THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: Deputation meets railway company to discuss Sunday trains

A large and representative deputation had met the directors of the Belfast and County Down Railway Company to urge them “to discontinue the inducements held out to the public to travel for pleasure on Sundays”, reported the News Letter.

The Dean of Connor introduced the deputation to the directors and state that there was a very strong Christian sentiment existing among the public against “the tempting facilities presented by the train and steamboat arrangements on the Sabbath”.

He said that these inducements were encouraging the multitudes to “turn the day of rest into a season of worldly recreation, and often into a scene of drunkenness and dissipation”.

Mr James Morrell who represented the city of Belfast was critical of the railway company exploiting Sunday for their financial gain, he remarked: “Such efforts to increase dividends will not secure the true prosperity of the company, for this could not be secured by a breach of the Divine Law.”

The chairman of the company (Mr Thomas Andrews) thanked the members of the deputation for their attendance and for the manner in which they had placed their views before the board.

He assured them that the representations made that day would “receive careful consideration” on the part of the directors at an early date.

The Dean of Connor having thanked the directors for the courteous manner in which they had been received, the deputation withdrew.