HISTORY of BURT FAITH DEFENDERS LOL 1927 from 1869 to PRESENT DAY Updated February 2020
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HISTORY OF BURT FAITH DEFENDERS LOL 1927 FROM 1869 TO PRESENT DAY Updated February 2020 Researched and compiled by Wor Bro David Canning P.M., P.D.M The original LOL No 1927 met in the Island of Inch Masonic Hall and was known as Inch LOL No 1927. This is confirmed by the old pill box style hats which bear the name and are in the possession of the writer. At a meeting of the City of Derry LOL No 1 District held in St. Johnston Orange Hall on 6th January 1869 the following is recorded in the minutes of that meeting. "An application was handed in from Inch signed by 7 members of the Orange Institution requesting leave to open a Lodge. The application was granted on condition that the petitioners produce certificates of membership or confirmation from their current or previous Lodges. According to the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland`s warrant register compiled in the year 1875 Lodge No. 1927`s warrant was first issued on 21st July 1869 in the name of John F Kenning, Donegal. (It would appear that Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland might have interpreted the spelling of the name incorrectly, perhaps due to the particular style of writing that may have been used on the application.) On checking our earliest roll book for 1907 a John F Fleming is recorded as first committee man. Our roll book of 1911 records that John Fleming had died. From other information since obtained I am now confident that John F Fleming`s name was on the original warrant for Inch LOL No. 1927. The minutes of The City of Londonderry Grand Orange Lodge dated 17th November 1869 record that no returns were received from Inch 1927. The Lodge had a membership of twenty three in 1870. The City of Derry LOL No 1 District minute book records minutes of a District meeting held at the Lodge room of LOL No 1927 Isle of Inch on 5th July 1871. In the year 1876 they were charged the sum of £3.00 sterling for the use of the Masonic Hall. This is confirmed in the minutes of Island of Inch Masonic Lodge No 589 dated 3rd February 1876. On 13th August 1877 a riot occurred at Inch Road station as members of the Lodge and other visitors including a band paraded to the station to board the train to take them to Londonderry where they intended to support and take part in the annual Apprentice Boys parade commemorating the lifting of the siege in August 1689. Newspaper reports at the time indicate that a crowd of people had gathered to try and prevent them from parading. Stones were thrown at the procession and at the station property. Firearms were allegedly discharged. A number of court cases evolved from this incident. Fortunately no one was seriously injured and the outcome appears to have been that all parties were treated very leniently by Mr. Justice Keogh at the Crown Court sitting in Lifford on 16th March 1878. On the return journey from the 13th August 1877 celebration the members and families were again attacked in Londonderry because of serious rioting in the city that day. Newspaper reports record that they and the Inch and Ballymagroarty bands were escorted for one mile out of the city by a group of 100 Apprentice Boys. It is assumed they paraded the full distance back to Inch that day. In the lead up to the Second Home Rule bill the Londonderry Sentinel of 7th march 1893 records that at the monthly meeting of the Lodge held in Inch Island on Saturday 4th March1893 the following resolution was unanimously passed. "That the members of this Lodge protest against the passing of any form of Home Rule Bill altering or transferring our allegiance from our glorious Sovereign Queen Victoria to an Irish Executive and we hereby declare our intention to resist, even to death, the enforcing of any such measure. Therefore, preferring to die on the field rather than at the hand of midnight enemies, we will take our stand with the rest of our brethren in strenuous opposition and this we all solemnly declare, so help us God, and keep us steadfast in our duty." A newspaper article from Londonderry Sentinel dated 10th July 1906 records that members of LOL No. 1927 assembled in the Masonic Hall, Inch on Sunday evening and marched in procession, wearing regalia, to Inch Church where a very edifying sermon was preached by the Rev. J R Sides M.A., rector of Burt and Inch, who chose for his text John III v16. After the service the brethren returned to the Hall and dispersed. The present warrant of Burt Faith defenders LOL 1927 was issued on 7th October 1890 in the name of Bro Robert Elder and in that year had eleven members. The Lodge moved from Inch Island in 1910 to the old school house at Boniemaine, Bridgend which is now in ruins (see photo below). At a City of Derry Grand Orange Lodge meeting on 31st August 1910 LOL No. 1927 sent a communication through No. 1 District stating that they had changed their place of meeting from Inch Masonic Hall to Boniemaine, Bridgend. (This would have been the old school house in Boniemaine.) A considerable number of the Lodge members joined the Ulster Volunteer Force in 1912 and when the call to arms came at the start of the World War One in 1914 many of brethren volunteered. A newspaper article from July 1913 records that Burt Faith Defenders LOL No. 1927 paraded from Boniemaine Orange Hall to Burt Presbyterian Church for their annual July service. The minister of Burt, Rev .R.W. Ross, was the special preacher. An appeal was launched in June 1910 for funds to build a new hall on a site donated by the late Bro John McCombe. However the looming crises of Home Rule, the outbreak of the First World War and the continuing troubles of the period 1916 to the 1920’s prevented this being accomplished until the year 1927. The Lodge records for the years relating to the First World War confirm that many members were serving in the Forces of the Crown and we remember them with pride and gratitude. Some of the following information has been recorded for posterity in the book “Ballyshannon, Belcoo, Bertincourt, The History of the 111th Battalion, The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers [Donegal and Fermanagh Volunteers] in world War One written by W J Canning who is a member of the Lodge. ALL GAVE SOME AND SOME GAVE ALL The following members made the Supreme Sacrifice. Bro Robert Anderson, Springtown, Londonderry. 11th Btn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. Killed in action 1st July 1916 at the Battle of the Somme. No known grave. Remembered with honour on the Thiepval Memorial. Bro Robert Bell, Burnfoot, Co. Donegal. 6th Dragoons [Inniskillings]. Killed inaction on 1st January 1916. Remembered with honour in Hecqueliers Cemetery, France and in Knowhead Presbyterian Church, Co Donegal. Bro Joseph Crockett, Elaghberg, Burnfoot, Co Donegal. 10th Btn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and Machine Gun Corps [Infantry]. Killed in action 1st July 1916 at the Battle of the Somme. No known grave. Remembered with honour on Thiepval Memorial and in Ballyarnett Presbyterian Church, Co Londonderry. Bro Robert Dinsmore, Gortcormican, Burnfoot, Co Donegal. 9th Btn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. Killed inaction 1st July 1916 at the Battle of the Somme. No known grave. Remembered with honour on the Thiepval Memorial. Bro Joseph Thompon Downey. Mannerstown, Burt, Co Donegal and West Calder Edinburgh. 13th Btn Royal Scots. Killed in action 27th September 1915 at the Battle of Loos while advancing on enemy trench positions. No known grave. Remembered with honour on the War Memorial in Loos, Pas de Calais, France and in Burt Presbyterian Church, Co Donegal. Bro John Keys, Birdstown, Burnfoot, Co Donegal. 11th Btn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. Killed in action 1st July 1916 at the Battle of the Somme. No known grave. Remembered with honour on Thiepval Memorial and in Knowhead Presbyterian Church, Co Donegal. Bro William McClintock, Galliagh, Londonderry. 11th Btn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. Killed in action 1st July 1916 at the Battle of the Somme. Remembered with honour in Mill Road Cemetery, Thiepval Memorial and in Ballyarnett Presbyterian Church, Co Londonderry. The following members also served during the First World War and returned home although many of them were wounded in the conflict. We are not sure of the Regiments they served in since this was not always recorded in our roll book. We would appreciate further information which might be in the domain of any living relatives. Bro James Austin Speenogue, Burt, Co Donegal Bro William Dinsmore Gortcormican, Burnfoot Co Donegal [Royal Navy] Bro Andrew Dinsmore Gortcormican, Burnfoot, Co Donegal [Army - 11th Btn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers] Bro James Dinsmore Lenamore, Muff, Co Donegal Bro William Flackes Carnamaddy, Burt, Co Donegal Bro Samuel Lynch Toulett, Burt, Co Donegal [Army - 6th Dragoons Inniskilling and the 12th Btn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers] Bro William McClay Crislamore, Burnfoot, Co Donegal. Bro Samuel McGowan Bohillion, Burt, Co Donegal [Army - Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and Machine Gun Corps] Bro John Robb Bonniemaine, Bridgend, Co Donegal Bro Andrew S Robinson Carrowreagh, Bridgend, Co Donegal [Emigrated to New Zealand and joined a Lodge there] Bro William Walker Coshquin, Londonderry The following members joined the Lodge immediately after their War service and again we do not have detailed information on their respective regiments. Bro William Austin Speenogue, Burt, Co Donegal Bro Joseph Holden Bridgend, Co Donegal Bro Robert J McDowell Inch Level, Burt, Co Donegal Bro Henry Robb Bonnemaine, Bridgend, Co Donegal Bro Calvin Robinson Toulett, Burt, Co Donegal Bro Percy Robinson Toulett, Burt, Co Donegal Bro Jack Scott Birdstown, Burnfoot, Co Donegal Bro Joseph Wallace Rosemount, Londonderry [Emigrated to New Zealand.] During the troubles of the 1920’s the late John McDowell, the owner of the old school was shot and seriously wounded by IRA gunmen.