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The man who chronicled the changing face of a city

Armagh County Museum A black and white photograph of Roger, who is dressed in a suit and wearing a stripy tie. He is standing in front of a sign that says Armagh County Museum.Armagh County Museum
Roger Weatherup was the museum's curator for almost 40 years

Tributes have been paid following the death of a man who chronicled the changing face of Armagh City.

Roger Weatherup was famed for photographing the city across many decades.

He became curator of Armagh County Museum in 1955 but colleague and current curator, Sean Barden, said one of "his most enduring legacies lies in the fieldwork he undertook, camera in hand, to document the changing landscape of County Armagh".

Mr Barden said Mr Weatherup's contributions extended "far beyond the confines of his office".

Armagh County Museum A digitalised photo from a film. It is of a yellow shop front on a street. Shops visible are Emerson's grocery, Martin Cunningham and Goodwill store. A sign on the board reads, "BUSINESS AS USUAL SALE BOMB DAMAGE HALF PRICE"Armagh County Museum
Armagh County Museum A digitalised photo from a film of a street with oil drums and scaffolding. A boy in Royal School uniform runs towards the camera on the footpath in the foreground which is surrounded by a security barrier made from concrete filled oil drums. The façade of the building on the corner of Scotch Street and Dobbin Street has been removed and the side wall is supported by massive wooden trusses, the roof is partially missing and windows boarded up evidently the result of bomb damage.Armagh County Museum
Scotch Street Armagh showing boarded up shops after bomb damage
A view looking west from the bottom of Scotch Street

His photographic record captured pivotal moments, from the decline of the railway network to the devastation brought by the Troubles, preserving these transitions for the future.

"Roger's profound love for his adopted county, coupled with his extensive knowledge of its history, proved instrumental in transforming Ireland's oldest county museum into a model institution admired across Ireland and the United Kingdom," Mr Barden said.

Armagh County Museum A digitalised photo from a film of street signs. Green, red and blue cars can be seen parked along the side of a small street. Looking west from Irish Street corner several cars are at the junction near the camera and the roofs of the terrace of new houses a partially visible in the background. An old and partially derelict house is on the right of the frame and a road sign reads "Omagh Enniskillen, Monaghan Castleblaney". Armagh County Museum
Armagh County Museum A digitalised photo from a film of a car park, Green, grey and white cars are parked. Looking west from Irish Street corner several cars are parked on the cleared ground near the camera and the terrace of new houses a partially visible in the background. An old and partially derelict house is on the right of the frame and a yellow finger post sign reads "Customs Station" May 1967.Armagh County Museum
The corner of Irish Street in May 1967
Navan Street in May 1967

His family said his legacy would live on in the local area and that he gave a sense of community to those who knew him.

His daughter, Kate, said he "welcomed all irrespective of their background" and was "supportive and generous to all who had an interest in history".

"Dad had lived through so much change and he documented it throughout his life," she told BBC News NI.

"He talked of an Armagh with a train station and a bustling livestock market when he first arrived in 1955, which suffered through the Troubles but always kept resilience and great community spirit."

Mr Weatherup had a "curator's eye", always knowing what to capture with his camera, documenting what may change as time moved on.

His daughter, Diane, reminisced a time when her father asked her to stand in a red telephone box, knowing it would soon be phased out.

Armagh County Museum A digitalised photo from a film of stone steps leading to a large grey stone cathedral. Armagh County Museum
Armagh County Museum A digitalised photo from a film of a reddish building, it has a green sphere top on the left of the building.Armagh County Museum
Steps leading to the entrance of St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Cathedral
Armagh Observatory

Mr Weatherup's family said he loved working at the museum.

It wasn't work to him. History was his passion.

Kate said even on holiday and away from the museum he documented the world around him, "cataloguing historical sites, taking photographs of public transport, natural history and archaeological sites".

He loved the Orchard County.

He promoted the use of townland names and worked closely with the council planning service to ensure that developers respected and reflected local history in the names used in the town and county.

Former museum colleague, Aidan Walsh, said he was a community curator who believed in "serving his community above all other considerations."

Armagh County Museum A digitalised photo from a film of an old stone building. A lady wearing a navy coat can be seen walking past. Looking north east from Callan street to Armagh Public Library. A woman in blue raincoat carrying a shopping basket walks towards the camera in the evening sunshineArmagh County Museum
Armagh County Museum A digitalised photo from a film of a stone wall with barbed wire along the top. Looking north towards the mall showing the prison wall fortified with large concrete blocks and coils of barbed wire. The grey bricked maximum security building is partially visible over the wall.Armagh County Museum
Armagh Public Library
The prison on George's Street

Mr Weatherup met members of the Royal Family on several occasions, the late Queen Elizabeth II when she bestowed city status on Armagh.

He accompanied the late Queen and "chatted to her the way he would have anyone in the street", his daughter said.

By the time of his retirement in 1992, Mr Weatherup had devoted 37 years to curating "one of the finest museum collections in Ireland".