Parliamentary boundary post, In front of 89 Glen Road, Belfast, County Antrim

Parliamentary Boundary Post, Glen Road, Belfast

This cast-iron boundary post dates from 1918 and marks the outer extent of the administrative jurisdiction of Belfast Corporation (the former name of Belfast City Council) and the parliamentary boundary of Falls Division and municipal boundary of Falls Ward. It is set into the footpath on the north side of Glen Road, in front of a row of shops at number 89, with the footpath separated from the shops by an access road.

The post is constructed of cast iron with a tapered cylindrical profile. It comprises an octagonal base and collar, a tapered cylindrical drum embellished with a shield bearing the coat of arms of Belfast Corporation positioned directly above a circular plaque attached with four countersunk screws. The plaque bears the inscription "Parliamentary and Municipal Boundary of Belfast, Falls Division, Falls Ward, 1918". Above this rises a dentilled capital and octagonal cap, crowned by a further circular cap with radial fluting and ball finial. The secure embedding in the pavement reflects the need for durability and tamper-proofing. The footpath has been re-flagged in limestone; one of the flags beside the post bears an enlarged replica of the coat of arms and inscription in abbreviated form. A cast-metal cap giving access to a water main valve is set into the footpath immediately west of the post.

The post exhibits a degree of decoration beyond that necessitated by its utilitarian function. It marks an invisible political boundary at this particular spot and has group value with other boundary posts elsewhere in Belfast, which together form probably the most complete group of administrative markers in the Province.

Historical Context

Under the Local Government Act 1898, the County of the Borough of Belfast was created and enacted the following year. The new borough was divided into four parliamentary constituencies for Westminster elections—North, East, West and South—each with its own Member of Parliament. Under the Redistribution of Seats (Ireland) Act 1918, the existing four constituencies were abolished and increased to nine: Cromac, Duncairn, Falls, Ormeau, Pottinger, St Anne's, Shankill, Victoria, and Woodvale. Each new parliamentary division encompassed one or several municipal wards used for elections to Belfast Corporation. Falls Division encompassed the municipal wards of Falls and Smithfield. This particular post marks the boundary of the Falls parliamentary and ward divisions.

These new constituencies were first used in the General Election of 14 December 1918, held just over a month after the cessation of the First World War. This election took place under the Representation of the People Act 1918, also known as the Fourth Reform Act. It is of special historical significance as it was the first election in which all men over 21 years of age and all women over 30 could vote, representing a major expansion from the previous restriction to male property owners only. It was also the first election to be completed within a single day, whereas previously elections were spread over several weeks.

With the inception of the devolved parliament for Northern Ireland in 1922, the number of Westminster MPs was greatly reduced. Falls parliamentary constituency, created only four years before, was abolished and the previous seat of West Belfast was restored. However, municipal wards continued to be used for local elections, although some, including Falls, have since been reconfigured and renamed.

The boundary of the County Borough of Belfast is clearly marked on the 1901 six- and 25-inch Ordnance Survey maps with a boundary post noted on the south side of the road; none is marked on the north side at this time. The post under review on the north side first appears, along with the south one, on the 1920 map at both scales, and on all subsequent editions (1931, 1938 and 1959), being cited as 'BPs'. Belfast Corporation was superseded by Belfast City Council in 1973 with its jurisdiction extended beyond its former borough boundary. This post now lies within Upper Falls Electoral Division and within Glen Road Ward.

Many of these posts have succumbed to road widening and random removal. The post on the opposite side of Glen Road, for which no trace survives, is a case in point. This particular example is now comparatively rare, making it of considerable importance as a tangible reminder of a pivotal moment in British and Irish electoral history and a short-lived period in the Province's political development.