In a decade, which saw the beginning of the Boy's Brigade in the British Isles and the advent of the first Electric Railway between Portrush and the Giants Causeway, Ballywillan Flute Band made its first appearance. It is generally believed that the year was 1884 and previous to this it was known as Ballycraig Flute Band. At any rate the Coleraine Chronicle dated 5th July 1884 clearly indicated that they were very much in business when they led the local Ballyhome Sabbath School on their excursion to Downhill. The article also mentions the new uniforms which had recently been purchased from Moorhead & Co. in Coleraine.
In the early days practices were held in the homes of members and anyone missing a practice were fined (not a bad idea as I am sure all bandmasters and conductors will agree). From the time that the first Ballywillan Orange Hall was opened in 1897 until the present day, the bands have been granted the use of the halls by the Orange Lodge LOL1022 for practices and functions of all descriptions.
It is quite clear that the early days of the ban were busy ones, because in addition to the loyalist parades they also played to the summer visitors. In the latter part of the nineteenth and early 20th Century visitors came to Portrush in hordes especially from Scotland. For some considerable time the responsibility for providing outdoor music fell on the Ballywillan band and also the Portrush part music flute band but gradually in the early 1900's the Railway Company provided finance to bring in visiting bands.
Finance has always been a fundamental item in banding life especially it comes to the business of providing instruments and uniform. It would seem that in 1906 there was plenty of competition to make band uniforms and the winners of the contracts were only too pleased to advertise the fact. I just wish that there was as much competition today and perhaps both price and quality would be better.
In 1924 our past president Robert Morrison joined the band after a two-year stint at Ballyrashane and at that time Samuel Leighton was still bandmaster. Robert took over as band master around 1932 and continued in this office until 1962. In the twenties and thirties it was mainly a twelfth of July band and at some stages membership was extremely small. Alex Warke was able to tell of going on parade with nine flutes and three of these were visitors. Money was collected by subscription and Robert Morrison and Dan Daly ran a dancing class in the old orange hall
Band equipment was single key flutes made by John Grey and Potters whilst the drums were a mixture of brass shelled and skeleton. Regalia was dark suits, side sashes and caps.
During the war years 1939-45 there were no twelfth Parades and a number of members joined the Armed Forces for the duration of the war. These were Stewart Richardson, Dan Walker, Alex McLaughlin George McLaughlin, John McDowell, Stewart Mulholland and finally Alan Callaghan who paid the Supreme Sacrifice.
The Post war years marked the beginning of a new era in the band; as a matter of fact it was the start of a completely new and different type of band. Robert Morrison, who was mainly responsible for this change brought Jock Mitchell in to train and conduct the band during the winter of 1946. The results of this training were very evident when the Coleraine Football Club held a band contest in the Showgrounds on Saturday 19th July 1947. Winners were Ballywillan with 66 points, in second place were Killowen Young Defenders with 65 points and third Ballyrashane with 63 points. Cup for the best solo drummer was won by Stewart Brownlow, Ballywillan. Seven Bands competed and the adjudicator was W.B.Blyth, Belfast.
This signalled the end of Ballywillan as a first flute band because in 1947 Jock Mitchell introduced second flute parts and in the following year we were the proud possessors of four F flutes. Shortly afterwards a new set of rope tension side drums and two tenor drums were added and this added greatly to the appearance of the band which had previously been led by the flutes.
One item which made a big difference to the drummers in the 1950's was the introduction of synthetic drum ends which were not effected by the wet weather. Up to this date all ends were made of animal skins which stretched when wet. In the 1950'2, war time deprivation had long since faded into the background and money was becoming more plentiful and worst of all, other bands had uniforms and we had none. This bone of contention which was used as an excuse for poor attendance was aired at the AGM and a decision was taken to collect funds and purchase new uniforms in 1958. This was not to be and it was finally 1963 before the uniforms were bought.
It should be said at this point that during the late 1940's and early 1950's the band gained 4 new members who are now as much part of the bands history as their predecessors, Stewart Watton, Billy Dallas, Maurice Daly and Sammy Dorrans. All of these are still going strong in the band in 2001 and have all received their 50 year medal from the Flute Band League. Without these four who have all shared the Offices the band would surely not have been in the position it is today.
We had now reached the era of the Orange Hall dance and prior to the troubles they were very popular affairs and a good means of raising money for band funds. 1n 1964 Billy Dallas took over the bandmasters job from Samuel Dorrans. The band at that stage were a very capable outfit as they were to prove in November of that year by winning the second grade junior flute competition of the N.I.B.A in the Ulster Hall where the adjudicatior was the world famous Harry Mortimer. At this time the conductor was George Wilson who had joined in 1952 and taking over the baton in 1958 from Jock Mitchell. George was to continue in this role until his sudden death in 1992.
Success breeds success and with a wealth of young talent in the band we returned to the Ulster Hall to bring back the Sinclair Cup for the second year. By this time it was realised that if success was to continue a set of new flutes would be required. This was almost realised when in 1966 a party of delegates went to try and purchase the flutes from the defunct Comber band. Unfortunately the flutes went to Roses Lane Ends.
The hatrick was completed when in 1966 the band returned from the Ulster Hall after winning the first grade junior flute (by 4 clear points).. In 1972 the new concert flutes began to arrive. At this time the bandmaster was Stewart Watton who had taken over from Billy Dallas in 1969. Due to restrictions in 1970 the band outings were severely curtailed and this did little to promote membership.
The hard work for the band was only starting both for the band who had to learn the new Boehn system of fingering and for George Wilson who had to transpose all the music to suit the new flutes. The job was finally completed without too many casualties although some of the older members found it quite difficult. The new flutes were used at the armistice parade in November 1972. Concert piccolo's provided the top melody end until these were eventually replaced by treble G flutes.
In 1974 the band gathered in the west Bay View Hotel to honour Mr Robert Morrison by the presentation of an inscribed silver tray to mark his 50 years in the band.
The year 1977 was one of change and at the AGM in November, Stewart Watton finished his term as bandmaster and was replace by James McAllister. This was a period of quite intense activity as preparations were being made to buy a new uniform and this involved considerable expense around £3000. Two well supported money making efforts that year were the halloween Draw and a fortnightly draw which together raised £1350.
In addition, the band took in three functions organised by the newly formed North West flute Bands Association. A competition in the Coleraine Music Festival, A style and Appearance (both of which were won by the Churchill Band from Londonderry) and finally a concert for Cancer Research.
Chris Dickson must have been one of the most relieved people in the band when we finally took delivery of the new uniforms in June 1976 because he had been responsible for the marching dress and he found it increasingly difficult to kit out new members. Since the purchase of the previous uniform in 1963, varying styles of fashion had come and gone - and tight trousers, wide trousers, slack trousers and flared ones. We possessed a complete wardrobe of these items but according to Chris they were of no use because anyone who left Ballywillan Band was deformed.
The winter of 1979 witnessed a new revolution in our band - ladies were admitted for the first time and believe me they are here to stay as we now have a large thriving section of female musicians in the band.
The band continued to take part in contests and parades gaining 2nd and 3rd places and in 1981 purchased 3 new treble g flutes at a cost of £1000. The replacement of equipment is part of a never ending cycle and January 1981 saw us take delivery of a new drum kit at around £1000. This was purchased from Matchetts in Belfast.
At the AGM on 2nd September 1982 there was little to indicate that we were assembling the most successful team in the history of the band. It was headed by Brian McAllister as Band Master, Mrs Hazel Pollock as secretary and Maurice Daly as Treasurer.
Tragedy was to strike once again as we lost one of our most loyal and devoted members, bass drummer, Robert Williamson who died suddenly at hospital on 19th April 1983. He had taken ill during a BB parade in Portstewart a few weeks earlier. As a tribute to Robert the band paraded and led his cortege to Ballywillan Cemetery. The band were beginning to think that there was a jinx on Bass drummers as Alfie McCaw had returned to the band in 1980 to assist Robert and he also died suddenly on 28th September 1981.
From a competitive viewpoint we looked on 1983 as being our year. Starting with a second place in the NorthWest Bands association contest behind the Hamilton Flute Band, Londonderry. We followed this up with a victory over the Hamilton at Coleraine Music Festival and climaxed the year by winning the junior Grade Flute Section and the Duff Cup at the Ulster Hall in October.
1984 - our centenary year started with a third place in the North West contest, where the Hamilton won with Churchill second. Centenary celebrations continued in the Ballywillan Presbyterian Church Hall with a musical evening where a new Drum Major's sash was presented by Roy Williamson in memory of his father.
At this stage thanks go to Billy Dallas for the work he put in compiling the history to date.
