Warnock Family History at Fortfield , Ballyferris
The text which follows was created by my grandfather (Dr H.A.Warnock) who lived
at Fortfield , Ballyferris between 1935 – 1990 (part-time to 1968 and full-time from
1968) and is repeated verbatim from his handwritten notebook - - “”The Warnocks came over from Scotland (from Warnockland near Fenwick in
S.W.Scotland – see photo of current home) at the time of the plantation in King James
1st reign in the early years of the seventeenth century – about 1610. The two planters
in the Ards were Hugh Montgomery and James Hamilton . Montgomery got
Greyabbey ,Newtownards, Donaghadee and Comber while Hamilton got Bangor,
Holywood and Ballywalter . Warnocks seem to have come with both families , as
there is early evidence of them both at Greyabbey (Ballybryan) and Ballywalter
(Ballyferris ) . Tradition has it that they were at Ballyferris at the time of the 1641
rebellion.
The first two Warnocks at Ballyferris were probably named John. There are two
John”s in the Old Muster Rolls in 1631.One in Montgomery”s list and the other in
Hamilton”s list – copies of these rolls were in the Presbyterian Historical Society at
Church House but have been transferred to the Public Record Office. Ballyferris was
part of Hamilton”s land. The John Warnock on Isabele Warnock”s headstone in
Whitechurch cemetery was probably her brother , and probably the occupier of
Ballyferris at that time . Next at Ballyferris was William (b1669) who married Jean
Parke (b.1675). He had a brother called John. William had three sons John , James
and Hugh (b.1715). John and James remained unmarried and Hugh the youngest son
went to part of the farm “up the fields”. This part of the farm was last occupied by the
Johnston family who worked to my uncles .Mrs Agnes Johnston – widow - was the
last resident .
The first house built at Ballyferris was to the south of the present workshop – near
where the glasshouse is erected .The corner stone was visible on the south side of the
wall until the avenue had tarmac laid. John and James Warnock , the two unmarried
brothers lived in a house situated where the back return of the present dwelling house
is built . They had a housekeeper called Jenny O”Cork. (Jenny O”Cork”s rock was
stated by my uncles to have been called after her) Hugh married Elizabeth
McCormick - they had two sons Andrew who died young and William who married
Isabella Askin. William came down to the old farm and built a house where the
present workshop is situated. They had a large family. One son Hugh (b1773) married
a Jane McCormick (b.1779) and went to live in the farm “up the fields”. Most of their
family went to America , but their son James (unmarried) was the last owner
occupant. He had an unmarried sister Jane who lived with him . James sold it to my
grandfather – his cousin James.
Another son William (b.1782) – my great grandfather married Jane Byers (b.1787)
and remained in the home farm. William probably rebuilt the house where the present
back return to the dwelling house is situated. His wife was probably a keen gardener
as she brought a monthly (special ) rose to Ballyferris with her . The present one is
still probably a “slip” of it ( located in our wall garden ).The old Sun Dial (also
located in our wall garden) was given to William by Alexander McKenzie , a school
teacher,who lived at Dunover – see gravestone. Whitechurch Cemetery page 47) .
William took a lot to do with the building of 1st. Ballywalter Presbyterian Church in
1820 , at the time the congregation was divided when the Rev.Duff Gibson came to
Ballywalter. His name is on the old churchhouse for the ground. He seems to have
been a reader and probably not too good a farmer, as the farm was in a very poor way
when his son James (b.1822) took over the management in 1842. Most of William”s
family went to America . William (b.!810) went to his grandfather”s farm (Byers) at
Ganaway. He eventually sold that farm and lived at Ballywhiskin on the main road to
Millisle. He had two children Rev.James Warnock M.A.,B.D. – Minister of St. John”s
Presbyterian Church, Warrington, Lancashire and Jane (unmarried) who lived in
Millisle. William”s wife was Mary McKee.
William (b.1782) son Samuel (b.1817) also went to a farm at Ganaway – at present –
an outfarm owned by Henry McCracken-Ralston –at the corner of the Ganaway
Road,first on right past Henry”s main farm. Samuel improved this farm, which had
been in very poor condition and “full of rocks”, but the landlord kept putting up the
rent after each improvement and Samuel decided to go to America (1848-1849) – see
his original letters to his father (in my Fortfield files) . His first wife died shortly after
they landed in America and he subsequently married her younger sister. Their name
was Campbell. Three other brothers John(b.1820) , Hugh (b.1825) and Campbell
(B1831)also went to America at this time . See John and Hugh”s letters ) John”s first
wife was Mary Campbell and his second Eliza Ralston – his cousin. He has
descendants in America - several have visited Fortfield. Hugh”s wife was Martha
Davidson – he had one child a boy James – who had two daughters – see photos in the
album. Campbell was last hear of in New York in the late 1860”s. He did not keep in
touch with Ballyferris. A daughter of William (b.1782) Elizabeth also went to
America and she married a man called McCormick. Another son Alexander (b1828)
was lost at sea – he was an apprentice at the time and was lost somewhere about the
entrance to the Mersey – probably washed overboard in a storm when adjusting sails see old letters from Samuel , John , Hugh and Alexander to their father in our
Fortfield files..
My grandfather after a short time at cabinet-making in Newtownards came back to the
farm and during his lifetime made many improvements . He had an uphill task when
he took over in the early 1840s as he had to pay off debts and suffered from the
“potato blight” during the potato famine. He married Elizabeth Purse (b.1824) of
Ballywalter. His three surviving unmarried children remained on the home farm. His
son Hugh , my father (b.1858) married Mary Jane Gilmore on an adjoining farm – the
present “Rockmore” – the new house there was built by my father about 1908-1909.
The current house at Ballyferris (Fortfield) was built in my grandfather”s time . My
father attended the masons during the building and wheeled the bricks up a ramp to
the chimneys. My grandfather died shortly after the house was finished in 1889 –
acute strangulated hernia. When he took over Ballyferris it was only 26 Cunningham
acres .He soon acquired more which were being given up by his Uncle Hugh
Warnock. Later he bought Peggy Morrison”s farm 1868, his cousin James in 1876
and John Gilmores” (Ballyferris – not my grandfather) in 1879.My father received
John Gilmore”s farm when he was married . He had also been given 12 acres of
Grandfathers cousin James Warnock farm in Whitechurch – the Halves and the Mares
– but sold them back to my uncles as the fields were too far away from his own farm
.My Uncle William had been given the Ballyferris part of this farm – about 12 – 13
acres .
My Uncles bought Pattersons farm from Ewart Gibson in 1901. The part of
Patterson”s farm north of Ballyferris farm was originally owned by a John Warnock ,
a cousin of the Ballyferris Warnocks. He died and left a wife and two small girls .The
landlord took the farm from her and gave it to a Billy Ferrie who “looked after the
shore” i.e. collected money for the seaweed. The house was somewhere about where
the present extension to the new piggery is situated (now the Entertainment and
Games Centre) and there was a well at the bottom of the garden about where the trees
where in the old plantation (now the pitch and putt golf course / croquet lawn). A
young child of the Ferries was drowned in this well soon after they came to
Ballyferris. Patterson”s farm was at the north side of James Warnock”s of the “up the
fields” farm. John Patterson”s son John married Billie Ferrie”s daughter Jane and
probably built the present house after the house was signed over.
My Uncle William was an apprentice in the Drawing Office of the shipyard in Belfast
(H&W) but decided to come home to the farm. He developed a steam threshing
business at Ballyferris and at one time had six or seven machines on the road.(His
business accounts for 1909/1910 are in the Fortfield files). They were sold after the
1914-1918 War. He was also a J.P and a member of the Board of Guardians and Rural
District Council. He also took an active part in the Farmers Union and had a great
interest in land reform.He took a stroke about 1922 and was a semi-invalid until he
died in 1930. He had one of the first motor cars in the district - a Chambers built in
University Street , Belfast – like the one now in the museum . Then he had a Model T
Ford – I used to drive it. My Uncle John did most of the active farming while Uncle
William did the marketing etc. After Uncle William died Uncle John farmed on his
own until he died in 1935 – pulmonary embolism after a prostrate operation. He
rebuilt the back return of the house in 1932. My Aunt lived in the house with a
companion help (Miss Elsie Lewis) until she died in 1959 – aged 98.
In 1935 a few months before his operation my Uncle John decided to employ a
working foreman, so that he could carry on the farm while my Uncle was recovering
from his operation in the Nursing Home.The man employed was William Dunn an
unmarried man who lived at Drumkirk near Newtownards. He had his meals in the
house and slept in an outside loft (Dunn”s loft – upper floor in the pre1991 back
return). When my uncle died in May of that year I continued his employment as a
farm foreman. He decided to get married and the bungalow ( No.174) was built for
him in 1936-1937 (Builder Robert Garrett of Ballywalter). The Second World War
commenced in 1939 and consequently the area of tillage had to be increased. The first
tractor was purchased at the beginning of the War – a Fordson with iron wheels –
previously it was all horses. Early in the War two tall 320” ft wireless pylons were
erected by the Air Ministry in the fields at the west end of Pattersons back road – in
the current Shed Field. These were for long distance wireless transmission during the
war. The transmitters were on Lyon”s farm on the Greystone Road and the personnel
were billeted at the Bairdstown Road – Robinsons and Rockmore. William Dunn was
a sergeant in the part-time Home Guard during the War. He left to go to a job as
foreman to the Rural District Council. He was succeeded by William Jackson who
had been employed for a year or two on the farm. He came from County Monaghan
and lived with his wife and children while he was with me in part of Patterson”s
house. He eventually bought a small farm in Co.Armagh – as he was worried about
his work permit being revoked – in Richhill – market gardening. David Morrow from
Ballydrain succeeded him. He had moved to the Bungalow after William Dunn left –
William Jackson preferred to continue at Patterson”s where he had a fair piece of
garden – now taken into the Acre Field. David Morrow continued until George
(Little) took over the management in the autumn of 1956 .The bungalow remained
vacant until Robert Warnock came to it from Tyrone in February 1960.
While I carried on the farm I was greatly helped in the purchase and sale of cattle ,
first by Mr Robert McBurney (my father-in-law), who also gave me much useful help
and advice with the farming . When he was no longer able to make the journey to the
Belfast markets Mr Samuel Herron (John”s father) took over the buying and selling of
the cattle and gave me much helpful advice. Repair work on the farm was carried out
by a local carpenter George Newell , and when he was no longer able Mr Malcolm
Mckibbin of the firm Messrs H & J McKibbin , Belfast assisted me by sending down
his workmen , usually during my summer holidays . I met Mr McKibbin at the Boys
Brigade camp at Ganaway and he took a great interest in Fortfield and the farm
generally. Mr John McVeigh also helped out from year to year with the harvesting
and marketing of the potato crop. To all these I was greatly indebted for the carrying
on of the farm until George (Little) my son-in-law took over in 1956. On the female
side my Aunt Mary , Jane Warnock, Miss Boyd and Miss Lewis carried on the
household duties . Miss Lewis also nursed my aunt in her later years when she was
confined for a long time .
Arabelle, Rosemary and Aileen did their share well , and “turned in” for everything
when required , from weeding the fields with Neddie, the donkey ,to making Irish
Stew for the potato squads from Belfast.”” - end of text by Dr Hugh A. Warnock.
Start of text by Brian A.Little ( his grandson and current resident of
Ballyferris/Fortfield).
Dr Hugh A. Warnock died 2.5.93 in Movilla Nursing Home
He left Fortfield in October 1990 and lived with my father and mother at Killyvolgan
– with his wife Arabelle - until they both required continual nursing care. After he left
Fortfield my family (Brian , Jackie ,Kimberly ,Caroline and Lorraine Little) - as
always planned within our family -began an extensive refurbishment / addition of
Front Porch and Conservatory to the main Fortfield House – under the daily
supervision of my father. .McGimpsey and Kane carried out the work with other
trades engaged as necessary . We moved into Fortfield in July 1991 (leaving our
Corernagh bungalow in Killyvolgan for later sale) and completed the House-Based
refurbishment activities by August 1991. While my grandfather (Dr Hugh Warnock)
was never well enough to visit after August 1991 we were able to show him
photographs at the Nursing Home. Arabelle (my grandmother) did visit Fortfield in
1992 and she finally passed away after a long illness on 17 February 1999.
When the Ballyferris/Fortfield farm was no longer actively farmed by my parents we
began a major renovation/transformation of the farm outbuildings commencing in
November 1996 and completing in July 2001. My father commenced this work with a
replacement Shed in November 1996 but unfortunately died tragically in October
1997. This work however carried on with the primary building work being done by
Mr Eric Thompson and his colleagues and using many of the other tradesmen who
had worked with us over the years . All of the major work was completed in July 2001
and while there has been no new building space all of our previous outbuildings (and
landscaping) have been restored and transformed into an idyllic country home and
property.
Note - Our surrounding farmland has been generally reviewed for long-term retention
or sale and where retained is now the subject of conacre letting to local farmers.