Horrified by the living conditions and lifestyles of the working class families of the area he built the hall in 1897 and organised children’s trips to the seaside and other activities, supporting them through times of peace and war alike.
The establishment of the Shankill Road Mission allowed Henry Montgomery to reach the non-churchgoing in a meaningful way by dealing ‘with a man as whole’.
He was held in high esteem by the people of the Shankill Road area, as was reported in local newspapers following his death in February 1943. At his funeral thousands lined the pavement to pay tribute to the ‘Shankill Shepherd’.
