Ghosts of the Shankill

The astonishing true story George Henry Thompson - a Black man who found himself leading a 2,000 strong Protestant mob in fierce sectarian rioting that tore Belfast apart in August 1872. This caused a meltdown in sections of the press and earned him a 2 year prison sentence with hard labour. But who was he? Where was he from and what was he doing in Belfast? Was he really a loyalist fanatic and what became of him after he was released from prison?

Meticulously researched, this book answers those questions. The Belfast of that time, then nicknamed 'Linenopolis' and the 'Athens of Ireland', is vividly brought to life - an industrial powerhouse with a very seedy underbelly. The cause of the riots and impact of them is clearly explained. We learn of Thompson's unusual connection to the highwayman Dick Turpin; the editorials and songs that were written about him; the brave Catholic woman called Margaret who suffered terribly in the rioting but refused to condemn him at his trial; a possible child that was left behind in Ireland; appearances at Grand Nationals and the Mossley Wakes in Lancashire and much, much more.

Tangent tales of those who interacted with Thompson - and some who did not are also included - such as the Italian artist Felice Piccione, who also left his mark on Belfast, and Christina Galbraith Richmond, the harp playing Scottish lady who made history at Magherafelt in 1908.

Ghosts of the Shankill is a searing slice of social history that paints an incredible picture of the life and times of a Black man living at the margins of society during the reign of Queen Victoria.