Smyths Of The Bann
written by Paul McCandless

APPENDIX A

ACHIEVEMENTS OF JOHN SMYTH (JNR)

ENGINEERING

As stated previously John Smyth (Jnr) was involved with the construction of the Bann Reservoir. With the increasing amount of industrial activity on the Bann and the shortage of water in the summer months it was vital to ensure a steady water supply, which was so important to the manufacture of linen. It was deemed necessary that something be done to ensure such a supply and, as such, reading from the 'Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland' - 'the Marquis of Downshire and Mr Batt (a Belfast businessman) have now employed engineers to erect a strong dyke across two of the Mourne mountains at the Deer's Meadow and thus form so large a reservoir as to afford a constant supply to all the mills on the River Bann.' This of course would have been an awesome task in the 1830s and construction of such a reservoir didn't take place until the 1950s' (by which time the linen industry was in decline), this being Spelga Dam. Instead, on the recommendation of William Fairbairn of Manchester, one of the foremost engineers of his day, a reservoir was constructed at Lough Island Reavy (known as the Bann Reservoir) and completed in 1840. A secondary reservoir was constructed at the Corbet Lough, the building of which began around the 1840s. The construction of the Bann Reservoir increased the volume of water-power five-fold. Mill owners were charged an annual fee per foot of fall, each foot per fall being the equivalent of 10hp. The collected money was used for the maintenance of the reservoirs and the river.

On the River Bann in 1856, the Smyths of Milltown were paying £138/6s/4d, the height of fall being 13ft and 10ins.

Eventually, with the introduction of the railways in the middle of the 19th Century the use of water-power was greatly reduced and was replaced by coal-fired steam engines, although water was still used for bleaching and dyeing.

RAINFALL RESEARCH

In 1862 John (Jnr) kept records of the rainfall at Lough Island Reavy, with the help of the reservoir caretaker, James Byrne, and also at Milltown. He carried out this task on a regular basis and with great patience for the next 40 years. These records would have been invaluable to the linen industry, providing knowledge of the amount of water stored in the dams of the 'Bann Reservoir Company.' A photograph in this book shows John (Jnr) sitting on the lawns of Milltown House in a little fenced off area recording the latest information from his rain gauge. The gardener is hard at work, while the family are out enjoying the weather! The gauges used varied, some measured 8ins, others 10ins in diameter. The Bann Reservoir gauge was kept 1ft above ground, the gauge at Fofanny was 8ft above ground and the gauge at Milltown, 8ins above ground. The 10in gauge, the largest in County Down, was at Milltown and was kept a staggering 40ft above ground, most likely attached to one of the factory chimneys. It was checked monthly, whilst the rest were checked weekly.

INVENTOR

John (Jnr) was the inventor of an apparatus called the 'Ozonometer.' He also invented an apparatus for testing the water stopping qualities of 'puddle water' and various other substances. He was an expert on bleaching and bleaching machinery, chlorinetry, water-power and rainfall.

AUTHOR

In January 1863 John (Jnr) read a paper written by him entitled 'Irish Linen Bleaching and Bleaching Machinery' to the Institute of Civil Engineers. Firstly he gave a general description of the method of bleaching linen practised in the North of Ireland. He stated that the Milltown works had bleached 20,000 miles of linen in one year and it was there that steam for boiling was first used for driving a steam engine, thus costing nothing extra for the purpose. He related that it was advisable to conduct experiments on bleaching, due to the obvious lack of knowledge on the subject, especially in regard to the effect ozone in the atmosphere had on the colouring matter. Bleaching also required very ingenious machinery, which he described fully. The Chairman on the night, Mr Price, stated that "they were indebted to the linen bleachers of the Bann for one of the finest pieces of engineering in Ireland, namely the Bann Reservoir."

Another paper written by John (Jnr) and entitled 'The Industrial Uses of the Upper Bann River' was read at the Belfast meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science in 1874, after which it was published in their report.

POLITICS

In March 1880 John (Jnr) attended, along with his father, a meeting of the Liberal Association in the Liberal Committee Rooms, Bridge Street, Banbridge on the occasion of the County Down election. They were canvassing for Major Robert Gordon Sharman Crawford. John Smyth (Jnr) spoke, stating the following:
"I have canvassed the electors in Gilford; people have had enough of the present government. The Chancellor came in with £6m surplus, he has now a deficit of £8m. Income tax was 2d in the pound, it is now 5d in the pound. It is time to get rid of the present government and get a new one supported by men like Major Robert Gordon Sharman Crawford."
During the Ulster Convention a meeting was held in the premises of 'Dunbar, McMaster & Co', Gilford at which John (Jnr) was one of the speakers, seconding a resolution forwarded by the Rev William Gordon in support of the Ulster Convention.

TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT

John (Jnr) was a devout member of the Independent Order of Good Templars and was a member of Protection Lodge No: 85 in Milltown, which met on Monday nights at 8pm. The Good Templars was derived from the Knights Templar which was founded in Jerusalem in the 11th Century for the protection of the Holy Scriptures.

The following is an extract from the Banbridge Chronicle:

"On Friday 1st March 1878 the members of Protection Lodge No: 85 entertained their Worthy Chief Templar John Smyth (Jnr) and Mrs Smyth to tea in their Lodge room at Milltown. Among the other guests present were John Smyth (Snr), Miss Anna Smyth, Miss Weir, John Simms (Parkmount). Mr Simms occupied the Chair and made some observations in his usual happy manner. Mr Skelly on behalf of the Lodge presented Mr and Mrs Smyth with a Bible, beautifully bound and containing an illuminated inscription, which read:

TO JOHN SMYTH JNR ESQ AM
AND
MRS SMYTH
FROM THE MEMBERS OF THE LODGE
PROTECTION LODGE NO: 85
WITH EARNEST PRAYER FOR FUTURE WELFARE
15™ JANUARY 1878 AD.

Mr Smyth read his reply which. A varied programme was then gone through including a speech from Mr Smyth, a speech and reading from Mr Skelly as well as readings from Mr Barr, Mr James Watt and recitations by Mr Baillie. These were suitably interspersed with select pieces of instrumental music performed by Master Frederick and Master Edmund McWilliam. A vote of thanks to the Chairman brought a very enjoyable and pleasant evening to a close."

Address to John Smyth (Jnr) Esq MA:

"Dear Sir and Brother - We, the members of Protection Lodge No: 85, Independent Order of Good Templars, desire to congratulate you on your auspicious marriage, and at the same time to express our sincere regard for you as our Worthy Chief Templar. It is well known that you have from early life taken a deep and active interest in the welfare of the people of Milltown and the surrounding locality.

As a strict Total Abstainer, you have set a noble example, while by your voice and your pen you have laboured to promote the sobriety, comfort and happiness of all around.

Whether we reflect upon your character and conduct as President of the Milltown Total Abstinence Society and Band of Hope, or as our Worthy Chief Templar, we feel convinced that you have manifested such an amount of perseverance and earnest effort for the suppression of intemperance, as to call forth our highest admiration and deepest gratitude. Our Good Templar Lodge owes its origin, existence and present position to your unceasing care and vigilance over us during the past six and a half years, while your earnest desire to help forward every good work has secured for you very many friends. A discerning public has not failed to appreciate your many amiable qualities as exhibited both in public and private life, while your gentle demeanour has won for you the respect and esteem of the community at large. And now, dear Sir, we ask your acceptance of this address, accompanied by this Family Bible, which we present to you and your beloved partner, whom we cordially welcome amongst us.

Our sincere wish is that Mrs Smyth and yourself may long enjoy peace and prosperity, and that when your labours here are ended, you may have an abundant entrance into the rest prepared for the people of God." J H Barr and Joseph Kerr, Secretaries. Thomas Baillie, Treasurer.

John's reply:

"Dear Brothers - On the part of my wife and myself, I thank you most heartily for this beautiful Family Bible, and your very kind and encouraging address. We do, and I hope we always shall, hold most precious the Word of God contained in the Scriptures, but we especially treasure it as it is contained in your handsome gift presented to us as a token of your esteem and regard at such an important epoch in both our lives.

We feel most grateful to you for your hearty welcome to Mrs Smyth and your good wishes for our future prosperity and happiness; this we are sure can be attained in no other way than by walking in the Spirit and by the precepts of the Blessed Book you have thus so appropriately and kindly presented to us.

You have alluded in too favourable terms the weak efforts I have made for the advance of the cause of Total Abstinence, and the amelioration of the condition of the people in this neighbourhood. It has no doubt been one of the dearest wishes of my heart, and a duty I as an employer felt to be of paramount importance, to do all I could to promote the happiness and material welfare of those about me. I soon, however, found the drinking habits of society the great obstacle to this end, and hence my chief efforts were directed to their suppression. Had I not, however, been well supported by the old and well tried friends of Total Abstinence here, I could not have maintained my position; amongst these, none have laboured so long for the good cause or more earnestly than my esteemed friend Mr Skelly who, 25 years ago, introduced Total Abstinence into this neighbourhood.

I feel, however, that I have done little compared with what I ought to have done in the good cause, and I thank you most sincerely for your past indulgence and the kind encouragement you are now giving me to make greater efforts in the future."

John Smyth (Jnr) - Milltown, 1st March 1878.

In 1876 John (Jnr) was one of several speakers at the Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Temperance Association where he served as President. It was the first public meeting held in the National School, Church Street, Banbridge. He gave a long and strong address on the greatest evil of all, "intemperance." Other speakers were Samuel John Banks, George Wilson and John Simms.

In March 1877 he gave a lecture on 'Good Templarism' to the Literary and Mutual Improvement Society.
On 31st January 1879, John (Jnr) and his brother Dr Brice Smyth were in attendance at the Ulster Unitarian Christian Association meeting in the Working Men's Institute in Belfast.

John (Jnr) also held the following positions in a variety of other organisations:

President of the Temperance Union and Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Temperance Association.
Trustee of Banbridge Temperance Hall in 1879. (He and John Simms of Parkmount are reputed to
have been responsible for the building of the hall).
Trustee of the Remonstrant Synod.
Trustee of Banbridge Unitarian (Church Square) Church Funds in 1881.
Chairman of the Church Committee.
A Church Leader for 40 years.
Superintendent of the Sunday school for over 50 years.
Vice-President of the local Catch-My-Pal Union.