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Andrew Crawford
"It was a rich gold orange colour... even better than I had expected..."
The Story
After a long day at work, Andrew took his pay packet and made his way to Stone's shop in Cromac Square, full of anticipation at the thought of owning a new bicycle. Stone's beautiful shop was a place where people felt at ease and removed from the worries of Belfast in the late '70s. Andrew's journey home was not quite what he had expected however...
Comments
Name: Marie Roos
Date: 19/08/2008
Comment: My grandfather's name is Arthur Benjamin Pyne. Do you have anyone with those names and anybody who recognises the name in your family? We live in South Africa but my grandfather is from the British Isles. He is 91.
Name: Rowan McLaughlin
Date: 18/10/2007
Comment: Great story. George Stone (Raymond's father, presumably) actually made bicycle frames in the Cromac Square premesis. My father has one of these bicycles -- his is from the 1950's. Even today, it is a very fine machine to ride.
Name: Patricia Pyne
Date: 17/10/2007
Comment: Fred says he well remembers Stone's cycle shop. In fact, he bought our daughter's first bike there. He remembers an old man and his son. He thinks the father was known as Geordie and the son Raymond. Your account made him very nostalgic also because his grand-uncle was long-distance champion of Ireland between 1897-1900 and he took part in the 6-day race for the championship of the world in New York, San Francisco and Paris. Fred has a great photo of him on his bike.
You told your story very well and I am sure reminded lots of people of Cromac Sq and that row of shops. The rates, we hope, were very low in those times.
You have a very good speaking voice and great ability to tell a story.
Patricia
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