42 VICTORIA SQUARE

The Department's description

Historical information

The present Victoria Square is compromised of three blocks of dwellings developed in stages between 1882 and 1903, with several detached other properties to the north and south sides added at various stages in the mid to later 20th century. The Square opens off Shore Road, which was cut in 1877 to accommodate the new Warrenpoint and Rostrevor Tramline, and which undoubtedly helped spur the development of this particular part of the village. The first of the three blocks, built in or just before 1882, was the pair of semis to the south-eastern corner, present nos.42-44, originally known as ‘Glenmore Terrace’. This was followed by Victoria Terrace (nos.34-38) on the eastern side in 1886-87, and Albert Terrace (nos.14-22) to the north, between 1898 and 1903.

This house and its attached neighbour - collectively named ‘Glenmore Terrace’ - were constructed in 1882 by John Mahood (for more on the Mahood family and their developments in this area see HB16/06/064A-E), but the identity of the architect is not known. According to the valuation records, the original occupant of no.42 was Emma Elizabeth Saurin (or Saurine) in 1883, succeeded by Elizabeth E. Mahood (the same person?) in 1893, Sarah Gilchrist in 1905, a ‘Miss Laing’ in 1912, Robert W. Rolston in 1916 and Sarah R. McFadden and Agnes Rose in 1917. Madeline Stewart had acquired the house and was living there by 1936 (by which time the building had assumed the name 'Craig-a-va'),, with Jean Hardy recorded as the owner / occupant from 1962 until at least 1972.

References - Primary sources
1 PRONI VAL12B/19/21A-F, Rostrevor ED - 1865-1929
2 OS map, Co. Down sheet 54 - 1902
3 OS map, Co. Down sheet 54 - 1919
4 PRONI VAL3C/4/23 First General Revaluation of NI, Rostrevor ED - 1936-57
5 OS map, Co. Down sheet 54 - 1950
6 PRONI VAL4B/3/81 Second General Revaluation of NI, Rostrevor ED - 1956-72
7 OS map, sheet 277 - 1979