LOYAL ORANGE LODGE#319

WHY ORANGE?  A LITTLE HISTORY

The Principality of Orange (in French la Principauté d'Orange) was, from 1163 to 1713, a feudal state in Provence, in the south of modern-day France, on the left bank of the River Rhone north of the city of Avignon.The area of the principality was approximately 12 miles long by 9 miles wide, or 108 sq. miles

King William III (1650 – 1702) inherited the principality of Orange and became the sovereign Prince of Orange when he was born. In 1688, he became the King of England, Ireland and Scotland when he took the throne from his wife's Catholic father (and his own uncle),   James II.   His wife was given joint reign by English Parliament; an event which became known as the 'Glorious Revolution, ensuring the primacy of the Protestant faith in Britain. His decisive victory over James at the Battle of the Boyne is celebrated annually in Northern Ireland on 12 July.  William III was a devout Protestant man.   In 1702 he fell from a horsewhich resulted in a broken collarbone. He died from pneumonia on March 8, 1702 at the age of 51. He was buried alongside his wife in Westminster Abbey, London, England
 

The Grand Orange Lodge of British America is a Protestant fraternal organization that began in County Armagh, Ireland in 1795. It has played a large part in the history of Canada, with many prominent members including four Prime Ministers, amongst them Sir John A. Macdonald and John Diefenbaker as well as Tommy Douglas,  founder of the New Democratic Party.

The Orange Lodges have existed in Canada at least since the War of 1812. The Order was the chief social institution in Upper Canada, organizing many community and benevolent activities, and helping Protestant immigrants to settle. It remained a predominant political force in southern Ontario well into the twentieth century. There were scores of socially prominent citizens who were granted honorary membership but did not actually participate in official lodge business. Surprisingly given its great prestige, although there were many members drawn from the upper and middle classes, lodge membership was predominantly drawn from the ranks of labourers, street railway workers, teamsters, and other elements of the working class. Besides sentimental patriotic or imperialist motivations, many Orangemen joined because the benefits of mutual aid, security, and health supports made it easier to survive the difficulties of working class life. Middle class members, such as professionals, small-shop owners, and tavern-keepers, saw membership in terms of commercial gain through the steady attraction of lodge members as clientele. The Order’s secrecy, solemn oaths, and masonic-type rituals bonded men together as part of a greater whole, and dressing in the order’s distinctive sash and regalia for the Twelfth of July parade let members show off their status and achievements to the greater community. The Grand Orange Lodge of British America Benefit Fund was established in 1881 to provide fraternal benefits to members and remains as a modern insurance system.  (Wikipedia)

The Marmora Loyal Orange Lodge,  No. 319,  received its warrant under date of September 22, 1851,  when at the age of 21,  Thomas C. Campion,  son of the pioneer settler, Colonel Campion, became the first master. (Click here for more on the Campion family)

On May 13, 1947 the Marmora Loyal Orange Lodge No. 319, obtained a deed for burial property on the west side of the existing Marmora Protestant Cemetery grounds. On the property they raised the necessary funds in order to build Marmora's first vault. Frank Bobyk of Marmora designed and built the concrete structure in August, 1948. The Canadian Legion Branch 237 of Marmora, in conjunction with the L.O.L., then developed burial plots for veterans on land adjacent to the Orange Lodge members burial plots.

THE ORANGEMEN'S PARADE

Orangemen's Day(July 12) and parades commemorate the Battle of the Boyne, which took place in 1690 outside Drogheda, now in the Republic of Ireland.  The Battle of the Boyne in 1690 is seen as an important part of Ireland's history and pivotal in the power balance Protestants and Catholics in Great Britain and Ireland.

Symbols

An important symbol of Orangemen's Day is the color orange, which represents the monarchs in the House of Orange in general and William of Orange in particular. This color is seen on collarettes, banners and many other items. During the parades, men usually wear white shirts and gloves under dark suits and orange collarettes. Collarettes are narrow bands of cloth draped around the neck and fastened in front to form a “V” shape on the wearer's chest. They are decorated with symbols that represent the lodge, to which the wearer belongs, and the positions he holds and the awards he has received.

The banners carried during the parades also represent Orangemen's Day and the events in history that inspired the celebrations. In Canada many Orangemen's Day parade banners have an orange or blue background and the name of the lodge they represent. Many include some of the following images:

• A cross.

• The Bible.

• Biblical texts.

• A crown (representing the British Monarchy).

• King William of Orange, often seated on a white horse.

• Water (representing the River Boyne).

• Red or orange maple leaves (representing Canada).

Many banners may also feature the Union flag or Canada's national flag.

1968