Tal-Handaq Nostalgia

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

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The_Pit2C_entrance_tunnel_2.jpg
 The Pit, entrance tunnel1335 viewsAfter attempts in 2013 and 2017 and again last week (October 2019) I still can’t get full access to The Pit. Nice people running the military bookshop, but won’t allow me to go down as they have lots of artefacts stored there pending refurbishment to make a museum. However at least I got further than last time. The sloping tunnel remains very familiar, although the steps and smooth concrete sidewalks were not there when we opened the place in summer 1965.1 commentsIvanOct 26, 2019
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 Enterprises at MGSC, games afternoon 1967631 viewsMr Roy Tatton on left, Jill Thackray centre front, poss Eddie Eichmann on right?

Photo : Jill ThackrayadminOct 22, 2019
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 Enterprises at MGSC, games afternoon 1967617 viewsNote the yacht moored to the buoy on the right - the Lucette. Read her famous story HERE and watch the film (names changed) HERE

Photo : Jill Thackray2 commentsadminOct 22, 2019
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 Invites from 1969429 viewsCourtesy of Christine Kate Spencer (now Liddy).adminSep 30, 2019
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 The Pit 1967-81954 viewsKay Carberry behind the bar in the Pit, with Corinne Bevan.
Pepsi & Coke only of course.adminAug 17, 2019
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 THE PIT Friday 3rd November 1967496 viewsPoster by Sally Rathmell, with thanks to Jenny Shillitto (now Banbury).adminAug 11, 2019
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 Army Children's School St Andrew's318 viewsSt Andrew's Army School.
Swimming Certificate Third Class.
Headmaster Mr A.S.D.Watson.Military BratAug 06, 2019
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 Boy in grey blazer 1952195 viewsNow identified as John Clark, TH 1947-1949 & 1952-1954.

(...not forgetting that there were still some junior classes at TH in 1957).

adminAug 05, 2019
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 The PIT 2019474 viewsThe PIT is still there disguised as a bookshop.philb57Aug 02, 2019
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 Suna in Marsamxett313 viewsJoe Mardel at the helm, 1958.

Suna was a "windfall" yacht. With Star & RNSA 14' as supporting cast.

See Windfall Yacht Suna
adminJul 06, 2019
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 Primary children visit Ark Royal in GH 1973-4372 viewsNow known to be Luqa Primary thanks to Tamara Lewis (kneeling front left with finger in her mouth).

Photo : Brian FairbothamadminJun 14, 2019
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 Folkboat "Angela" at MGSC Hay Warf 1970409 viewsMartin Donnelly on helm, possibly David Kingdon on foredeck? (Or was it vice versa?).

Apologies for camera shake and poor quality.adminJun 02, 2019
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 Uganda 1970s444 viewsTH pupils disembarking - which port?

Photo : Marion BrowningadminApr 28, 2019
Verdala__Bell_Tower_1968.jpg
 Verdala Bell-on-the-Well216 viewsCover to the deep well below the Verdala playground.

Sketch by Ken Woodhams.

Verdala website HEREadminMar 22, 2019
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 The Tales of Peter Prictoe259 viewsPP was a pupil at Verdala Dockyard School in the 1930s. He wrote some splendid anecdotes which can be read online HERE adminMar 21, 2019
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 Malta Family History151 viewsThe lost website now archived can still be visited.

Essential resource for historians.

Find it HEREadminMar 21, 2019
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 The Common Room website....(reunion association run by Viv, Tim, Bernard & Rog)620 views....is archived HERE (2006)

...and HERE (2013)

...and the links still work (mostly) !!1 commentsadminFeb 25, 2019
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 UPDATED FILE - wartime memories210 views...see comments below post - HEREMartin PowellJan 26, 2019
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 HMS Forth at Christmas 1958 ©201 viewsDaytime view.adminDec 22, 2018
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 HMS Forth at Christmas 1958 ©170 views60 years, seems like yesterday.

© Valerie Easter/Snowdon/ShutleradminDec 22, 2018
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 Tony Wise ©241 viewsContinuing the Verdala theme, this was painted by Tony Wise, Verdala staff member 1962-5. TW is mentioned by KEITH ALLEN in THIS EXTRACTadminDec 12, 2018
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 Sheriff who?265 viewsNot a lot of people know this - but Keith Allen, star of stage and screen (at present playing in "Hogarth's Progress" as the older William Hogarth) - and of course Lily Allen's father- went to Verdala in 1960. His autobiog briefly describes his time in Malta (scroll down to chapter 3, page 40) -

HERE

2 commentsadminNov 18, 2018
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 Cdr Miles and HRH Princess Elizabeth 194914368 viewsInstructor Captain A. H. Miles, C.B.E.

Captain and Mrs. Miles left Malta on llth May 1958 after an association with the school since 1934.

Captain Miles was on the staff from 1934 to 1940 when the RN school was at Verdala. After the war he re-opened the school in two houses at Ta'Xbiex; supervised the move to Tal Handaq in 1946; re-started the primary school at Verdala in 1949, and remained as Headmaster until January 1951, by when the school had reached 1,000 pupils. Mrs. Miles was Secretary of the school from 1946 to 1952.

As Fleet Instructor Officer, Captain Miles was then Chairman of the Committee for Malta Service Children's Schools from 1953.

See also HERE

...and HEREadminNov 06, 2018
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 Verdala reunion group Oct 2018531 viewsOn the top deck of Fort St Angelo.

L-R Russ (K) Eileen Butler (now Snell), Brian (K), Lisa (K), Liz McMeeking (now Mardel) - (OldBat), Pauline Hargreaves (now Mendez), Shelagh & Richard Butler, self, Grahame Cain, Ambrose (K).

(K = Klingon)Martin PowellOct 30, 2018
Tal_Handaq_reunion_last_night_at_The_Royal_British_Legion2C_Mellita_Street2C_Valletta_2.jpg
 TH Malta reunion trip Oct 2018 751 viewsNames please !!adminOct 27, 2018
RNTH_Reunion_2016_Grp_2_1525.jpg
 2016 Reunion group 2 of 2507 viewsThe final "big" reunion - unless any of the younger ones take over the reins. Speak to Viv Daly if interested in doing so.adminOct 09, 2018
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 2016 Reunion group 1 of 2439 viewsThe final "big" reunion - unless any of the younger ones take over the reins. Speak to Viv Daly if interested in doing so.adminOct 09, 2018
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 Hall steps - Malta reunion trip 2009526 viewsFirst step L-R Angela Stubbs (now Arnold), Elizabeth Hayward (now Hawken), Eileen Beer (now Coniam)
Second step Robert Martin, Grahame Cain
Third step Chris Harrison, David Norris, Amanda Cottrell, Judith Blair (now Chitty)
Top step Martin Powell, Phil Woodcock, Susan Finn (now Lines), Jane Finn, Joe Vincenti, Bob CallaghanMartin PowellSep 18, 2018
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 Ralph Linsell and friends574 viewsRalph's garden party Sept 2018, classes of '69-'71.

L-R Grahame Cain, Terry Doubleday, Mary Curlis (now Goldsack), Ralph Linsell, Linda Perry (now Gee) Barry Pragnell,
Caroline Fox (now Martin), Heather Coggeshall (now Milburn), Tony Butt, Martin Powell. Julia Hann (now Davison).Martin PowellSep 16, 2018
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 Oliver 1973479 viewsThe earlier press release had a dramatic effect.

(The 1100 and the boat are probably sold by now).adminSep 08, 2018
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 Oliver 1973356 viewsDolphin & Eagle press release.adminSep 08, 2018
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 Combined Cadet Force 1978602 viewsLast picture of the CCF before the school closed in 1978.

Picture copyright © Jim Russell

Names anybody....?2 commentsadminSep 06, 2018
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