Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,I have been asked to speak on the history of Craigavon House. A House that has seen so many famous figures visit it over the years and sadly they are no longer with us but the House still stands and it is our responsibility to keep safeguard it and its history.
Craigavon House was built in 1870 by accomplished Irish architect Thomas Jackson, for James Craig, the father of Captain James Craig, later Sir and then Lord Craigavon, the first Prime Minister of Northern Ireland.
It was in Craigavon House, in September 1912 that Sir Edward Carson and Sir James Craig formed the Ulster Volunteer Force and from the steps of the house Carson made public the terms of Ulster’s Solemn League and Covenant. When it was rumoured that the authorities planned to arrest the leaders of the U.V.F. Craig ordered that the U.V.F Headquarters be moved from the Old Town Hall in Belfast to Craigavon House, where a special force guarded the U.V.F. leaders twenty-four hours a day.
This special force was made up of volunteers from the Belfast battalions North, South, East and West; and was commanded by Captain Percy Crozier, Commander of the West Belfast Battalion of the U.V.F. Craigavon House was an ideal location being well situated with good communications if required with naval vessels in the Lough and with Carrickfergus on the other side of the Lough in view.
It was also at Craigavon House that the plans to smuggle in guns for the U.V.F. were formulated by Colonel Fred Crawford. The gun-running operation was planned for the night of 24th/25th April 1914. As it turned out these guns were never required as war was declared and the Ulster Division was formed.
In 1915 Craig offered Craigavon House to the Board of Management of the U.V.F. hospitals to be used for the treatment of sick and wounded soldiers. A hospital wing was added to the house containing two wards and was officially opened on the 21st July 1917 by Lady Craigavon. Craigavon House would henceforth be known as “The U.V.F. Hospital”, one of three such hospitals which had opened in the Province.
The hospital was used mainly for the treatment of sick and wounded soldiers, in particular those suffering from nervous complaints. After the war it continued to be used for the care and treatment of ex-servicemen.
A new wing was added in 1969, called the Somme Wing and in 1991 this wing was extended and upgraded to become, in 1992, “The Somme Nursing Home” and on 16th September 1992, the patients moved into the new extension across from Craigavon House.
Sir James Craig came back to Craigavon House as Northern Ireland’s First Prime Minister in 1921 and it was in this very room we stand today that the first Provisional Government of Northern Ireland sat as Parliament Buildings weren’t yet built.
Craigavon House was purchased by the Somme Association in 1990 and it was our Headquarters until 1999 when we relocated to the Somme Heritage Centre beside Clandeboye. The Association has tried tirelessly to raise the funds to restore the house to its former glory. It has been visited by many Politicians over the years in a bid to safeguard its future and the Association has worked on a number of different projects to try and raise the money required but to no avail. Craigavon House is an icon of Unionism and has been through its historical life but it is in fact this very title that has as much condemned it as has preserved it.
The Somme Association is at present looking at the future of Craigavon House and a way forward, to maintain this valuable part of our history and culture. It is therefore poignant that we stand here today in Craigavon House to launch the forthcoming commemorations for the up and coming centenary years.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers who gave up their Sundays to help us tidy the House for today’s event. The Somme Association has a small staff so without this help it wouldn’t have been possible.
Thank you.