The Lord Mayor’s Show was once a vibrant event in Belfast’s social calendar, typically occurring in May. This film, donated by Mervyn Chambers and shot by his father, captures a view of the floats on display. The reel appears to span several years of Lord Mayor’s Shows: the first section seems to be from 1965, the middle from 1966, and – following a snowy interlude – a final section from 1971. All of the footage was taken on the Ormeau Road, with the famous Hatfield Bar (adorned with the names of its original landlords, Braithwaite and McCann, who purchased the pub in the 1880s) serving as a useful landmark.

The first show took place in 1956, hosted by R. J. R. Harcourt. The grand parade proved immensely popular, attracting thousands to the city to view a spectacular collection of floats that offered insight into the everyday culture of the time. We see everything from floats promoting the gas refineries at Sydenham to a car plant parade, and even maidens in Hellenistic attire posing within a recreation of the Pantheon made from eight-foot-tall cigarettes.

The Lord Mayor’s Parade experienced a lull in the 2000s due to funding difficulties and declining public interest but has since undergone a transformation into a community festival, now known as Lord Mayor’s Day.

Of particular interest to the cameraman was the float for the Milk Marketing Board, his employer. Through this work, Chambers travelled the world promoting Northern Ireland’s dairy industry.