Group photo of prominent Unionists at Mount Stewart, Co. Down, 9 April 1912.

A number of the most powerful and distinguished Ulster Unionists were invited to a house-party at Mount Stewart, the seat of the Marquis of Londonderry, at Strangford Lough, Co. Down. Here they assembled to congratulate the British Conservative Party leader and to assure him of their perpetual loyalty. Carson is flanked on his right by Andrew Bonar Law. The gathering of the 9 April was quickly followed by action. The 12 July saw 2,000 Catholic workmen driven out of the Belfast shipyards, in spite of the fact that the chairman of Harland & Wolff, Lord Pirrie, was a Liberal and a supporter of Home Rule.