Dean ORR"s article goes a long way toward making sense of a page of memorials of deeds which I have just uploaded: Leases held by CROZIERs of Banbridge: He used to trapse about the countryside with Mary MENARY (1872-1946), the wife of Francis WRIGHT (1874-1954) a retired Hong Kong businessman. The two of them spent untold hours ferreting out clues of local family history, she dressed as she would be as a person of some class setting out from her home of Gilford Castle, while his appearance was that of an eccentric clergyman, known to traipse about Gilford with the soles of his shoes barely attached to the uppers and his coat buttoned all askew. (SEE: Gilford Castle & the gift of Christine). One of their collaborations is referred to in an 1960 letter.When I complete and upload the family tree of these CROZIERs, I will attach a link here. Sharon Oddie Brown May 9, 2025

GILFORD AND ITS LOCALITY. 23 Nov 1973 Banbridge Chronicle.

By (Late) Dean W.R.M. ORR LL.D.

VII: LOWER STRAMORE

The part of the Crozier lands in the valleys in the northeast of Stramore House was known as Lower Stramore. It amounted to about one third of the whole of estate granted by Sir John Magill in 1692. It became the property of the second son, Samuel, of the progenitor William Crozier, and was owned by Croziers until fairly recent times.

The Croziers of Lower Stramore or resided at Stramore Cottage or as it was later called “Stramore Lodge”. Samuel Crozier died in 1729. He had with other sons, William, John and Samuel. Samuel was a Doctor who emigrated to Jamaica in early life, but later returned home and purchased lands in the park from his cousins there, as we mention later, John is described as a “mariner”, and lived in Bristol.

The eldest son, William, eventually succeeded to all his father's property. This William of Lower Stramore had several children. One of his sons Samuel, is stated to have “married badly” and was estranged from his father. By his Will (1775) his father left his lands to his youngest son, another William. The latter died unmarried, and under his will (1787) his nephew Brice of the Park eventually succeeded to Lower Stramore.

Brice Crozier was a son of “Trooper Crozier” of the Park of whom later by his second wife, Hannah, sister of the last named William of Lower Stramore. He was a large landowner, possessing not only his uncle’s estate of Lower Stramore, but acquiring by purchase his father’s lands in the park. Brice Crozier married Elizabeth Armstrong of Ballynahinch. He died in 1844, and by his Will left Lower Stramore to his eldest son, the Rev. William Crozier, who was a Presbyterian minister.

MARRIED DR. MONTGOMERY'S DAUGHTER.

The Rev. William Crozier married his cousin, Anne Armstrong and died in 1873, leaving the estate to his eldest son, the Rev. John Armstrong Crozier, who was also a Presbyterian minister of the non subscribing denomination. He was minister in Newry, and married Eliza Elizabeth, daughter of Dr. Henry Montgomery, a well known minister of the same denomination.

The Rev. John Armstrong Crozier died in 1898, and by his will left the estate to his wife and after her death to his eldest son, Henry Montgomery Crozier. Mrs. Elizabeth Crozier and some of her daughters lived at Stramore Lodge, and are still remembered. Later she left it to reside in Belfast, and in 1917 she and her son sold the estate to Sir Samuel Kelly

After the death of Sir Samuel it was purchased by Mr. Thomas Gilpin who is the present owner, and who lives at Stramore Lodge.

THE PARK

Another estate besides Stramore was owned by the Crosiers. This was “The Park” a large area consisting of parts of Loughans, Drumarin and Mullaghbrack, situated around where these three townlands border upon one another, lying to the southwest of Gilford. The name of “The Parke” was like that Stramore, adopted by the family from a place in their Scottish home, and the district here is still called by this title.

The Park was the property of the 3rd and youngest son of William the progenitor, called by his own name, William, to whom Sir John Magill gave a long lease of these lands in 1695. He probably built the residence on it. This is long since disappeared, but it stood, we believe somewhere near the junction of the two roads entering the Park at least the foundations of a large house have been come upon in this place.

This William Crozier of the Park had two sons, Andrew and William, and after his death it seems each son owned 1/2 of the property. Andrew the elder brother was known as “Big Andrew”. It is related that he was a man of powerful strength, a bold horseman, very fond of field sports, and of a most gentlemanly manner. He married his cousin Margaret daughter of his uncle Samuel Crozier of Lower Stramore although it is stated “there was a great disparity of years between them, she being a marriageable woman when he was born”. By her he had a son and daughter the son, Hutchison Crozier (who never married) “traveled a great deal and was a man of reading and information”.

In 1755 Andrew Crozier sold all his interest in the park to his cousin and brother-in-law, Dr. Samuel Crozier of Lower Stramore. The assignment speaks of “that house, office houses, and the 80 acres of land (Irish) then in possession of the said Andrew Crozier being one full an entire half of the lands of Loughans, Drumarin,and Mullaghbrack now commonly called The Park.”

In 1764 Sir Richard Johnston granted in perpetual fee farm to Dr. Samuel Crozier the lands he had purchased. Dr. Crozier died in 1765 at the age of 51 without surviving male issue. He had by his wife, Anne Overend (who died in 1819) two daughters of whom the elder Mary, never married; the younger Martha, married the Rev. Edward Roe perpetual curate of Strangford, County Down (1777-1812). They had with other issue, Edward Row of Ballyconnell county Cavan, and Richard Roe, an eminent surgeon in London. Dr. Crozier his wife and children and some members of the row family are buried in Tullylish where there is a tombstone to their memory. The rents payable in this part of the park were, as is still recollected, paid to members of the Roe family before the Land Purchase Act.

“TROOPER” CROZIER

William Crozier the younger brother of “Big Andrew” succeeded his father in the other half of this estate. The description of him is very like that of his brother – “he was a tall athletic man, and had been remarkably handsome in his youth, Fond of field sports and very gay, gentlemanlike and social in his manner.” He had been a volunteer in the wars in Germany, and had fought at the battle of Fotenoy in 1745. He was distinguished as “Trooper” Crozier.

After his retirement from military life, he came home and was in business; he is described as “linen merchant”. He owned a house in Castle St. Gilford, where he seems to have lived.

“Trooper” Crozier was twice married. His first wife was his cousin, Sarah, daughter of “Cornet” Crozier of Upper Stramore by whom he had several children. After her death he married another cousin, Hannah, daughter of William Crozier of Lower Stramore by whom also he had several children. The younger son of this second marriage, Brice, by the will of his uncle, became owner of Lower Stramore.

“Trooper” Crozier died in 1809, apparently at a good old age. Sir Richard Johnson had granted him in 1764 a fee farm grant of the Drumarin portion of the Park - about 40 acres (Irish). After his death Brice Crozier purchased his lands in the Park, and the descendants of Brice the later closures of Lower Stramore, received the rents and comparatively recent times, but like many other estates the rents of the small holdings had been purchased out.

Next Installment (from “Chonicle” of 14/1/66 – VII: Birchgrove and the Mc-Creight Lands