26 



idea that honorary membership should only be con- 

 ferred on "big-wigs" who had done little for the Club, 

 while hard-working members, who had conferred on it 

 considerable benefit, should go unhonoured. But Gray 

 did good work for the City by his persistent and 

 ultimately successful advocacy of the adoption of the 

 Public Libraries Act. He died in 1917. 



His successor in the Chair was Robert Young, 

 afterwards the Right Honourable Robert Young, a 

 well-known Belfast architect. He was a pupil of Sir 

 Charles Lanyon, County Surveyor of Antrim, and 

 acted for a time as his chief assistant in railway con- 

 struction, bridge building, and similar work — the 

 three-arched viaduct spanning Glendun was his design. 

 He also acted as resident engineer at Athlone for 

 William Dargan when the railway from Dublin was 

 being made. Mr. Young was an enthusiastic archaeolo- 

 gist, and an ardent student of ancient Irish music. 

 When I knew him he was almost 90, vigorous and 

 energetic, and exceedingly kindly and courteous. He 

 died in 1917, at the age of 95. 



Lieutenant-General Smythe, of Abbeyville, White- 

 abbey, succeeded Mr. Young as President. He joined 

 the Club about 1876, and died about 1888. His chief 

 interest was archaeology. Many of us are familiar with 

 the fine Celtic cross erected over his grave in Cam- 

 money churchyard. 



William Hugh Patterson followed for two years. 

 I have already referred to him as a member of the first 

 Committee. Then Canon Grainger was again called to 

 the Chair for a couple of years, and was succeeded by 

 Hugh Robinson, another member of the first Com- 

 mittee, followed by William Gray for a second term of 

 office. That brings us down to 1891, when John Viny- 

 comb became President. He was for many years head 

 of the art department in Marcus Ward's. His 

 reputation as an artist rests chiefly on his work as a 

 designer of ex libris. Some of his heraldic bookplates 

 are masterpieces. 



William Swanston, a manufacturer of linen com- 

 modities, followed Vinycomb. He joined the Club in 

 1867, became a member of Committee in 1869, and was 

 Secretary from 1875 till 1890 (15 years), when he 

 became Librarian. In 1894 he was elected an Honorary 

 Member, and he was the first recipient of the Club 



