The bygone days of Comber Cinema were brought back to life at the October meeting of the Comber Historical Society. Len Ball and Roy Spence, two of Comber’s biggest film aficionados, put on more than a double feature for a thoroughly entertaining evening.
The show began with a film by Roy Spence about Tommy Orr of Killinchy, Co. Down, who had carried on his family tradition as a blacksmith for over 40 years. This brought the audience back to a time when the blacksmith was a vital service in rural communities, such as Comber, and told the story of this man’s life and his love for his work beautifully. Next, Roy introduced us to Joe Kane, a man living in a traditional cottage who was both a wonderful toymaker and a bread maker. Roy’s film collection can be found here: https://ifiarchiveplayer.ie/royspence/
Len's segment was a heartfelt journey, starting with a film of Tom Corken, a familiar face and a part of many families in Comber, as the local coal man. This film, with Tom discussing the growth of his business alongside the town, was a deeply emotional experience for the audience. Next, Len introduced us to Tommy Cowan, George Dunbar and Alex Neill, all local characters involved with either coal or the railway. Each of Len's films was a flood of memories of Comber and its personalities.
To conclude the evening, the audience enjoyed one of Len’s comedic productions, No Match for Barney, produced and filmed around the local area in 1967. This film is a testament to Len’s creativity, interest in all things mechanical, and passion for cinema. It was a very fitting end to another evening at the Comber movies.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Len Ball and Roy Spence for their unwavering dedication to sharing their films. Their work is a precious gift to our community, preserving stories and places that would otherwise have been lost to time.
Comber Historical Society’s next meeting is on Monday, November 11th, at Smyth Hall, 2nd Comber Presbyterian. We will mark Remembrance Day by having local military historian Mark Scott tell us about ‘The man who shot the Great War’ – aka George Hackney, who is buried in Comber Cemetery. George served with the Royal Irish Rifles and, as a keen amateur photographer, took his camera to the front and captured many amazing photos, which Mark published in his book in 2016. Mark will also be joined for a special Q&A with Brian Henry Martin, producer of the Doubleband Films 2014 documentary on George Hackney. As usual, the evening starts at 8 p.m., and the entry fee includes tea and coffee.
Comber Historical Society entry is changing slightly this year with a 50% discount for CHS card-carrying members! Membership runs annually and costs just £10! Monthly members entry: £2/ Non-Members/Visitors entry: £4. Entry includes tea and coffee. For those who have already joined our new membership, don’t forget your membership cards!
Upcoming Meetings
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