Roses Lane Ends Flute Band pictured with Lisburn Mayor Councillor James Tinsley (left) and Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson (right).	L to R: Rev Canon Ernest Harris (Ballinderry Parish), Councillor James Tinsley (Mayor), Mrs Margaret Tinsley (Mayoress), Roy Wilson (Secretary), Alwyn Totten (Conductor), Sandy Wilson (Chairman), Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson and Rev John Rutter (Glenavy Parish).	Roses Lane Ends Flute Band on parade.

A band parade followed by a Praise and Thanksgiving Service in Ballinderry Parish Church last Sunday 1st June continued a series of events to mark the Centenary of Roses Lane Ends Flute Band. Led by Roses Lane Ends Flute Band, the bands that took part in the parade were: Ballydonaghy Pipe Pand, Ballydonaghy Caledonian Pipe Band, Bailliesmills Accordion, Ballygowan Flute Band, Cahard Flute Band, Dungannon Silver, Dunloy Accordian, Glenavy Accordion, Lisburn Young Defenders and Pride of Ballinran Flute Band (Kilkeel).

Ballinderry Parish Rector, the Rev Canon Ernest Harris, led the service assisted by the Rev John Rutter (Rector of Glenavy Parish) and Canon Harris gave the address. The special guests included Lisburn Mayor, Councillor James Tinsley, Deputy Mayor Councillor Ronnie Crawford and Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson, who read the Scripture lesson. Robert Yarr presided on the organ and together with the Parish Church Choir, led the praise that included, �Praise, my soul, the King of heaven�, �Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah� and �When we walk with the Lord�. Other items of praise were a duet on flute and piano by band members Nigel Wilkinson and Gareth Murray and a solo by Bobby Culbert accompanied by Alan Yarr, also a member of the band.

Referring to the words of the well-known hymn �Praise, my soul, the King of heaven� which rejoices in the assurance of being ransomed, healed, restored and forgiven, Canon Harris in a challenging address to the congregation and band members asked, �do you know Christ�s salvation?� He went on to speak of the need to taste and see that the Lord is good and concluded by saying that the special centenary service would be even more special if you were to give your heart and life to Jesus and ask Him into your life to be your Saviour.

Local retired teacher, Dr Reg Haslett, gave an interesting tribute to his grandfather, James Henry Haslett, the first conductor of Roses Lane Ends Flute Band. He said, �It is exceedingly difficult to speak with confidence about someone you never knew. My grandfather, died in 1934, some 13 years before I was born; however, I have been able to obtain reliable information from relatives and Vestry Minutes going back over 100 years. James Henry Haslett was a talented musician and I have been told that he wrote some of the music for the flute band. A dedicated churchman, his name appears many times in vestry minutes from 1901 until 1934, in various roles, Sidesman, People�s Church Warden and Parish Nominator. The small yet energetic man was an excellent tradesman and did panelling work in the Tunny Church and the old Glenavy Sunday School (now the Glenaidan Centre); he also built the farmhouse on the Glenavy Road, Crumlin, where I was born�.

�My grandfather came from a musical background, vestry minutes of December 1877 record that his father, Henry Haslett, led the choir at Feymore� Dr Haslett said; and continued, �Jane Haslett (James Henry�s wife), taught in the Sandhills School, Tunny for 38 years and Jim Totten, one of the past band members present at the Centenary Service, was one of her pupils�. Dr Haslett said that it has been a privilege to be invited by band secretary Mr Roy Wilson to pay a tribute to his grandfather at the centenary service and concluded by wishing the band every success in the future.
 

The packed Ballinderry Parish Church.	Bailliesmills Accordion.	Ballydonaghy Pipe Band.
Ballydonaghy Caledonian Pipe Band.	Glenavy Accordion Band.	Dunloy Accordion Band.
Pride of Ballinran Flute Band.		Dungannon Silver Band.

02/06/2008