The Cinema and Theatre on Ocean Island (Banaba)

Banaban Voice
33 minutes ago
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Newly opened Open Air Alexandra Theatre on Ocean Island (Banaba), September 1910.

The following story was provided by the late Frank Miller (1), Australia, March 1993

Originally published as a Feature Story in Banaba/Ocean Island Newsletter, Issue No. 2 Apr - May 1993.

John Robert Miller (2) was first employed by the Pacific Phosphate Co. (PPC) as a carpenter in November of 1908. He was, in fact, by trade a radio telegraphist but had carried out carpentry and building work in New Zealand since his emigration to that country from England in 1904. As you will see, he was a man of many parts.

In 1910 he was active with the Ocean Island Musical and Dramatic Group and was instrumental in constructing the Alexandra Theatre at Ooma (Uma). The play put on for the opening of the theatre was on 3 Sept 1910, and was called ‘Old Honesty’, in which he took part. On many occasions, prior to this. he had been active in various concert shows as a violinist and as a singer.

Cast of OLD HONESTY 1910, J Miller 3rd from left back row. Miller Collection

In 1914 he was granted a lease on land at the cost of 6 pounds per month for the purpose of erecting a cinema. No doubt it was a success, for in 1922 he had to travel to Nauru for the purpose of establishing a cinema on the island. Possibly these were among the first open-air cinemas in the southern hemisphere.

In 1914 Jack Miller took a carbon arc projector with a bicycle operated generator to the Gilbert Island (Kiribati) to show some recruiting films to the Islanders. Some years after this retirement, he told me, during one of our rare meetings, that when crossing the lagoon on one of the islands, presumably Tarawa, the canoe was swamped and all the equipment had to be dried out before the show could continue. The Islanders who pedalled the bicycle and filled the water cooler for the equipment got into the shows free, all the others had to pay the equivalent of a penny.

I said earlier, ‘during one of our rare meetings’, for I was taken to school in England at the age of six in 1926, saw my parents for a few months in 1931 and then not again until 1951. My sister Jo, was a school in England for five years 1926-31 and then attended C.E.G.G.S. Firbank in Melbourne as a border. She would later work in the company office on Ocean Island (Banaba). Joy would probably have more stories to tell of the island for after all I only lived there as a child.

Alexandra Theatre and Cinema was a major attraction of Company staff and the Islanders.. JF WIlliams Collection.

Many of the past Company staff have mentioned the significance the cinema and theatre played in their lives on the Island. Jack Miller was the man responsible for the Alexandra Theatre and the Cinema on Ocean Island (Banaba) and bringing so much pleasure to not only the European staff but also the Banabans, Gilbertese (I-Kiribati), Ellice (Tuvaluans), and Chinese communities.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

1. Frank Miller was born at Tabwewa village on 28 Nov 1920 and is proud to have a Banaban Birth Certificate. He is the son of John (Jack) and Beatrice Miller.

2. John Miller an Englishmen went to Ocean Island (Banaba) in 1908 as a carpenter. He enlisted and fought in WWI and returned to the island with his new wife. He retired in 1939 and left Frank and his sister Joy, who lived in New Zealand, a wonderful collection of memorabilia and over 200 photographs.

Originally published as a Feature Story in Banaba/Ocean Island Newsletter, Issue No. 2 Apr-May 1993.