12th July and Orange Lodges - Help offered

[markinbelfast]

If a man got his 50 year medal in 1971 would this have been recorded in a local Orange order related newspaper/magazine....where these medals given on a certain day...i.e the 12th July or could they have been presented at any time?

[kalasira]

dear markinbelfast,
sorry can,t answer your quesion,s i can,t even find which lodge my uncle was in or his death,so i am really stuck.from jacquie

[aghadowey]

As far as I know such awards would have been given during a lodge meeting rather than a day when they were marching. And yes, such events were often, although not always, in the local newspaper.

[taughey]

Hello fmni,
Could you find any information about my grandfather, Andrew Rowan b 1866, died 6th August 1942. He was a member of the Orange Lodge, Sandy Row, Belfast. I was told that at one time he was a Grand Master, played the Lambeg Drum and that there was an Andrew Rowan Memorial band. He had five brother"s who probably would have been connected to the Sandy Row branch as well. They all lived around the Donegall Rd area of Belfast. Would the Orange Order have any information as regards address"s etc. especially for these brother"s? I do not have his L.O.L. no. I have looked at the obituaries in the Belfast Telegraph for 1942 but found nothing and can"t think of another newspaper to search. I would greatly appreciate your help,
Thank you,
Taughey.

[markinbelfast]

If a man got his 50 year medal in 1971 would this have been recorded in a local Orange order related newspaper/magazine....where these medals given on a certain day...i.e the 12th July or could they have been presented at any time?

Just pinned this research down to an orangeman from the Bessbrook area....any idea of the lodges that may have been in this area in 1971

[fmni]

Hi Mark,

There is a whole district, Bessbrook District No.11 that is made up of five lodges, four of which have 'Bessbrook' in their name as well. The oldest of the five lodges I believe would be LOL 77, Divernagh Ancient Heroes. As far as I know, all five would have been in existence in 1971.

LOL 77 Divernagh Ancient Heroes
LOL 294 Bessbrook
LOL 303 Bessbrook Britannia Temperance
LOL 927 Bessbrook Star of Hope Temperance
LOL 959 Bessbrook Purple Star

I don't know much on any of these lodges, other than the last one, Bessbrook Purple Star who from memory had two of their members killed by the IRA in the Kingsmill Massacre - I think both members are depicted on their lodge banner.

With Bessbrook being a district, they will have hosted a Twelfth of July celebration, it may be worth trying to hunt down a possible booklet that would have been produced for that day, often such a booklet will go into much more detail about the district and the individual lodges.

Regards,
Mark

[toni*]

my son was born on Orange Day

[mandyfahey]

Hi fmni

Would it be possible that you could have some info about a McCaldridge / Alexander (they used both names, don't know why??) were members of the Orange Lodge both in Ballymoney Co. Antrim ( from early 1800's I believe) and Lanarkshire Scotland(from 1893 onwards we think). I have a photo of the family at an Orange Parade.

My Great Great Great Grandfather was John McCaldridge / Alexander (?1829) married to Mary Jane Wilkinson in Finvoy Church.
My Great Great Grandfather James McCaldridge / Alexander married jane rainey and then Jane Mulholland, they moved over to Scotland between 1893- 1900 and became as afar as I am aware involed with the Orange Order, in turn my great grandfather William John Alexander was also a member.

If you have any info about these people I would be grateful for it. I know it is a long shot, but It would be interesting to know more about their involvement in the lodges.

Thank you in advance

[J.A.M.]

Hello fmni from Canada,

My great grandfather Alexander (Sandy) McCalmont was a member of St. John's Islandmagee Lodge #162 from 1897 - 1922. His son Samuel (Sammy) McClelland McCalmont was also a member of #162 from 1942 to his death in 1990. Sammy was also a member of Royal Arch Chapter #260 Redhall, Ballycarry from 1946 as well as a member of Royal Black Perceptory #324.

This is by way of an introduction to my request. Could you please provide me with a history of Islandmagee Lodge #162 including it's founding members?

On a personal note. As my ancestors were Masons am I entitled to acceptance in a lodge?

Thanks.

Roger