Donaghadee, Blue Banner Total Abstinence L.O.L. 781
The first meeting of LOL 781 was held on 2nd July 1904 after the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland had issued warrant number 781 for the fee of £1.00. During the early years the Lodge met in the Orange Hall in Manor Street, Donaghadee but on the 13th July 1912 the foundation stone was laid by the Right Honourable R.J. Kennedy CMG for their own Orange Hall on the corner of Moat Street and Union Street. The Orange Hall was formally opened in November of the same year by Bro. Col. Wallace C.B. Grand Master of Belfast County with Bro. Rev. Canon Pooler leading the devotional scripture and prayers. The cost of building the Orange Hall was £1000.
In 1914 World War 1 broke out and 48 members of LOL 781 answered the call to serve King and Country, sadly 9 members were to lose their lives during the conflict. During World War 2 a number of Brethren served in His Majesties Forces thankfully they all returned safely after the war. On 29th September 2006 the Orange Hall was destroyed by a malicious fire two things to survive the blaze were the War Memorial erected to remember those killed during World War 1 which had fell from the wall and amazingly covered the Lodge Warrant which also emerged from the ashes. The new Donaghadee Orange & Protestant Hall was completed in October 2008. Find out more visit LOL 781 website.
Donaghadee Bro. Henry Ferguson Memorial L.O.L. 836
The warrant for LOL 836 was originally held by Ballyhay Heroes, the new LOL 836 began in Manor Street Orange Hall on the 1st June 1951. At this special meeting Worshipful District Master Ferguson from LOL 781 had the privilege of witnessing the formation of a lodge bearing the name of his father. Seven Brethren of LOL 781 had applied for the warrant, and when the formalities were concluded Bro. Joe Keith was elected Worshipful Master and Bro. Alex Dickson was his deputy. In 1952, LOL 872 kindly offered the newly formed lodge the use of a banner. By 1953 LOL 836 purchased a banner from Mr. A Purse for £83.15.0, this banner was replaced in 1967. June 1988 saw the unfurling of a their third banner which like earlier banners had King William III on one side and boldly displays the “ City of Belfast “ lifeboat leaving Donaghadee harbour on the other.
In our country which has been besotted with “religious disorder“ the next paragraph shows a lighter side of how life really was.Bro. Trevor Boyle and the late Bro. Willie Harper of LOL 836 were called out on fire service duty. St Annes Convent, then used as a school, had a serious chimney fire. Later that evening Bro. Boyle discovered the lodge did not have enough beetle cards for that evenings lodge fund raising effort. Where did Bro. Boyle go in his efforts to obtain the cards he needed ? Bro. Boyle explained the position to the sisters at St. Annes Convent. One good turn deserves another and with a generosity of spirit the sisters willingly obliged by providing beetle cards for the lodge.
Ballyhalbert Coronation L.O.L. 878
The lodge was granted a warrant in 1860. The Worshipful Master was Bro. F Moore, Deputy Master was Bro. J Bell. The lodge was known as Ballyhalbert Loyal Independent Orange Lodge until 1953 when the lodges name was changed to Ballyhalbert Coronation. The reason for this being Queen Elizabeth II coronation in 1953. The lodges first meeting place was 93 Harbour Road, Ballyhalbert, until the Orange Hall was built in 1869. A recent important date in the life of the lodge was 12th July 1988 when we were host for the 12th July Demonstration not having hosted it in nearly 40 years. The Lodge has had a very good association with all bands that have accompanied them on parade.
There have been a number of Brethren who have given the lodge outstanding service over the years. The late Bro. William Filson, Worshipful Master for 28 years 1909 to 1936. The late Bro. Herbert Gray, 11 years as Deputy Master, 11 years as Chaplain, 10 years as Worshipful Master 1937 to 1946. The late Bro. A Ledlie 1914 to 1937, Bro. F Tremlell (Sen.) 1953 to 1976 each served 24 years as secretary. Bro. J Taylor, 25 years as treasurer 1960 to 1984 and 3 years as Worshipful Master 1953 to 1955. These Brethren along with the late Bro. R Palmer Past Master and Lecturer and the late Bro. W Kirkpatrrick Past Master, the late Bro. Charles Armstrong Past Master set a standard and laid a foundation for our lodge to build on.
