Marjorie Lyle

Miss Marjorie K Lyle was the first female insurance broker in Ireland, a local councillor in Portrush and founder member of the Ulster Enterprise Voluntary Committee which superseded LEDH.

She was a member of the Alliance Party from its inception and started her own firm in Portrush in the 1930s before moving to Belfast and then London.

When she sold her business and retired she was able to finance writing her book, ‘Out of the Past’, based on family letter and diaries.

Researcher: Gillian Popplestone

PRONI Reference for Diaries: D3601/2/D/15

Marjorie Lyle. © PRONI: D3601/2/2

Marjorie Lyle. © PRONI: D3601/3/3

Marjorie's 1973 Diary. © PRONI: D3601/2/D/15

Bio & Researcher's Notes

Marjorie Lyle Diary Entries

4th January, 1973

Memory alone is not an adequate guide...

14th January, 1973

Will these horrors never cease...

7th February, 1973

There was much intimidation and hooliganism as was to be expected...

26th February, 1973

I felt wretched, really quite ill...

8th March, 1973

There was trouble last night in Belfast…

17th March, 1973

Good day worked 2 hours on the book...

23rd April, 1973

Alliance Party Conference in the Ulster Hall...

Elizabeth Holmes

Una Gioncada Haldane

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Meet the Diarists

Una Gioncada Haldane

Tyrone-native living in Italy during Mussolini's regime. Diary period: 1940s

Marjorie Lyle

First female insurance broker in Ireland. Diary period: 1970s

Elizabeth Holmes

Wife of Church of Ireland Minister and mother of three children. Diary period: 1890s

Emma Duffin

Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) nurse during the First and Second World Wars. Diary period: 1910s

Maria Duffin

Founding member of the Charity Organisation Society. Diary Period: 1950s

Eva Gore Booth

Writer, political activist & sister of Countess Markievicz. Diary Period: 1890s

Lady Hariot Dufferin

Diplomat's wife and philanthropist. Diary period: 1930s

Ruth Duffin

Young poet documenting social life and travels. Diary period: 1900s

Sylvia Mary Duffin (Molly)

Teenage girl documenting a trip to Germany & social life. Diary period: 1910s

Roberta Hewitt

Socialist, volunteer for the Nursery School Association and wife of John Hewitt. Diary period: 1950s

Eva Chichester

Sunday school teacher and amateur photographer. Diary period: 1940s

Bronagh McAtasney

A Teenage girl growing up in Newry during the Troubles. Diary period: 1980s

Lilian Spender

Political observer, philanthropist and wife of Wilfred Spender. Diary period: 1910s

Lucy Sinton Kelly

Nurse in the Casualty Clearing Stations and hospital trains during the First World War. Diary Period: 1910s

Moya Woodside

Writer for the Mass Observation during the Belfast Blitz & birth control campaigner. Diary period: 1940s

Elizabeth Richards

Observer and supporter of the 1798 Irish Rebellion. Diary Period: 1790s

J P Smiles

Young girl documenting a family trip to Switzerland. Diary period: 1890s.

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