Lincoln Avenue lies off the Antrim Road in North Belfast. The surrounding area and nearby New Lodge suffered great damage during the Belfast Blitz.
One of the Luftwaffe’s main targets in the north of the city was Victoria Barracks. A large complex, it took several hits in Easter 1941 but the nearby streets were almost destroyed. These streets bore the brunt of the blanket bombing.
Many people from this area who survived did so by fleeing the city. All around the New Lodge area streets of terraced houses became rubble.
Air Raid Warden Jimmy Doherty lived on Lincoln Avenue. His wartime memories make for great reading in ‘Post 381’. In 2016, Belfast City Council unveiled a plaque on the street. It commemorates those who died during the Belfast Blitz of April and May 1941.
Lincoln Avenue in 1943
The following information is taken from the 1943 Belfast Street Directory.
| Number | First Name(s) | Last Name | Occupation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | Vacant | ||
| 3 | Miss M | Gribben | |
| 4-13 | Vacant | ||
| 15 | H | Holbrook | |
| 16 | TJ | McCoy | |
| 17 | Vacant | ||
| 18 | W | Brennan | Jeweller |
| 19 | J | Donovan | Waiter |
| 20 | J | Hull | |
| 21 | James | McClean | Publican |
| 22 | Thomas | Fitzharris | |
| 23 | Mrs Margaret | Johnston | |
| 24 | John | Martin | Customs Official |
| 25 | John | Daly | |
| 26 | Abraham | Oliver | Agent |
| 27 | Charles | Daley | Labourer |
| 28 | Vacant | ||
| 29 | Mrs K | Montague | |
| 30 | Mrs B | O'Reilly | |
| 31 | William | Minshull | Artist |
| 32 | D | Johnson | Waiter |
| 33 | Mrs M | Cochrane | |
| 34 | Miss Mabel | Milne | |
| 35 | Edward | Magee | Engineer |
| 36 | James | Graham | Chef |
| 37 | Vacant | ||
| 38 | Occupied |