All of these photographs date from September 1982, so they are over 40 years old.
The first of our photographs shows Lord O’Neill, chairman of the Northern Ireland Regional Committee of the National Trust, pictured in September 1982 when he officially opened the new National Trust shop and information centre at Botanic Avenue in Belfast.
He is pictured with Mrs Dorothy Conway, the shop’s manageress. He told the News Letter: “What we want to do is to spread the good word about the what we [the Trust] do for the province.”
He described the new shop as a “brave venture”.
Another of our photographs shows Sammy Close from Forthriver Road, Belfast, strumming the unemployment blues and hoping to hit the right notes that would land him his first job in four years He is pictured outside Belfast City Hall in September 1982.
He was hoping to emulate the success of a Londonderry man named Michael McCarron whose sit-down protest at the Guildhall had got him a job.
Sammy told the News Letter: “I have tried everything else. I have applied for hundreds of jobs. I went to England and then to Dublin but there was nothing there. I did a bit of busking to get my fare back to Belfast.”
He added: “People have been great – they have come over and talked to me, and even though I’m not collecting for myself, they have stuffed money into my pocket."
And one of the photographs from the News Letter's sporting archive shows Jim McIlwaine (Carrickfergus) drives off at the fourth tee at Malone during the Ulster final of the Barton Shield in September 1982. Included are Michael Hoey and his brother Brian (Shandon Park).
If you have any old photographs that you would like to share with News Letter readers, email [email protected].
He is pictured with Mrs Dorothy Conway, the shop’s manageress. He told the News Letter: “What we want to do is to spread the good word about the what we [the Trust] do for the province.”
![Pictured in September 1982 holding the Ransome Trophy for floral design which they won at Ayr are members of the Belfast Parks Department who made a fountain the centrepiece of their display in the City of Belfast Flower Show at Maysfield Leisure Centre. They are, Mr Craig Wallace, director of parks, centre, Mr Reggie Maxwell, area manager and leader of the parks display team and gardener Angela McDowell](https://www.newsletter.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOmIwYTZjYjVlLTg5YTItNDQxNy1hMzQ3LTAxZmIwZjk2YmU5Njo0ZTNlNDI5ZS1kOTQ4LTQ3OGYtYWE2NC0zYWIwNmUyMDcwNTg=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=640)
13. The City of Belfast Flower Show at the Maysfield Leisure Centre
Pictured in September 1982 holding the Ransome Trophy for floral design which they won at Ayr are members of the Belfast Parks Department who made a fountain the centrepiece of their display in the City of Belfast Flower Show at Maysfield Leisure Centre. They are, Mr Craig Wallace, director of parks, centre, Mr Reggie Maxwell, area manager and leader of the parks display team and gardener Angela McDowellPhoto: News Letter archives
![Four Ballynahinch pupils beat off sixth form opposition in Manchester and impressed experts in Glasgow to win the British Institute of Management-Information Technology 1982 schools competition - without even leaving Northern Ireland. The Convent of the Assumption Grammar School, Ballynahinch team, Brenda Cavanagh, left, Carmel O’Reilly, Martina Dunlop and Ursula O’Neill are pictured receiving their prizes in September 1982 from Mr Brian Millar, second left, British Telecom planning services controller and Mr Archie McCulloch, chairman (Northern Ireland) British Institute of Management. British Telecom had setup a three-way telecommunications “miracle” to stage the United Kingdom finals of the schools competition. The transmission, from Churchill House, Belfast, inaugurated British Telecom’s Confravision system.
Picture: News Letter archives](https://www.newsletter.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOmUyYzlhNzE1LTI0NmItNDhhNS1iMzE4LTRjMzViN2QxNDU2Zjo5YzljOTkzNC1mYWZhLTQzYTktOGQzMy0xMGRkZTZmYzg2MDU=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=640)
14. Management-Information Technology 1982 schools competition
Four Ballynahinch pupils beat off sixth form opposition in Manchester and impressed experts in Glasgow to win the British Institute of Management-Information Technology 1982 schools competition - without even leaving Northern Ireland. The Convent of the Assumption Grammar School, Ballynahinch team, Brenda Cavanagh, left, Carmel O’Reilly, Martina Dunlop and Ursula O’Neill are pictured receiving their prizes in September 1982 from Mr Brian Millar, second left, British Telecom planning services controller and Mr Archie McCulloch, chairman (Northern Ireland) British Institute of Management. British Telecom had setup a three-way telecommunications “miracle” to stage the United Kingdom finals of the schools competition. The transmission, from Churchill House, Belfast, inaugurated British Telecom’s Confravision system. Picture: News Letter archivesPhoto: News Letter archives
![Competitors Mrs Sandra Forshaw, Mrs Elizabeth Dickey and Mrs Rita Boyd show some of the floral displays in the annual Rotary Club Show to president Jack Megarry and his wife Sandra, second from right, in September 1982](https://www.newsletter.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjYwOWI2ZTIyLTBhNWItNDgzMS1iY2Y1LWIxOTkxMDk1ZWE1Njo4NTMyYjk1YS05MGMzLTRjNWMtOTQ1YS1kZGVkZDM4YWM3MGI=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=640)
15. Floral displays at annual Rotary Club Show
Competitors Mrs Sandra Forshaw, Mrs Elizabeth Dickey and Mrs Rita Boyd show some of the floral displays in the annual Rotary Club Show to president Jack Megarry and his wife Sandra, second from right, in September 1982Photo: News Letter archives
![Education Minister, Nicholas Scott, visited the home of Ulster Rugby at Ravenhill Rugby Ground in Belfast in September 1982. He inspected the massive ground improvement that was taking place at the venue. He is pictured during his visit with the president of the Ulster Branch IRFU, Mr T G Lindsay, second left, Mr Fred Wilson, left, Mr John Saulters and Mr Charlie Wright](https://www.newsletter.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjhiYmJmYzVmLTc2NmEtNDE3Yi05M2E5LTU0NzI5OWFjYzJiMzo2YjRmMGVhNS1jMWE2LTRjODAtYmMyMC02MGMxOWU2MTRiYTE=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=640)
16. Education Minister visits Ulster Rugby at Ravenhill Rugby Ground
Education Minister, Nicholas Scott, visited the home of Ulster Rugby at Ravenhill Rugby Ground in Belfast in September 1982. He inspected the massive ground improvement that was taking place at the venue. He is pictured during his visit with the president of the Ulster Branch IRFU, Mr T G Lindsay, second left, Mr Fred Wilson, left, Mr John Saulters and Mr Charlie WrightPhoto: News Letter archives