LOL 1087

 

HISTORY OF NO 1 DISTRICT

The earliest available records of no 1 District is a minute book commencing in the year 1865, 70 years after the Orange Order was established at the Diamond, County Armagh. At that time there were 17 Lodges in the District and one of these L.O.L. 433 has had an unbroken connection with the District to this day. At that time Bro. Thomas Ballantine (L.O.L 1688) was District Master, and remained so until 1869. Meeting were held throughout the District, as far away as Raphoe (L.O.L 1007) in County Donegal. When in Londonderry the District usually met in premises at either Church Wall or Sackville Street. On 1st October 1987 a meeting was held for the first time in the newly opened Apprentice Boys Memorial Hall at 13 Society Street, Londonderry.

On 12th January 1868 application was made by the W.M. of Killaloo L.O.L 621 for their Lodge to be connected with Number 1 District, as Number 2 District was not working. On 5th October 1870 L.O.L 621 was transferred back to Number 2 District who it appears were now working again. On the 1st December 1869 we find the first mention of a proposal to form Number 3 District. There was no record of the number of Lodges transferred at that time.

On 6th April 1870 Number 4 District Lodge was formed, Lodges Nos. 816, 871, 1007, 1190, and 1899 being transferred to the new District. These transfers to the new Districts reduced the number of Lodges in Number 1 District to 7. Minutes dated 16th October 1872 record that the District was then comprised to Lodges Nos. 433, 858, 1495, 1688, 1863, 1912, and 1927.

On 7th July 1875 Warrant Number 1866 was granted to Culmore True Blues who have remained in Number 1 District to this day. The Warrant had originally been held at Manorcunningham. On 17th April 1890 Warrant No. 1927 was reissued to Inch. By 1955 No 1 District had 6 working Lodges, these being Nos. 433, 846, 1087, 1495, 1866 and 1927.

In comparing records from 1955 and 1995 three names stand out, these being Bro. Jim Manning (L.O.L. 433) who in 1955 was the City of Londonderry Grand Orange Lodge Treasurer. Bro. Manning still represented Number 1 District at the City Grand Lodge in his capacity as Lay Chaplain of the District Bro. Cecil Allen in 1955 was a member of No. 1 District and Secretary of his own private Lodge, L.O.L 433. Bro. Allen was still the secretary of L.O.L 433 and represented No. 1 District at the City Grand Lodge in his capacity as No. 1 District Lecturer. Sadly these two dedicated Brothers have passed on to the Great Grand Lodge above.

Bro. Noel Stewart was Secretary of L.O.L. 1866 in 1955 and a member of No. 1 District Lodge. He carried out the duties as Lodge Secretary for some 19 years on and off, taking other offices in between at both Private Lodge and District Lodge level. Brother Stewart only retired from District and Private Lodge office at the end of 1994 due to health problems. He still represents his Private Lodge as their representative in The City of Londonderry Orange Widows Fund.

Although the above three members are specifically mentioned in the records of 1955, it would be wrong not to make mention of one other stalwart of that generation, that being Bro. Gerry Devine L.O.L 433, a close colleague of Bro. C. Allen and who also still serves the District at City Grand Lodge level in his capacity as a District Lecturer.

We pay tribute to these members and in deed to the younger generations who still pay full and active role representing Number 1 District at City Grand Lodge level and above.

In 1975 the District was present at the official opening of the House of Orange, Belfast.

The District has a history of being actively involved in standing firm for the Protestant faith against those, including our own Government on occasions who would try and erode it. It attended meeting at the Ulster Hall, Belfast on 23rd April 1977; Belfast City Hall on 15th March 1980; and at protest to changes in the Public Order legislation on 11th April 1987.

In the late 1970’ The Women’s Lodge Holland Memorial No. 167 began a close relationship in parading with the District which continues to this day.

Sadly in 1979 L.O.L. 846 and L.O.L 1495 found they were unable to continue and handed in their Warrants. The remaining members transferred to other Lodges in the City Grand Lodge Jurisdiction.

Unfortunately, this was a sign of the times which ahs seen the membership under the City of Londonderry Grand Orange Lodge reduced by about half.

This is due mainly to three factors. By far the most significant of these has been the campaign of this cleansing carried out the roman Catholic murder gangs, and aided by misguided Government policies. This is too large a subject to be covered properly within this short history. It can best be summed up in two sets of statistics. Firstly the Protestant population on the West Bank of the River Foyle in Londonderry has dropped from about 31% in 1965 to less that one percent today. The second statistic refers to the area of the British Isles partitioned in 1922 and now called the Republic of Ireland. Many of the Lodges in the City Grand Lodge met in halls, which today are in the Irish republic. They were forced out when their Halls were burned and they were intimidated now meeting in Northern Ireland at locations such as the Memorial Hall. In 1922 Protestants made up about a sixth of the population in the Irish republic. Because of discrimination and intimation they now make up about 2% - 3% of the population.

The second factor has been the reduction in interest in the Christian faith among the young. There has in the last 5-10 years been a gradual rekindling of interest, particularly in the early 20 age group.

The third reason that membership fell was the consistent stance by the Orange Order in opposing violence from whatever source. Faced with a continual onslaught of genocide by Roman Catholic terrorists and an ineffective security policy the restraining influence of the Order did not always find favour among hot headed youth.

Despite the campaign against Protestants the District Lodge has grown stronger and more active in an ever-growing range of activities. Records show that since 1982 No. 1 District was encouraging the City of Londonderry Grand Lodge to financially exploit the Orange field at Culmore. This has now borne fruit to the benefit of the Orange Institution of Londonderry and which will move the Orange Institution forward in this area into the next Century.

The City Grand Lodge now has a new Orange Demonstration field with facilities such as a toilet block, sports fields, changing rooms, etc. This field will be officially opened in June 1995.

The District Lodge has consistently opposed the Anglo Irish Agreement. They have actively played their part in protest on 14th November 1987, 29th October 1988, 15th November 1989, 15th November 1991, 13th November 1993, and 5th November 1994. Representatives lobbied Members of Parliament in London in 1987 against the Anglo Irish Agreement. Today the District still campaigns to show that they will never accept such dictatorships.

The District Lodge was very active in commemorating the Tercentenary of the Battle of the Boyne in 1990, in conjunction with No. 4 District Lodge. The District supported the events organised by the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland and organised their own events. Members travelled to Torbay, England on 5th November 1988 to celebrate the landing there in 1688 of William Prince of Orange. In March 1990 they attended the Orange Music Festival in Belfast. On 29th September 1990 they took their place in the G.O.L.I. Tercentenary print in the Lodge Rooms in the Apprentice Boys Memorial Hall, as well as raising £662.98 for the Apprentice Boys Memorial Hall restoration appeal. The jewel in the crown for District was their Tercentenary Banquet along with No. 4 District. This was held in the Apprentice Boys Memorial Hall on 27th April 1990. The guest speaker on that occasion was Bro. Clifford Forsythe, M.P. The District officers in that year were W.D.M. Bro. Derek Boyd, D.D.M Bro. William Smallwoods, Chaplain Bro. Rev. Dane Burns, Lay Chaplain Bro. James Manning, Secretary Bro. William Stewart, Treasurer Bro. Peter Olphert, Lecturers Bro. Gerald Devine and Bro. Cecil Allen, and Tyler Bro. William Hamilton.

No. 1 District Lodge supports Victoria Junior L.O.L. 175 under their parent Lodge, L.O.L. 1087. The District actively support the Londonderry Orange Widows Fund, the Londonderry feis, The Society Credit Union, The Standard Bearers Competition, The Apprentice Boys Memorial Hall, The Londonderry Loyalist Flags Committee, The Campaign for Justice in the case of the U.D.R 4, family events such as sports days and the Christmas party. The Crimson Players Drama Group, The Orange Standard Newspaper and inter district games nights.

Members of the District have built contacts with Scottish Brethren. Members of the District, Culmore L.O.L. 1866 in particular accompanied by the William King Memorial Flute Band paraded in Scotland on 4th July 1992. District officers have attended other events in Scotland since.

The District extends their congratulations to the William King Memorial F.B. on their continued competition success, to the Hamilton Flute Band on their taking part in the Lords Mayor's Parade in London, an event that warranted a special television programme.

On the 11th July 1993 the District Lodge dedicated their new Bannerette and Collerettes. The Bannerette depicts the Mountjoy Breaking the boom across the River Foyle near Broomhill, Culmore.

The District is well advanced in their plans to celebrate the bicentenary of the Orange Order in 1995 by both attending G.O.L.I. events and organising their own. Again their most significant event will be a bicentenary Banquet on 29th September 1995.

The District officers for 1995 were W.D.M. Bro. Peter Olphert (L.O.L. 1927), D.D.M. Bro. William Stewart (L.O.L. 1866), Chaplain Bro. Rev. Dane Burns (L.O.L. 433), Lay Chaplain Bro. James Manning (L.O.L 433), Secretary Bro. Colin Slater (L.O.L. 1866), Treasurer Bro. David Ramsey (L.O.L. 1927), Lecturer Bro. Cecil Allen (L.O.L. 433) and Bro. Gerald Devine (L.O.L 433),Tyler Bro. Leonard Jackson (L.O.L. 1087).

It is encouraging that in recent years membership of the Orange Order in No. 1 District has been slowly increasing.

Finally the District wishes to express their sympathy to all those who have suffered at the hands of Roman Catholic terrorists. In particular the District express its sympathy to the family of our late Brother Cecil McKnight, Culmore L.O.L 1866, murdered by terrorists on 29th June 1991 for his membership of a Loyalist Political Party and to Brother Peter Olphert W.D.M. and his family whose father was murdered by I.R.A. terrorists in his shop on 18th January 1983, the excuse being his part time membership of the Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve Force.