877 1877
Hazlett 1883 1886
Heron James 1896 1899
Heron John 1897 1897
Hewitt 1895 1895
Hillis 1886 1888
Hillis William 1880 1884
Hillis Robert J 1882 1885
Hind 1886 1887
Hobson 1894 1894
Hobson 1895 1897
Hope Herbert J 1898 1898
Ireland C H 1884 1886
Jebb J 1879 1880
Jenkins John 1887 1890
Johnston Thomas B 1887 1890
Johnston 1882 1882
Johnston Charles M 1897 1899
Johnston
Jones James 1887 1889
Jones 1877 1877
Jordan 1886 1886
Kennedy William W McC 1892 1896
Kennedy 1898 1898
Kernohan R 1877 1877
Kernohan W N 1877 1878
Kirkpatrick Daniel C 1886 1888
Kirwan Patrick C 1898 1899
Kyle Matthew 1898 1899
Langtry 1894 1896
Larkin P 1874 1877
Law Alexander 1889 1891
Lawther H S 1878 1880
Lawther R A 1878 1880
Leitch John G 1887 1889
Leitch Samuel R 1887 1889
Lewis Albert T 1879 1880
Liddell H 1877 1877
Lindsay Charles 1882 1883
Lindsay Frederick 1878 1881
Livingston James 1877 1884
Livingston W 1876 1880
Livingston 1894 1894
Livingston Arthur R 1898 1899
Livingston James M 1898 1899
Livingston 1875 1875
Logan Alfred 1878 1878
Logan J H 1877 1877
Logan John 1876 1880
Logan 1882 1883
Long 1882 1885
Love John R 1892 1893
Lowry John F 1891 1896
Lyness J 1876 1877
Lyttle 1877 1882
Macoun James 1877 1883
Macoun John 1877 1881
Macoun William 1884 1886
Macoun 1893 1896
Macoun George 1888 1891
Magahan 1875 1878
Magahan 1875 1878
Magill 1893 1893
Magill 1893 1893
Mahaffy John George 1878 1881
Mahaffy William Irwin 1881 1883
Main D A 1876 1877
Malcomson Albert G 1880 1885
Malcomson Robert B 1886 1891
Malcomson Thomas 1882 1885
Malcomson James Vernon 1883 1886
Malcomson David 1877 1877
Martin Henry E F 1885 1889
Martin William L 1885 1889
Maxwell Edward K 1890 1894
Maxwell Thomas Henry 1882 1886
Maxwell John Lowry 1892 1896
Maxwell Joseph 1881 1885
McAlister 1878 1878
McBride Francis J 1883 1888
McCalI 1882 1882
McCammon 1877 1877
McCaughey Henry G 1890 1890
McCaw George Tyrrell 1883 1887
McCaw Robert J 1887 1888
McCaw T D 1896 1897
McCaw W R 1897 1899
McConnell Hugh S 1896 1897
McConnell John S 1885 1888
McCorry 1892 1893
McCullough 1879 1879
McDonald Alfred J 1885 1888
McDonnell A J P 1883 1884
McDowell John E 1882 1886
McDowell 1877 1879
McFadden Richard R 1895 1897
McFadden 1885 1887
McFadden 1885 1887
McFadden 1887 1889
McGrath 1881 1881
McIlrath Robert H 1891 1893
McKee Robert B 1880 1881
McKee 1892 1893
McKell Robert C 1893 1894
McKinney 1878 1878
McKittrick 1890 1891
McMul Ian 1885 1886
McMul Ian 1885 1885
McMullan 1879 1879
McMullan 1883 1883
McMullan 1890 1891
McMullan Charles 1882 1883
McMurray Currell 1882 1882
McMurray J Q 1878 1881
McMurray William 1878 1881
McMurray William H 1879 1880
McMurray 1876 1876
McNally 1895 1897
McWha 1893 1896
Megarry Frank 1880 1882
Megarry H 1877 1879
Megaw W A 1896 1899
Mocoun John Horatio 1879 1884
Mocoun Henry 1889 1890
Monroe 1880 1881
Montgomery William J 1889 1891
Moorhead G F 1876 1876
Morrow W R 1877 1878
Mothers Joseph 1888 1890
Mothers William 1895 1896
Mothers J P 1881 1883
Mothers 1875 1875
Mullin 1877 1877
Mulligan William G 1878 1881
Munce 1891 1891
Murland Charles 1897 1899
Murland Howard F 1897 1899
Murphy Thomas 1888 1892
Murphy 1885 1886
Neill C W 1878 1878
Norris 1878 1878
O'Hanlon 1893 1894
O'Neill 1884 1884
Oates 1887 1888
O'Hare 1886 1886
Orr 1892 1892
Parke James Cecil 1894 1899
Patterson 1878 1881
Patterson 1877 1878
Patton Charles W 1888 1889
Paul 1897 1899
Paul 1897 1897
Pedlow J 1877 1877
Pedlow Thomas Bowden 1881 1884
Phillips F 1879 1881
Phillips Hugh M 1880 1883
Phoenix 1874 1876
Plenderleith 1884 1884
Plunkett 1879 1880
Pollock Frederick W 1879 1880
Poole 1883 1885
Raphael 1878 1878
Redmond William H 1884 1885
Reid 1877 1881
Reid 1897 1898
Rennison 1896 1896
Rhodes 1880 1881
Richardson 1888 1888
Robb 1893 1896
Robb 1893 1898
Robinson Eric Aubrey 1897 1899
Ross Hugh 1876 1878
Ross James A 1890 1894
Ross John T 1880 1883
Ross Thomas 1882 1884
Ross William Robert 1884 1888
Ross 1874 1874
Ross 1874 1874
Ross 1877 1877
Ruddell John 1888 1890
Ruddell Sidford 1891 1895
Ruddell Thomas 1888 1892
Ruddell 1881 1881
Ruddell 1881 1881
Ruddock 1893 1893
Russell W E 1876 1878
Russell 1889 1890
Rutherford John F 1890 1892
Rutherford 1892 1892
Scott Richard 1897 1899
Shannon 1889 1895
Shillington Averell 1890 1893
Shillington Richard D 1882 1883
Simpson William A 1891 1895
Sinton 1884 1884
Sinton 1884 1884
Slator 1895 1895
Sloane Samuel 1896 1899
Smith John W K 1895 1898
Smyth 1877 1877
Speers Joseph 1897 1899
Speers 1898 1898
Spence Henry C 1890 1892
Stedmond 1895 1899
Stevenson 1894 1894
Stevenson 1899 1899
Strain Thomas G 1893 1895
Taylor James 1885 1888
Taylor 1882 1885
Taylor 1894 1894
Taylor 1894 1894
Thompson Robert 1883 1883
Thompson Robert W 1898 1899
Turkington 1889 1889
Turtle 1880 1886
Uprichard 1877 1880
Ussher James 1888 1893
Ussher William Albert 1881 1886
Ussher 1885 1888
Ussher Neville 1889 1895
Ussher Arnold 1895 1898
Vaughan William J 1897 1899
Vint 1880 1881
Vint 1893 1894
Vint 1880 1880
Waddell R A 1877 1880
Waddell 1877 1880
Waddell 1882 1883
Waddell 1874 1875
Waddell 1874 1875
Waddell 1877 1877
Walker William E 1896 1899
Walker 1883 1883
Wallace 1874 1875
Wann 1894 1896
Watson Charles W 1899 1899
Watson Henry P 1889 1893
Watson Hugh Wesley Allen 1886 1891
Wells 1879 1881
Whalley John 1889 1890
Whalley 1889 1890
White 1891 1897
Whittaker 1893 1895
Wightman James A 1892 1895
Williams Thomas 1888 1891
Williamson 1890 1890
Willis 1897 1897
Wilson 1882 1884
Wilson Russell 1892 1896
Wright Herbert J 1897 1899
Wylie J T R 1879 1881
Wylie 1881 1881

Biographical Notes

After such a long period of time, and without the help of contemporary records in the school, it is difficult to add any details about many of the names on the list. However, I have unearthed some information which may be of interest.

The Acheson family came from Castlecaulfield, County Tyrone. The four boys were the sons of Mr. David Acheson, and one of them, Malcolm K Acheson, became a medical doctor.

H M and W J Agnew were the sons of Dr S Agnew, of Bengal Place, Lurgan, who later became Chairman of the Board of Governors of Lurgan College.

I suspect that many, if not all, of the Aliens were related, and that there is an overlap with the Allans. However, there was an Allan family in Lurgan (William Allan, of Brownlow Terrace), and at least one son attended the College, since Mr. Allan is listed as a Parent entitled to vote for representative Governors in the 1894 list. Most of the Allens seem to have belonged to the Johnston, Allen connection. The most prominent of these was W J Allen (1880-84). He was born in 1866, the son of Joseph and Catherine Allen.. After leaving the College, he went into the family business, then, as many others did, he joined the army at the very start of World War 1 (actually on 14th November, 1914) being posted to France in 1915. He served with distinction, being mentioned in despatches 4 times, and receiving the DSO in 1918. He was also awarded the French decoration of Chevalier of the Legion of Honour. He was elected as Unionist MP for North Armagh in 1917, holding the seat until 1922, when the reorganisation of Ulster seats after partition created a new constituency of Armagh County, for which Allen was elected as MP in 1922, holding the seat until his death in 1947. He was knighted in 1921. In addition to all this he was also Deputy Grand Master and Secretary of the Orange Order, Deputy Lieutenant for County Armagh and a JP.

F J Bannon (1897-) came to the College from Portadown, where he lived in Church Street. Leaving Lurgan, he studied for the Christian ministry, becoming a Church of Ireland minister, first of all in Hillsborough, then in Muckamore.

The Best family all came from Richhill, County Armagh. One of the boys, James Patterson Best (1889-91) qualified in law, and went on to become a well known solicitor in Armagh.

Francis Bigley (1894-99) was another Portadown boy - his father was District Inspector in the RIC there. He entered Medical School, and went on to become a GP in his home town. It is interesting to note, as a matter of interest, the number of those on the list who came from some distance to attend the College.

William H Boyce (1897-) was not one of these, being a local from Lurgan. He was one of Kirkpatrick's "High Fliers", with prizes in the Intermediate examinations, and a Gold Medal in Classics from TCD, whence he graduated with a BA degree. He went on to a distinguished career in the Indian Civil Service.

I must confess that I found Browns the greatest problem to unravel. There may indeed be one or two more lurking in the records! I am even unable to say how many families are involved. However, one of the Browns, (James 1877-81) became a medical doctor in Gilford, County Down.

James Chambers (1877-8) was a prominent figure in the legal profession. He was born in 1863, the son of Mr. and Mrs . Joseph Chambers, of Darkley, County Armagh. Leaving Lurgan College, he proceeded to Queen's College, Belfast, where he studied Law, going on to London University to complete his studies. He was called to the Bar in 1885, serving in the North-East Circuit. In 1902 he took silk, and three years later was elected a bencher of King's Inns. Early in 1917, Mr. Chambers was appointed Solicitor-General for Ireland, in succession to Mr. James O'Connor, who became Attorney-General. In addition to his legal career, Mr. Chambers was an ardent Unionist, and from 1910-1917 served as Unionist MP for South Belfast. He died in 1917.

J H Dickson (1876-78) was another outsider. He was born near Ballynahinch, and, leaving Lurgan College in 1878, went to Aspatria Agricultural College, where he qualified in 1881. Returning to Ulster, he became a leading figure in the farming community, and in the work of the Ulster Farmers' Union. He was particularly well known as a pedigree cattle breeder. Following partition, he became a founder member of the Northern Ireland Senate, in which he sat until his death in 1937.

Another Dickson, Robert J Dickson (1886-88) - no family connection!) went on to Queen's in Belfast, where he graduated in Law. After some time in practice in Portadown, he was appointed Secretary to Armagh County Council in 1918, a position he held until his retirement.

George Dougan (1897-98) was the son of Dr George Dougan, of Portadown, and followed his fathers footsteps, qualifying in medicine, and entering General Practice in Portadown, where he is still remembered.

Probably the most eminent of the Old Boys of this period was Winston J Dugan (1887-89). He was born at Oxmanstown, Birr and I can only assume that his attendance at Lurgan College was in connection with a family move, for he stayed only a short time before moving to Wimbledon, where he completed his schooling. Leaving school he entered the army, serving with distinction during the Boer War (1899-1902). In this campaign he was awarded the Queen's Medal, with three clasps, and the King's Medal, with two clasps. In 1900, Dugan was promoted 2nd Lieutenant in the Lincolnshire Regiment, serving as Adjutant in that regiment 1901-4. On his promotion to Captain in 1904, he was transferred to the Worcester Regiment. From 1910-14 he was Garrison

Adjutant, Irish Command, and in 1914, in the aftermath of the Curragh Mutiny, he was transferred to the East Anglican Command as Assistant Provost Marshall. In 1915, Dugan went to France, commanding the 2nd Irish Regiment, being wounded in 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. He was mentioned in despatches 6 times, and was awarded the DSO and CMG. In 1918, he was appointed Assistant Inspector-General (Training) in the British Expeditionary Force. There followed spells as Commander of the 10th Infantry Brigade, and ADC to King George V. Dugan retired from the army in 1934, and went to Australia, where he was appointed Governor of South Australia (1934-39). In 1939 he became Governor of Victoria, a position he held until he retired in 1949. On retirement he was given a peerage, becoming 1st Baron Dugan of Victoria and Lurgan. He died in 1951.

W R P Eccles (1877-81), was the son of Mrs Eccles of Turmoyra. He went from Lurgan to Queen's College, where he studied Law, ending up with the degree of LLb.

I have no record of him being in practice, but he was certainly living at Turmoya in the 1920s.

The English's were all related, being the sons of James English, of Lurgan. One of the boys, Howard (1895-99) became a medical doctor.

Charles H Ensor was the son of Charles Ensor of Ardress House, Loughgall. He served with distinction during World War 1, and then returned to manage the family estate.

The Ferguson boys were all related, and belonged to the well known linen family from Banbridge. Stanley (1877-80) became Managing Director of the Ulster Bank, and was Founder President of the Lurgan College Old Boys' Association.

The Fullerton brothers (Andrew and Thomas) were sons of Rev Alexander Fullerton, a Methodist minister. Andrew (1881-2) was born in Dalkey, County Dublin, in 1867, and, leaving Lurgan College, proceeded to Queen's College, Belfast, where he graduated, with First Class Honours in medicine, in 1890. There followed a distinguished medical career, culminating in his appointment as Professor of Surgery at the Royal Victoria Hospital. He was also President of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. During World War 1 he served with considerable distinction, being mentioned in despatches and being awarded the CMG (1916) and the CB (1919). He died in 1934.

Another eminent Old Boy was T R Gardiner (1894-6). He was born in Cork in 1883, son of Matthew J Gardiner, Post Office surveyor. In 1896 the family moved from Lurgan to Edinburgh, where Thomas attended the Royal High School, proceeding from there to Edinburgh University, from which he graduated with First Class Honours in History and Economic Science. He joined the Post Office in 1906, and by 1936 he was Director General, a position he held until 1945. Both before and after World War 2, his ability was recognised in the many special appointments that he was given. For instance, in 1939, he chaired the committee appointed by Mr. Chamberlain to co-ordinate plans to cope with air raids. In 1947-8 he was Chairman of the Stevenage New Town Development Corporation, and from 1949-51, the Vice-Chairman and Acting Chairman of the National Docks Labour Board. Of particular interest today is his appointment as Chairman of the Committee set up to deal with the cases of Civil Servants removed from confidential work because of alleged involvement with subversive organisations. He was knighted in 1936.

One of the first sports inter-nationals produced by the College was William Gardiner (1879-85), who was capped 17 times for Ireland in Rugby.

Another Gardiner, Frederick T Gardiner (1884-9), served for a time as President of the Ulster Branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union.

David Graham (1887-91) was the son of Rev Samuel Graham, Presbyterian minister in Moira. He followed his father into the Presbyterian ministry, eventually becoming minister of 3rd Armagh, where he enjoyed a long ministry, until his retirement.

The Hamilton connection was another difficult one to unravel. I have only managed to trace one in any detail.

R S G Hamilton (1874-77) was the son of Rev Hamilton, rector of Drumcree. He, too, followed his father's footsteps, entering the Church of Ireland ministry. After spells in Sixmile-cross, Cookstown and Dundalk, he became Dean of Armagh (1924-28).

Another former pupil to enter Christian service was Herbert Ireland (1898) who became General Secretary of the Belfast YMCA in 1919, and who was largely instrumental in the development of that organisation in the inter-war years.

One of the more remarkable names on the list is Albert T Lewis (1879-80). He came to Lurgan as a boarder to be prepared for admission to a law firm. In 1880 he was admitted to the firm of Malcolm, Boyle and McLean in Dublin. Later, when Lewis was an established Solicitor in Belfast in his own right, he sought out his old Headmaster, Kirkpatrick, to tutor his son for University admission. That son was C S Lewis, the well known Christian apologist, and oxford academic.

The Macoun family were all sons of John Macoun, of Kilmore, one of the proprietors of the Lurgan Weaving Company. One of the sons, William (1884-86) was an Irish International Lacrosse player in the years 1893-97, as well as President of the Ulster Branch of the IRFU.

J G Mahaffy was one of Kirkpatrick's most successful pupils. He regularly featured in the Intermediate Prize lists, and in 1881 gained first place in Ireland in the Intermediate examinations. The story has a sad ending, however. Mahaffy intended to go on to University, but before he could do so, he died, unexpectedly (1883). Kirkpatrick was deeply upset, and arranged for the erection of a memorial to the young man in the Shankill cemetery.

Joseph Mathers (1888-90) was the son of Henry Mathers, of Magheralin. He entered the Methodist ministry, and I have found records of him serving in Lisburn and Lurgan.

The Maxwells were, I think, all related. Joseph (1881-85) became a director in the York Street Flax Spinning Company, while Lowry (1892-6) became a pioneer missionary in Nigeria, translating part of the Bible into Hausa, and producing a grammar of that language.

George T McCaw was the son of Robert McCaw of Teghnevin. He went from Lurgan College to Trinity College, Dublin, where he graduated with an MA in 1892. He served for a number of years in the General Valuation and Boundary Survey of Ireland, before going abroad on survey work, which took him to Rhodesia (1903-6), Uganda (1908-9) and Fiji (1911-15). In 1915 he joined the army as a Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers, and on promotion to Captain, he served on the Headquarters Staff of the Royal Engineers until 1919. From 1919 until his retirement in 1936 he served in the War Office, where he was Secretary of the Air Survey Committee and Joint Secretary of the Colonial Survey and Geophysical Committee. He received the OBE in 1927 and the CMG in 1936.

W R Morrow (1877-78) was another rugby international, winning 9 caps for Ireland.

Possibly the most prominent sportsman ever to come from Lurgan College was James C Parke (1894-99). He was born in Clones in 1881, and I assume he came to the College following the death of his father, since he is shown as having a guardian, rather than a parent. He had a successful academic career in the College, going on to Trinity College, where he studied Law. However, it was in sport that he excelled. Between 1904 and 1909 he was capped 20 times for Ireland in rugby, captaining the side against Scotland and Wales in the 1907-8 season. Unusually, Parke's career spanned two sports, for he was also a top tennis player - arguably the best ever produce by Ireland. He won the Irish Men's Singles Championship eight times, the Doubles four times and the Mixed Doubles twice. He was European Singles Champion twice, and All-England Mixed Doubles Champion four times. On top of all that he was a member of the Davis Cup squad for the years 1908, 1909, 1912, 1913, 1914 and 1920. Parke also had an impressive war record. He was commissioned in the Leinster Regiment, in September 1914. He was wounded twice in action; the first time at Gallipoli in 1915, and again in 1918, while on the Western Front. In 1916 he became a Major, and by 1918 was Battalion Commander. He was mentioned in despatches. The last mention of him I have found was as a lawyer, practising in North Wales in the 1920s.

Two other notable sports-men were the Pedlow brothers (their father was a medical doctor in Lurgan). J Pedlow (1877) was capped twice for Ireland at Rugby, and was, in addition, the Irish 100 yards sprint champion. His brother T B Pedlow was also capped twice in Rugby.

H W A Watson (1886-91) was the eldest son of Hugh Watson, of Lurgan. He was born in 1875, and on leaving Lurgan College he went to the R.I.E. College, Coopers Hill, London. From there, he entered the Indian Forest Service, in 1897. By 1924 he was Chief Conservation Officer (Forests) Burma, a post which he held until 1930. From 1932 until his retirement he was Timber adviser to the High Commissioner for India. He died in 1953. Today he is probably best remembered for the display of Burmese hunting trophies which is still to be seen in the school library.

As can be seen, I have only been able to scrape the surface of the list, and there are still many, many names that I have been unable to trace. I would be most grateful if any reader has information about any of the names on the list that they would be prepared to pass on.