Nestling in the heartland of the former shipbuilding community of East Belfast, Templemore Avenue holds a rich heritage.
The centre of this historic community was the Harland & Wolff shipyard, famous as the birthplace of the Titanic, built between 1909 and 1912. At the time, some 15,000 people – mainly men – worked at the shipyard.
Most of them lived in the streets neighbouring the Yard, many of these streets since lost through redevelopment. But one can see from old streetmaps line after line of these narrow terraced streets, many of which abutted Templemore Avenue.
While the shipyard was the major employer to the community, this area of East Belfast was a hub of industrial activity at that time.
The Belfast Ropeworks, St. Ann’s Iron Works, Belfast Felt Works, Cromac and Avoneil Distilleries, the Jam Factory, Loopbridge Printing Works, the Weaving Works, and much more besides provided employment.
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