LOL 9 The Earl of Beaconsfield Primrose League, Clounagh
 
 
No 9 commenced its career at Grange with John Winter as Master until 1815. In the latter year James Graham and William Cummings became WM and DM respectively. Form that until 1818 the Master was Thomas Wright, with Thomas Cooney DM; John Troughton secretary, and Samuel Austin treasurer. In the archives of the number in Clounagh Orange Hall there is a document signed by the Masters of 18 lodges in the District stating that they are satisfied with the transfer of No 9 from the Grange to Dobbin with the consent of the former Master, John Winter, and for the next 40 years it was variously known, according to its meeting place, as Derryhale or Dobbin Lodge.

On its transfer to Derryhale in 1819 the following officers were elected :- William King, WM; Richard Knipe, DM; Robert Watson, secretary; and George Cummings, treasurer. 1820 found the lodge with another new set of offices. Perhaps the easiest way to indicate the changes is to set out the officers for the following years (WM; DM; Secretary, and Treasurer).

1820-John White, William Brownlee, John Mulholland, and John Preston.
1821- Thomas Wright, Thomas Cooney, John Brownlee, and Samuel Austin
1822 – Thomas Wright, T Cooney, James Stanley, Samuel Austin.
1823 – T Middleton, T Stanley, T Wright, J Wright.
1824 – Thomas Wright, James Stanley, J Wright, Samuel Austin
1825 and 1826 – James Stanley (to whom the new system warrant in possession of the Lodge was entrusted), Thomas Middleton, Richard Knipes, Samuel Austin.
1827 – John Watson, John Rusk, Thomas Cooney.

In 1828 Archibald Lisk was Master. In this and the following year it was apparently known as the Dobbin Lodge, and for at least part of 1829 James Ward was Master, with Hugh Henry Crozier as DM. For the remainder of the latter year and 1830 John Watson and Thomas Brownlee were WM and DM. Thomas Cooney was secretary and Alexander Watson treasurer in 1829; John Lodge and Saunders Watson filled these offices in 1830.

Thomas Wright was again Master in 1831, with Thomas Brownlee DM; John Lodge secretary, and Thomas Watson treasurer.

The same officers were at the head of affairs in 1832, but in 1833 Thomas Hall became secretary and John Wright treasurer. In 1834 and 1835 Richard Watson was Master, and other office bearers being unchanged. In 1836 Thomas Brownlee became Master with Robert Whitlow as DM, and in 1837 William Preston occupied the latter position. In 1839 Thomas Brownlee, John Brownlee and John Hewitt were WM, DM, and secretary, respectively.

Thomas Brownlee is still Master in 1840, when there is a gap in the records. Robert Whitlow is still DM. Thomas Hall had been secretary since 1833 except for one year, 1837, when Whitley Sprint occupied the post. John Wright had been treasurer for the same period.

Some of the names in the membership during this period are interesting :- the Andersons, Grahams, Watsons, Prestons, Haires and Gervis Cook.

Though there is a gap of 14 years, there is very little change in the officers when the records are resumed. In 1854 Thomas Brownlee is WM, William Preston DM; Whitley Sprint secretary, and John Brownlee treasurer, and there is no further change until 1861. The lodge was temporarily dormant for a period. Thomas Hoy became Master in 1862, and in 1864 he lodge is known as Artabracka LOL. William Cullen was DM and Thomas Alexander secretary. During the following four years Thomas Alexander was Master, with James Loughead, DM; 1866-7, and Thomas Hoyin 1868. Thomas Stanley, Samuel Glass, and Joseph Grimason seem to have been amongst those acting as secretary and treasurer.

From 1869 until 1871 Thomas Hoy was WM, Charles Ballentine DM, and James Hewitt secretary. James Preston was treasurer in 1869 and William Maxwell in 1871. In 1873 Alex Jenkinson, James Jackson and Thomas Costigan were WM and DM, and secretary. After that Thomas Hoy occupied the chair continuously until 1883, when the lodge returned to Derryhale.

After leaving Artabracka the lodge met for some time in the house of Mr Ruddell, Drumnnasoo, William J Ballantine had been DM in 1875, John Steenson 1877 to 1880, Hugh McComb 1881, and William McComb 1882. William McComb was secretary 1873-81, and Hugh McComb, 1882-3.

The treasurers were – James Preston, 1872-5; William Brownlee 1877; and George Ruddell, 1878-83. Richard Hobson, who had been DM in 1883, became Master in 1884, and held the office until 1892. From 1883 until 1888 the lodge met in his house, when it went to James Finlay’s Drumnasoo. Some months later we find it meeting in the house of William J Magee.

Thomas Burrell was DM in 1884, William Turner 1885-8, W J Magee 1889, Thomas Wright 1890-91. William Ward seems to have been secretary for a long period. James Uprichard, who became Master in 1892, held the office almost continuously until 1917. Richard Hobson was DM 1892-3, and James H Steenson in 1894-5. In 1896 we find it called Earl Beaconfield Primrose League LOL. In March 1898 James Uprichard retired from the chair, and Alexander McMurray was elected Master. At the annual election A McMurray was elected Master, T Wright DM; Samuel Norton Secretary; and William Ward treasurer, but in October of the same year James Uprichard was re-elected to the chair. In August1898, the lodge had moved to the house of John Clulow, and in June it transferred to the house of Richard England. In 1900-01 D McFarlane is secretary. In 1902 Joseph Uprichard was Master, John England DM; W J Lyttle secretary, and R. England treasurer. With the exception that James Uprichard returns to the chair there is no change in 1903.

The Clounagh Orange Hall was built in 1904. James Uprichard continued to occupy the chair until 1916. James Forde was DM 1904-09; Hugh Lyttle 1910-13; John Black 1914; Robert Best 1915; and Henry Caddell 1916-19. Secretaries during this period include – John Norton 1905; Hugh Lyttle, 1906-08; W J Lyttle, 1908-13; James Gordon 1914; and Robert J Magowan, 1915-16.

The latter succeeded James Uprichard as Master in 1917, and held the office until 1919. He was subsequently Master of 322, which he joined in 1919. James Hewitt was treasurer from 1906 until 1923, except for the year 1921, when it was held by William Dobson. James Bartley, who had been chaplain for a great many years was succeeded in 1912 by J Chambers. Joseph Caddell succeeded the latter in 1916, and held office until 1920.

James Chambers was secretary in 1917; Hebert Best in 1918; and William Dobson in 1919. The latter was WM in 1920. William Buckley was DM in 1919 and H Caddell in 1920. James Richardson being secretary.

Thomas Jenkinson was Master 1921-3 with Joseph Caddell as DM. James Whitten was secretary 1921-2, and Alex Kerr in 1923.

James Hewitt held the position of Master from 1924 until 1926, with James Telford, senior as DM; Richard Caddell was Master 1927-31, John McNeill being DM in 1927 and Joseph Henning in 1928-31. Joseph Caddell was secretary 1924-8; and Thomas Jenkinson treasurer 1924-35. Chaplains since 1915 have been Joseph Caddell, James Whitten, Edward Magowan, Samuel Beattie, W J McNeill, J H Telford and David Rowan.

In 1935 No 9 kept their lodge records in a manner which is a credit to them. In their hall which they propose extending they had a splendid painting by T Shanks of King William on his white charger, which was presented to the lodge by W H Watson, and a clock presented by Mrs Aldred.

The late Bro. George Hanlon served with the Royal Navy during the Second World War. He saw service in a number of theatres of operations including the hazardous Arctic convoys bringing supplies to the Russians. Bro. Cecil McKinney also saw service during the war as a member of the Royal Ulster Rifles and Parachute Regiment.

The lodge's current banner, featuring a painting of Benjamin Disraeli, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1870s was unfurled in the 1960s.

Clounagh Orange Hall was extensively renovated after a boiler explosion and was reopened in 1988. Many of the lodge's records, including minute books and registers, were lost in the explosion and as a result the information on the lodge is not as detailed as the members would have liked.

Hopefully the information now found and added above shall help in keeping future records.

History of Lodges Index
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