the age of 11. This resulted in a large increase in the number of applications to institutions like Methody and the number of pupils increased significantly. One of the houses in College Gardens fell vacant and was converted into a second preparatory department in 1950. It became known as Fullerton House, named after William Fullerton who had been a governor, chair of the board and founder of Downey House. Extensions to this were made to the adjacent house in 1957. The existing preparatory department, Downey House, also received extension works in 1954. In 1959 a boathouse for rowing was built at Lockview Road in Stranmillis. Additional classrooms in what are now called K, L and M blocks were added as well as a lecture theatre, specific rooms for Home Economics, other classrooms (F Block), a canteen and gym were completed. In 1954 the Duchess of Kent, accompanied by Princess Alexandra, opened the college's extension. Later 20th century The later 20th century was a very turbulent time in Northern Irish history and became known as "The Troubles". While the Troubles touched nearly everyone in Northern Ireland, the school was thankfully materially unaffected. The 1960s and 1970s were a period of intense building work for the college, particularly in the run up to the centenary in 1968. This included new labs, modern language classrooms (E block), a new music department and indoor swimming pool, further science labs (now J and N blocks) and a gym. The science laboratories and swimming pool were opened by the Governor of Northern Ireland, Lord Erskine, in 1966. In 1968 the Chapel of Unity, Methody's first chapel on the college grounds, and a permanent memorial to the college's centenary, was completed. The organ in the chapel was donated by Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, Terence O'Neill, presented the prizes at the college's centenary prize day. The Worrall Centre, a building specifically for the sixth form students, was completed in 1972. In 1975 Fullerton House was rehoused in its present position, facing the Lisburn Road and closing off the quad. The Sports Hall and art rooms were opened by Sir Roger Bannister in 1995. The Walton Building, which included new science labs and computer suites, was also constructed in the early 1990s. This building was named after Methody alumnus Ernest Walton, who won the Nobel Prize in Physics for splitting the atom. The