Tal-Handaq Nostalgia

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

Last additions - fifla1973
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 RAF Luqa Youthclub membership card.1141 viewsThis is undated but from 1972 I think, so I assume my membership is current! Interestingly I never knew our address was 67 AMQ! fifla1973Jan 08, 2015
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 Steve Jones' The Rise and Fall of David Bowie 1/2953 viewsCherry Vanilla by the way was someone Bowie fell for; Quicksand, Cracked Actor', Andy Warhol, Kooks and All Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed are some of Bowie's great songs (for the uninitiated). If anyone knows of Steve or where he is I would dearly like to make contact! fifla1973Dec 30, 2014
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 Steve Jones' The Rise and Fall of David Bowie729 viewsI introduced Steve to Bowie in 1972 and recorded the first five albums onto cassette for him. I also helped him write out the lyrics for his own use to go with the recordings. He used his art and great sense of imagination to make three comic strips for me. This is page 1 of 2 of the first of those three strips. 70s pop art as never been seen before! fifla1973Dec 30, 2014
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 A genuine 1970s letter from the great Steve Jones 2814 viewsSteve was a brilliant artist who painted the scenes on the walls of the new Luqa Youth Club at Safi in 1973. This is the second part of his letter sent while I was living miserably in the North East having left Malta in early 1974.fifla1973Dec 29, 2014
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 A genuine 1970s letter from the great Steve Jones738 viewsThis is a letter from a great like minded friend; Steve Jones to me while I was suffering the misery of North East England in 1974. He was a great artist; he painted drew and sculptured and I wrote Ginsberg like poetry; a great team! I guess he was right when he wrote on the side of page one: Don't get me wrong we're only dancing! Perhaps it should now read: we were only dancing! Page 2 to follow!fifla1973Dec 29, 2014
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 Luqa 2 Site Gladiator Club etc939 viewsThis shows the Gladiator Club to the right, a stage in the mid foreground and across the sports field and running track the old quarters. You can clearly make out that the flats ( we lived ground floor on the right) which were twice the length in the old days with the demolished part to the right making way for the airport. I took this picture on 9th October this year and later that day the great Maddy Prior sang on the little stage in this picture. I used to sit in my bedroom in the 70s not 60 yards away listening to her records; if someone had told me then that in 40 years she would be singing in earshot of my bedroom I wouldn't have believed them!fifla1973Dec 28, 2014
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 Luqa 2 site Sgt's' Mess accommodation787 viewsTaken 9th October 2014. This block overlooked the running track and was the first block to the right from our flat towards the Gladiator Club. fifla1973Dec 16, 2014
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 2 site NAAFI or is it?985 viewsThe building in question is in the middle of the shot and I took the picture from down the road going away from the building at about 7:30.2 commentsfifla1973Nov 26, 2014
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 Luqa 2 site Sick Quarters or NAAFI?907 viewsAlthough this photo shows clearly a Sick Quarters I am not sure this wasn't the NAAFI in 1973; any ideas? 1 commentsfifla1973Nov 25, 2014
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 Britannia "Canopus"293 viewsThis aircraft took a lot of us to Malta. It was the very one I flew on in 1970 to get to the island. In fact this picture was taken in 1970 so there is a possibility that we were on board at the time! We spent time on arrival at Hal Far while we were taxied around choosing a quarter. We ended up in Peter Street in F'Gura to start with before moving to St George's' Street Paola, where we then lived in two flats; three homes in just over a year! fifla1973Nov 22, 2014
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 Super Constellation Luqa Airport 1971833 viewsI put this in the wrong file initially. This aircraft was a constant during my time in Malta.fifla1973Nov 19, 2014
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 The most beautiful Cathy Stephenson 1973 Kalafrana1436 viewsThis is a battered picture of Cathy. It is battered because I carried it while training for the military in 1974 and my mum threw all my negatives out! fifla1973Nov 19, 2014
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 Luqa 2 Site running track897 viewsThe cars are parked on the old sports field. The flats in the background where I lived were a block longer to the right in my day. The block on the right going away from camera where Dave Phillips lived was demolished to make way for the airport. Tal Handaq sports day 1973 was held here.fifla1973Nov 19, 2014
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 Cathy Stephenson and Len Moscrop November 19731158 viewsOur last trip to Valletta together. fifla1973Nov 19, 2014
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 Cathy Stephenson Kalafrana 19731085 viewsA budding model? Taken in July 1973 with my Kodak 25 camera! fifla1973Nov 19, 2014
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 Me and my sister Sliema 19711021 viewsKaren was at Luqa primary school at the time. fifla1973Nov 19, 2014
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 Cathy Stephenson Kalafrana July 19731241 viewsCathy could run like the wind, swim like a fish, was supremely clever and of course very beautiful. We were together for 18 months.fifla1973Nov 19, 2014
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 Karen Beer July/August 1973865 viewsKaren was the star of my class during my first stay in Malta and someone I much admired, but I thought she was out of my league. During our second tour I was pleasantly surprised that she also returned. Determined to ask her out at the Luqa Youth Club Christmas do at Hal Far in 1972 Dave Phillips and I turned up having shared a bottle of wine for Dutch courage and somehow I got the other girl and Dave got Karen; it was nearly so different though!fifla1973Nov 19, 2014
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 Cathy Stephenson and Karen Beer November 19731046 viewsThis was taken in the week I left the island. I last saw Karen in 1980 when she was running a pub in West Wynch. Her family went back to St Athan and her family is still in the area. Mr Beer, a great sailor, passed away a few years ago. Cathy's family moved to St Columb Minor near Newquay; both her parents have passed away.fifla1973Nov 19, 2014
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 Len on 2 site tennis courts865 viewsForget the glasses and you have Jimmy Connors on the tennis courts I posted earlier. This picture is from July 1972 and the previous picture from nearly the same position was taken 6 weeks ago (October 9th 2014). My victim on the other side of the net was either Dave Phillips, Pete Whiting or Chris Dillon!fifla1973Nov 19, 2014
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 Len Moscrop and Cathy Stephenson Kalafrana 19731243 viewsThis was taken in July 1973 at the Sgt's mess part of Kalafrana beach club. Amazing that there were Officers' , Sgts' and other ranks' beaches. My Dad was a corporal, my best mate's Dad was a Flt Sgt and our Girlfriends' Dads were officers and believe it or not I was asked to leave the Sgt's' beach because of the rank of my Dad; no wonder I am a socialist!7 commentsfifla1973Nov 19, 2014
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 SS Uganda (Not)836 viewsIn 1973 this ship was used for Tal Handaq school trips to Greece etc. my girlfriend was on board at the time as I waited for her to come back (hence the picture). Apparently the girls were chased back to the ship in Greece because of their attire (hot pants and mini skirts). The ship was scrapped in the 1980s but I guess memories live on! 2 commentsfifla1973Nov 19, 2014
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 The Moscrops907 viewsThis is me and my parents on Sliema front in 1971 shortly before the Brits were kicked off the island by Mr Mintoff. fifla1973Nov 19, 2014
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 Three girls in Valletta1263 viewsPhoto taken November 1973. I think one of them is called Diedre, another Cathy (my then girlfriend in the middle) and the third's name escapes me. I left the island the next day. 4 commentsfifla1973Nov 19, 2014
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 Super Constelation Luqa Airport 332 viewsThis airplane was a constant during our two stays in Malta in the 70s. It was towed down the Safi road in the 70s apparently, then got stuck and was turned into a restaurant and finally burnt to the ground. Photo taken in 1971.fifla1973Nov 19, 2014
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 Luqa 2 site blocks of flats869 viewsVery over grown this is taken looking north up the front blck of flats with the running track to the left. I believe Glen Miller lived in the block in the forefront. Taken 9th October 2014fifla1973Nov 16, 2014
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 Luqa 2 site blocks of flats706 viewsOn the airport side of the diet the blocks parallel with the new runway were demolished and the blocks adjacent were partially demolished, Leaving a ragged end to each block as seen here. fifla1973Nov 16, 2014
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 RAF Luqa Gladiator Club735 viewsThis was the Airmen's bar. This is from where I first heard the strains of Drive in Saturday from the juke box one Saturday and walked in to find no be there at all. Very spooky! Still looks majestic. Taken 9th October 2014fifla1973Nov 16, 2014
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 Astra Cinema Luqa831 viewsIconic building to those trying to get in to see Straw Dogs and other 18 certificates illegally. I remember there was an old snowdrop who used to guard against under age viewing! Taken 9th October 2014fifla1973Nov 16, 2014
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 Luqa 2 Site football pitch.657 viewsThe other goal amazingly would now be situated in the middle of the airport northern taxiway. Hard to believe that Stab Mathews, Francis Lee and Colin Bell ( and of course me!) once played on this pitch. Photo taken 9th October 2014fifla1973Nov 16, 2014
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 Luqa 2 Site Gymnasium690 viewsThe Gymnasium saw some illustrious sports people getting changed, these included Sir Stanley Mathews, Malcolm Alison, Francis Lee and the 1972 Manchester City team who played a match on the sand pitch opposite the gym. This is also where we played badminton most Fridays until we discovered girls; or did they discover us? Picture taken 9th October 2014 fifla1973Nov 16, 2014
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 Luqa 2 Site parade square and Airmen's Barrack Blocks739 viewsThis was never used while I was at Luqa. Really nice setting though. Taken 9th October 20141 commentsfifla1973Nov 16, 2014
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