The Oughley Shed

This exhibition has now passed.

Step back into the 1930s through The Oughley shed installation this November in the Ulster Museum Atrium. 

Born in County Down in 1896, David Strain was a diary writer, barely missing a daily entry between 1920 and 1941. When he died of a stroke in 1969 his diaries - along with letters, photo albums, and newspaper cuttings - were deposited in The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. David led a dualistic life. By day he was a dutiful son, dedicated to the family business and his mother, especially after his father died in 1935. However, during the evenings and weekends David had his shed, built at Oughley Hill, on the outskirts of Belfast. 

From the outside, David’s shed looks like any other. But the interior reveals a place of Oscar Wildean decadence; a sanctuary, where a gay man could entertain friends and lovers. Visitors can step back into the 1930s through this installation. A peat-scented pot belly stove provides a warm welcome. Photographs of David’s friends, family, and his beloved Jack Murray demonstrate his rich social life; a green carnation buttonhole nods to his obsession with Oscar Wilde. Hidden in the secret drawer of a writing box are replicas of Belfast Telegraph personal ads used by David and other men who were seeking a male companion.

A brief audio recording can be heard when inside the Oughley shed, with a more intimate recording accessible via the adapted retro telephone for adult visitors. The entire recording can be accessed through a QR code link to YouTube.

Image Credits - ‘Photograph Album’, Records Relating to the Strain Family, Oughley, Co Down and Belfast, D2585/4/1, Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.’

Developed by Tom Hulme and Leanne McCormick and Designed by Lorna Gough 

In partnership with 

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In partnership with PRONI (Public Record Office of Northern Ireland), Queen's University Belfast and Ulster University