Tal-Handaq Nostalgia

Memories of the Royal Naval School, Malta, 1947 - 1978.


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Caption Competition34 viewsBalluta 1985admin
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Christmas lights outside Valletta 2023104 views.... with Triton fountain

Photo : Malcolm Zammit (aka Maussie group on Facebook, he posts lots of Malta info and photos there, even though living in Oz).
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More boats at Hay Wharf 1950s-60s44 viewsLeft to right 1.Swordfish (15): 2.possibly International 14 (K denotes GB/UK): 3.unknown with C sail emblem and pointed canoe stern, probable fixed keel judging from tiller going through hull. Another one beyond it unrigged. Ideas welcome.admin
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More Pulp84 viewsMichael Caine again filming Pulp 1971/72

View film free HERE
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Not a lot of people know that!84 viewsMichael Caine in Mdina while filming Pulp 1971/72

View film free HERE
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Marshall Court 115 viewsThe building of Marshall Court for Navy families (early 1950s?)derrick calver
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Mosta Iron Bridge (to Fort Mosta)73 viewsScene of rock-climbing days with Mr Tomlinson. Started 1844 the bridge took 27 years to complete. Crossing it in the 1950s was a little more nerve racking than the new bridge built in the 1980s. derrick calver
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Prince Charles on RASC Eden, Malta 1968 (orange shirt)91 viewsSee the whole FILM (need access to BBC iplayer)

See also THIS ONE (same film)
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Malta Milestone - 196582 viewsLovely little ten-minute documentary - WATCH HERE


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WATCH on BBC iplayer85 viewsFILM: Luzzu (2021) HERE

A man risks everything to provide for his wife and newborn son by entering Malta's black-market fishing industry. In Maltese and English
Runtime: 90 minutes

Guardian REVIEW
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The Pit re-opens - at certain times377 viewsNEW GUIDED TOURS are now being offered of the Saluting Battery Museum housed in the former St. George's Garrison Church Crypt [aka The Pit to 1960s TH-ers] below the present day Stock Exchange. Tours are available Monday to Saturday at 1100, 1300 and 1400 hrs. The tour leaves from the saluting battery and takes one round the underground crypt whose origins go back to 1570 when it was used as a defensive flanking battery, part of the demi-bastion of SS. Peter and Paul. The new museum tells the story of the Malta time-gun which was fired precisely at noon from the saluting battery between 1824 and 1923. It served as an accurate time signal for mariners to regulate ship chronometers which they would later rely on to find longitude at sea.

The museum holds a rich collection of historical and artistic artefacts connected with the history of the saluting battery, time, navigation, gunpowder and artillery including most of the types of cannon which were once mounted at the saluting battery. There are also military badges, uniforms, documents, maritime navigational instruments and Malta's last time ball which was hoisted above the Auberge de Castile until 1923 to signal mid-day along with the noonday gun. Admission costs €6 per adult and €3 for children under 16 years. Tickets can be bought at the Saluting Battery. No prior booking is necessary.
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Mellieha bus by Monica Ward-McNally (was Mazure) 1960s147 viewsBut who is the girl extreme right?admin
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Ferro Bay 299 viewsFerro bay at sunrise November 1976. The ship on the horizon is HMS Fearless which had taken part in the filming of The Spy Who Loved Me off Malta the previous month.derrick calver
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Ferro bay Sliema108 viewsFerro bay home of the Tower Road Swimming Team. The bay is below Sliema Point Battery known as Il-Fortizza.derrick calver
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Malta Lottery Ticket129 viewsFrom 1959derrick calver
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Coca Cola81 viewsHow many of you remember removing the cork in the cap looking for the coloured bottle underneath?

Picture from school magazine
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Christmas card 1950s104 viewsderrick calver
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Christmas card 1950s66 viewsderrick calver
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Christmas card 1950s83 viewsderrick calver
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Christmas card 1950s73 viewsderrick calver
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Marshall Court, Manoel Island & Empire Stadium Gzira115 viewsPostcard from the 1950s. Marshall Court (the block of flats on the left in the middle of the photo) was accommodation for Naval families up until the late 1960s. The Empire stadium is on the right of the photo and is that HMS Ranpura in Gzira creek? Mothballed reserve fleet also at Ta'Xbiex.derrick calver
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Royal Opera House260 viewsThose of us who went to school in Malta will remember the ruins of the Opera House hit by a land mine in WW2. However, as you can see from this postcard a great deal of the building remained until he early 1950s. It appears in the Malta Story filmed in 1952 and I believe the main demolition was done in 1954 but I cannot confirm this,derrick calver
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Tigne parade ground 1985158 viewsTaken from the roof of the Tigne Court Hotel. Valletta beyond Marsamxett. The Carmelite rotunda was completed 1978 to dwarf St Paul's.derrick calver
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Tigne beach club 1971204 viewsThe cove at the far end adjacent to the pill box and cafe, below Deputy GOC's house.

Compare with this one

...and ToM

...and Malta Today
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Tigne beach club185 viewsA quiet day at the beach September 1971derrick calver
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Before Egmont Close276 viewsThis is a photo taken in 1915/6 of St Ignatius Military Hospital by Richard Ellis. You are looking along what would become St Ignatius Junction towards Balluta Bay. Egmont Close would be built on the right of this photo.2 commentsderrick calver
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Midnight Express235 views44 years ago today, one of the best films ever to be shot in Malta was released.
Search Youtube for several copies to view free.
Rotten Tomatoes review
More at Guide me Malta
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Meadowbank 1930s 577 viewsThe Meadowbank was an RAF billet during WW2. Adrian Warburton was
among the pilots who stayed there.
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Malta ˜first in line" at Queen's second funeral procession197 viewsProminence given to recipients of the George Cross

Read the feature at Times of Malta

Photo of the royal couple at Villa Guardamangia : Daily Telegraph
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RIP Ma'am226 viewsPhoto of HM at a 1967 reception in Malta attended by Rosemary's parents Surgeon Commander David Haines, Mrs Diana Haines (lady smiling behind HM).admin
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NAAFI St James' Cavalier214 viewsHow many of you remember the long flight of stairs up to the shop.
St James' Cavalier is now a cultural centre and art gallery known as a Spazju Kreattiv (Maltese for Creative Space).
Photo taken late 50s early 60s complete with naval Tilley (Bedford Utilicon van).

See also Wiki
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Wembley Weather 3216 viewsFrom 1971?derrick calver
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