HOW YOU MAY CONTRIBUTE
        One of the aims of Comber Historical Society is to preserve and record the history of Comber by noting all historical documents, artefacts, photographs and audio-video material relating to the town. We would be delighted if anyone who has any records or memories of Comber would get in touch.
Contact Desmond Rainey on 028 9187 8482 or email :-
<comberhistory@hotmail.co.uk> or <combernexus@gmail.com>
       Don't worry about spelling or grammar my machine can cope with most of the bloomers. If I didn't have a decent word processor I too would be in trouble. Even handwritten notes could be typed up if the researchers can find the time and you can find one of those old things they call a pencil, even a pen will do. Drawings too can be used and old maps

Comber Historical Society Programme For further details contact: Elizabeth McCullough (Hon., Secretary) (028) 97521014 The 2023 Programme is still being devised 2022 SUMMER OUTING TO WHITEHEAD Done and dusted. Here is a brief report :- The CHS trip to Whitehead Railway Museum. 25 Members made their way by glider, train and car. All using their smart OAP passes. On arrival scones and coffee before the guided tour of the workshops and restoration sheds. The museum is really well laid out and features many interesting exhibits including trains and carriages as well as a signal box. We even got a chance to change all the signals. Everyone seemed to enjoy their visit. Desmond Mackie Some of the CHS visitors to the Signal Box.

IMPORTANT CONTACT NOTE FROM THE WEB EDITOR The web editor is Adrian Hanna. I can be contacted at the address shown below. <adrian@sixgolds.com>           Anyone using G-Mail address will find that new security restrictions introduced by Goooogle (22May2022) may stop messages from the Adrian address above and many others not within the G-mail family. I will be giving up various web sites and retracting into a more private and less stressful life because of my age and ill health. Anyone who thinks they can take over this web site I will give them FREE LESSONS until they feel confident to take over. Web Editing is an excellent profession and anyone who can master it can make a small fortune.   Whilst the lessons are free the actual price is that you take over this Comber History web site subject to the approval of the Society's Membership. The main researchers for this web site are Desmond Rainey on 028 9187 8482 or email :- <comberhistory@hotmail.co.uk> Len Ball only contactable through Desmond or Adrian.           Adrian

Officers for 2022.
Chairperson	Desmond Mackey
Secretary	Liz McCullough
Treasurer	Martin Perry
Press Officer	Billy McCullough
Web Editor	Adrian Hanna
Auditor	Terry Needham
The Committee	Desmond Rainey Len Ball Marion Hanna Hill Wilson Susan McCullough Don Johnston All elected unanimously.

Honorary Life Member

Mrs Kathleen Coulter (Deceased)

INTRODUCING COMBER
Comar, meeting place of the waters, that was the name given by the ancients to a settlement at the northwest corner of Strangford Lough at the confluence of the Enler and Glen Rivers. Today we call it Comber, famous for its spuds.

Nomadic hunter gatherers arrived here around 10,000 years ago. St Patrick followed in their footsteps and founded a monastery, but its fame was eclipsed by the medieval Cistercian Abbey. Today that has vanished, and St Mary's Parish Church occupies the site. 1606 saw an influx of Scots under James Hamilton and Hugh Montgomery. Among the newcomers were the ancestors of the Andrews family who brought much prosperity to Comber. By the late 18th century John, known as "the great", had established a linen bleach green, corn mills and a flour mill. In 1864 his grandson erected a flax spinning mill. Later members of the family include Thomas of Titanic fame and his elder brother John Miller, wartime prime minister.

Old Comber whiskey was produced at two distilleries in the town. Last distilling was in 1952, although the odd bottle is still available, at a price! Comber was also a railway junction, with steam trains chugging their way through for exactly 100 years from 1850. Today the long-awaited bypass runs along the route of the old track.

No visitor can fail to notice a tall monument in Comber's Georgian Square. This commemorates Sir Robert Rollo Gillespie, who fought against the French and was killed while attempting to storm the fortress of Kalunga in Nepal in 1814. His reputed last words were "One shot more for the honour of Down" Another valiant soldier who made the supreme sacrifice was Edmund de Wind, awarded the Victoria Cross in 1918.

IN MEMORIAM

It is sad to report that several long standing members of the Historical Society recently passed away. . May they rest in peace. Kathleen Coulter OBITUARY Robert Bennett OBITUARY Chris Griffith Barry Millar

Requiescat

This is roughly the area covered by Comber Historical Society.
It would not be prudent to extend our reach into areas covered by other Historical Groups.