A BRIEF HISTORY
SINCE 1890 Belfast Temple Band has been proclaiming the message of the gospel through Music. It is a record of unbroken service of which any band would be proud while we give thanks for those early day members who laid the foundations which has stood the band in good stead.
Band under leadership of Bandmaster James Davey in 1893 (left)
Not many years after its formation, the band was providing the music at the Founder's (William Booth) meetings which were regularly held in Belfast in those days.
From that time the band went on increasing it's prestige until Ballymacarrett Mountpottinger Band (the old name for Belfast Temple ["Bally one"]) became a household word throughout the Army world, one of the many evidences being the fact that in the late 1930's Bandmaster Neil Brown was invited to contribute an article for the New York "War Cry" as representing one of the 50 best known Salvation Army bands in the world.
Band under leadership of Bandmaster James Davey in 1893 (left)
Not many years after its formation, the band was providing the music at the Founder's (William Booth) meetings which were regularly held in Belfast in those days.
From that time the band went on increasing it's prestige until Ballymacarrett Mountpottinger Band (the old name for Belfast Temple ["Bally one"]) became a household word throughout the Army world, one of the many evidences being the fact that in the late 1930's Bandmaster Neil Brown was invited to contribute an article for the New York "War Cry" as representing one of the 50 best known Salvation Army bands in the world.
Ballymacarrett Band concert poster, 1923 (above)
On numerous occasions the band has campaigned in Great Britain, a few places have included Bromley, Wood Green, Warrington, Paisley, Bolton, Aberdeen, Glasgow etc. Ballymacarrett Mountpottinger Band were also the first band from Ireland to fly to mainland Britain in the late 1940's.
The band has performed in all the major concert halls in Northern Ireland including the Waterfront Hall, Ulster Hall, Whitla Hall and has performed in several major venues in the UK mainland including the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Great Crystal Palace and Alexandra Festivals.
The band has also visited every city and town of importance in Northern Ireland. It also visited Dublin and Kingstown on several occasions and is believed to be the only Salvation Army Band to march through the streets of Cork.
The band has also had the privilege of broadcasting on a number of occasions from the Belfast studios of the British Broadcasting Corporation and the various independent Television stations. In and around Belfast the Belfast Temple band is in great demand for the assistance of smaller Corps and other places of worship.
More recently in 2005 the band embarked on its first International visit to Sweden. To view pictures taken across the bands 130 + years please visit the gallery section of our website.
The band has performed in all the major concert halls in Northern Ireland including the Waterfront Hall, Ulster Hall, Whitla Hall and has performed in several major venues in the UK mainland including the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Great Crystal Palace and Alexandra Festivals.
The band has also visited every city and town of importance in Northern Ireland. It also visited Dublin and Kingstown on several occasions and is believed to be the only Salvation Army Band to march through the streets of Cork.
The band has also had the privilege of broadcasting on a number of occasions from the Belfast studios of the British Broadcasting Corporation and the various independent Television stations. In and around Belfast the Belfast Temple band is in great demand for the assistance of smaller Corps and other places of worship.
More recently in 2005 the band embarked on its first International visit to Sweden. To view pictures taken across the bands 130 + years please visit the gallery section of our website.