Why Belfast?
This 1912 map of the north of Ireland shows the location of Belfast at the head of Belfast Lough.
During the 19th century, Belfast experienced enormous industrial growth, much of which was due to the linen industry.
In fact, by 1873, Belfast was the largest linen producing centre in the world and its vast, noisy, damp mills employed thousands of workers.
The sheltered waters of Belfast Lough proved ideal both for trade and for shipbuilding. The Harland & Wolff shipyard, birthplace of Titanic, was formed in 1861. Harland & Wolff’s magnificent twin cranes, Goliath and Samson, built in 1969 and 1974 respectively, still stand guard over the city, evidence that Belfast remains an important port and a gateway to the world.
