6 JOY ST.

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Mid-terrace three-storey rendered house, built c.1840. Rectangular on plan facing west lining the east side of Joy Street forming part of a terrace of four similar houses. Extensively renovated by Hearth Housing Association c.1985.

Pitched natural slate roof with roll-moulded black clay ridge tiles and three rendered profiled chimneystacks with octagonal clay pots, those to either end shared with adjoining houses. Cast-iron guttering to moulded eaves cornice and cast-iron downpipe. Painted ruled and lined rendered walling with moulded plinth course. Square-headed window openings with architrave surrounds, painted masonry sills and replacement 6/6 timber sash windows.

Front elevation is three windows wide incorporating a further doorcase to the south bay, formerly a rear access passage to the terrace. Continuous sill course to ground and first floors. To either end bay is a round-headed door opening with moulded architrave surround and scrolled console brackets having scored render pilasters and replacement timber doorcases, the entrance having replacement flat-panelled timber door and fanlight while the former passageway has vertically-sheeted timber door and overpanel.

North side elevation abutted by adjoining house No.4 (HB26/30/007A).

Rear elevation abutted by gable-ended single-storey return. Asymmetrically-placed square-headed window openings to the rear elevation with 6/6 timber sash windows.

South side elevation abutted by adjoining house No.10 (HB26/30/007C).

Setting:
Forming part of a terrace of four similar houses lining the east side of Joy Street.

Roof Natural slate
RWG Cast-iron
Walling Ruled and lined render
Windows Replacement timber sash

Historical information

No. 6 Joy Street is one of a terrace of four three-storey houses which first appear on the second edition of the Ordnance Survey map in 1858, although it is certain that the terrace was constructed earlier during the late Georgian period; the first edition Ordnance Survey map shows that construction of neighbouring buildings in the area (such as nos 36-46 Hamilton Street HB26/30/009A-F) had commenced by 1832-33. Joy Street had certainly been constructed by 1843 when the Belfast Street Directories first recorded the terrace, although at that time Joy Street was numbered differently.

In 1852 the first confirmed occupant of No. 6 Joy Street was Alexander Grant who was employed as a draper; Griffith’s Valuation records that the house had fallen vacant by 1859 but was reoccupied in that year by a Mr. Thomas Austin who let the property from Robert Beggs; Beggs also owned the rest of the terrace. The valuer described the house as a three-storey B+ Class (‘not new but in sound repair’) dwelling that measured 6 ½ by 9 yds and was valued at £18; the adjoining address, No. 8 Joy Street, has never been used as a dwelling, but at that time was the site of a two-storey stable and loft valued at £2 (the current entrance to No. 8 Joy Street is a dummy door which leads to the rear yards of the adjoining houses).

In 1861, shortly after Griffith’s Valuation, No. 6 Joy Street fell vacant and was not reoccupied until 1884 when a Mr. William Black came into possession. Black resided at the address until c. 1900 when Francis O’Neill, a shoe maker occupied the house; the 1901 Census records that Black, a 48 year old Roman Catholic, lived at No. 6 Joy Street with his wife Agnes (44) and their five children; the 1901 Census Building Return described the house as a 2nd class dwelling which possessed six rooms, however by 1911 this had changed to a 1st class dwelling consisting of nine rooms. Like many of the occupants in Joy Street and Hamilton Street at that time, Black let a number of rooms in his dwelling out to lodgers; in 1901 two English boarders of the ‘theatrical profession’ were staying with Black’s family, whilst likely performing at the nearby music halls or theatres.

The next major change to the site came in 1906 when the entire terrace passed from Robert Beggs into the ownership of a Miss Ann Kelly and was subsequently revalued; No. 6 Joy Street was reduced in value to £17 and then to £16 in the same year. The house changed hands once more between 1915 and 1918 when John Benton, who was employed as a soldier, briefly resided at the address although by 1920 Walter Ainley, a mechanic, had come into possession of the house which he continued to occupy until c. 1940. In 1935 No. 6 Joy Street’s value was recalculated at £23 under the First General Revaluation of Northern Ireland; a second revaluation took place in 1956 which raised the value of the house further to £26 at which it remained until 1972. Walter Ainley vacated No. 6 Joy Street sometime during the 1940s; the next recorded occupant was Robert McMullan, a foreman who resided at the address by 1950. Upon his death in the 1970s McMullan’s widow or daughter Mary McMullan took over possession of the house (Belfast Street Directories, 1950; 1960; 1970; 1980).

Jim O’Hagan records that Joy Street gained its name from a former paper mill in the area which was owned by Henry Joy, a relative of Henry Joy McCracken, the United Irishman; the mill formerly stood at the junction of Ormeau Avenue and Cromac Street and due to the construction of the mill’s dam, acres of land to the south-east of Belfast’s town centre was reclaimed at the turn of the 19th century (O’Hagan, p. 13). Joy Street and the surrounding Markets area was laid out during the late Georgian period, gradually developing southwards from May Street on the reclaimed land. The grandiose redbrick terraces that were erected c. 1830-40 were originally occupied by well respected merchants; however, due in part to the mass influx of working class workers into Belfast in the wake of the Great Famine, by the 1850s the merchant classes abandoned the area, favouring instead the new suburbs in Malone to the south of Belfast.

With the flight of the merchant classes the buildings on Joy Street and Hamilton Street were inhabited by working and lower middle class occupants whilst a number of the large houses were converted into lodging and boarding houses. Further, the establishment of the Queen’s College in 1849 resulted in a large number of student residents inhabiting the markets area where they sought cheap lodgings until c. 1850-70 when the student population moved to lodgings in the immediate vicinity of the university. With the gradual student exodus the lodging houses in Joy Street and Hamilton Street predominantly became the destinations of business lodgers and also musical performers that performed at the nearby Music Halls. The occupational history of No. 6 Joy Street shows that the building was one of the many buildings in the area that was sometimes utilised as a lodging house and did indeed accommodate performers; although in later years was used as a private dwelling (Brett and McKinstry, pp 2-6).

The terrace was badly damaged in the mid-1970s when a bomb destroyed the end terrace dwelling; the Northern Ireland Housing Executive later sold the terrace to the Hearth Housing Association who restored nos 4 and 6, rebuilt No. 10 and erected two flats on the site of the destroyed No. 12 Joy Street in 1989-90 (Brett and McKinstry, p. 12; Larmour, p. 8). No. 6 Joy Street was listed in 1987, continues to be occupied, and is still owned by the Hearth Housing Association.

References

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/1/61/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1832-33
2. PRONI OS/6/1/61/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1858
3. PRONI OS/6/1/61/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1901-02
4. PRONI OS/6/1/61/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1931
5. PRONI OS/6/1/61/5 – Fifth Edition Ordnance Survey Map 1938
6. PRONI VAL/2/B/7/1B – Griffith’s Valuation 1859
7. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/A/1 - Annual Revisions 1863-1881
8. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/A/24 - Annual Revisions 1882-1896
9. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/A/35 - Annual Revisions 1897-1905
10. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/P/2 - Annual Revisions 1906-1915
11. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/P/5 - Annual Revisions 1915-1930
12. PRONI VAL/3/B/3/21 – First General Revaluation of Northern Ireland 1935
13. PRONI VAL/4/B/7/50 – Second General Revaluation of Northern Ireland 1956-1972
14. Belfast Street Directories (1843; 1852; 1861; 1901; 1910; 1918; 1920-21; 1930; 1940; 1950; 1960; 1970; 1980).
15. Census of Ireland (1901; 1911)

Secondary Sources

1. Brett, C. E. B; McKinstry, TR. J., ‘Survey and recommendations for the Joy Street and Hamilton Street District of Belfast’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1971.
2. Larmour, P., ‘Belfast: An illustrated architectural guide’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1987.
3. O’Hagan, J., ‘The streets where we lived’ Belfast: Unknown Publisher, 2006.
4. Patton, M., ‘Central Belfast: An historical gazetteer’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1993.
5. First Survey Record – HB26/30/007B (1987).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
I. Quality and survival of Interior
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
R. Age
S. Authenticity

Evaluation

Mid-terrace three-storey rendered house, built c.1840. Located on the east side of Joy Street in Belfast city centre, forming part of a terrace of four similar houses. The building displays proportions and detailing typical of the Georgian period. Restored in recent years in a sensitive manner by Hearth Housing Association c.1985 much of the architectural fabric remains intact. Externally the building has retained much of its historic fabric with appropriate alterations. Although the interior has been modified, the layout and features of interest have largely remained unaltered. Number 6 adds significant value to the group as a whole, retaining the style and proportions of the terrace and contributing positively to its historic character.