Due to early minute books being unavailable at the time of writing the early formation of No 2 Royal Black District Chapter has been difficult to obtain, however Imperial Grand Black Chapter references to the District go back as far as 1875 when the town of Belfast had only eighteen preceptories within No 1 and No 2 Districts who were encamped at The Orange Hall sited at 17 College Street, Belfast working under the Co Antrim Grand Black Chapter.

Brownlow House archives records ten warrants held in 1875 RBPs 17, 23, 75, 83, 175, 177, 210, 230, 248, and 324. The district has always covered a wide geographical area during this period we had preceptories encamped in Ballyhackamore and IslandMagee near Larne. With the formation of the Belfast County Grand Black Chapter in 1883 No 2 Districts warrant transferred and in 1885 moved to the newly built Belfast Orange Hall in Clifton Street. As the population of Belfast increased (city status being granted in 1888), other District Chapters were formed and some of the earlier warrants transferred to Districts Chapters closer to their actual encampments.

However some warrants were retained and this explains to this day why there are preceptories meeting in Holywood Co Down and Carrickfergus Co Antrim. District membership increased considerably during the 1920s with County Chapter records recording twenty-five warrants held with a membership of 1,151 Sir Knights and for many years No 2 Royal Black District Chapter was the largest in Belfast.

Today we have a small but dedicated team of Sir Knights under the guidance of our Worshipful District Master with 10 active warrants in 5 encampments. In Sept 1997 we had the privilege of teaming up with Larne No 4 R.B.D.C to perform and demonstrate a Royal Black Grand Pageant Evening in Belfast Orange Hall, Clifton Street, a ceremony not seen in Belfast for many years based on the institutions various Christian degrees.

The earliest trace of R.B.P 17 was in Ballymena where the warrant was issued in 1848. The history of the warrant is then unknown until it was re-issued on the 19th May 1866 in County Antrim. This preceptory has been encamped in Woodburn Orange Hall since the late 1800s, currently the largest preceptory in No 2 R.B.D.C, its members in recent years being very active in District Offices. Many members wear an embroidered patch of the Ivy Leaf on their collarettes. A colour party walks to the front of their banner each year with some of the flags from our overseas jurisdictions.

The banner has a painting of Carrickfergus Castle on the front with Elijah feeding the ravens on the obverse side.

Encamped in Clifton Street their warrant dates back to 15th Dec 1872 and in 1919 was the largest preceptory in the City of Belfast with one hundred and nineteen members. Their current Banner was unveiled in the Arch Room in Belfast Orange Hall, Clifton Street on the 21st June 1997 followed by a short parade in the Shankill Road area.

The front side of their banner depicts the scriptural painting of the "Return of the Dove."

Another old preceptory meeting in Clifton Street records are still held by the preceptory recording their original encampment in the Orange Hall, sited at 17 College Street, Belfast in 1854

The preceptory bannerette has the word "ED" with the Red Cross and Crown.

Encamped in Holywood Orange Hall Co Down the first recorded warrant dates from 24 Oct 1866. Preceptory members have given invaluable assistance to the City of Belfast Grand Black Chapter whenever the annual demonstration is held in this County Down town.

The preceptory bannerette has the Red Cross and Crown below its title.

Meets in West Belfast Orange Hall, pending the rebuild of Ligoniel Orange Hall. The warrant dates back to 24th Aug 1869 where the preceptory was recorded as meeting in Ballysillan. Another preceptory very active in No 2 Royal Black District Chapter, past members include our late Dist Reg. Sir Knt. James Moody P.D.M.

The banner has the Red Cross and Crown to the front with Elijah and the Angel on the obverse side. A bannerette of similar design is also used with the alternative rear design of the Skull and Cross Bones.

   

Formed on the 24th May 1889 in Agnes Street. In former years one of the largest preceptories in No 2 District with over sixty-four Sir Knights. Past members of this preceptory were the late W. Bro. Thomas Passmore J.P. former Belfast County Orange Grand Master and Pastor Thomas Calif McCurry who went on to found the Evangelical Church, Cathedral Square, Glasgow locally known as "The Orange Kirk."

The preceptory banner has Joseph being made chief ruler on the front with Rehab concealing the spies on the reverse side

    

The preceptory was formed on the 20th Oct 1906 bearing the title North Belfast Young Men's Temperance, it then changed name in the early 1930s to H.T. Whittaker Memorial the warrant being returned to Headquarters on the 20th July 1939 and was re-issued as Rev Willam Maguire Memorial T. A. on 26th of July in the same year. Due to geographical changes in membership the preceptory moved from North Belfast and is now encamped at Woodburn Orange Hall, Carrickfergus.

The principal symbols on their flag are an embroidered Red Cross and Crown.

Formed in H. Milnes "Merchant Yard" in Agnes Street, Shankill Road on the 16th March 1920 with its warrant formally constituted on the 24th April. Originally encamped in West Belfast Orange Hall until 1924 when it transferred to Belfast Orange Hall, Clifton Street. The title "Fernhill" was granted with kind permission of Sir Samuel and Lady Cunningham owners of the Fernhill Estate, Glencairn. As part of their dress code the Preceptory has the distinct feature of wearing a fern leaf on their Bowler hats. Former members included the late Sir Knt. George Bell County Grand Lecturer and Sir Knt. Victor Massey P.D.M.

Their bannerette also shows the fern, however on occasions they use a Royal Blue Flag showing the Red Cross and Crown.

Named after the famous maritime Church in Belfast's Corporation Street. The inauguration of Sinclair Seamen's Total Abstinence R.B.P 1010 by No. 2 Royal Black District Chapter on the 17th May 1920 was at an exciting time in the history of Belfast Orange Hall, Clifton Street as with the past Great War era and the dawn of self-government in the province many new branches were added to the orange family.

Only eighteen months after inauguration the preceptory had its new banner unfurled by Sir Dawson Bakes then minister of Home affairs, at his home in Holywood Co Down. In attendance were the No. 2 District Officers, the preceptory Officers and many of its sixty-six Sir Knts. Following the unfurling ceremony, which was held with great pomp Sir Dawson, entertained all to a sumptuous three-course meal at his palatial home. The proceedings ended with a parade through Holywood led by the Grosvenor Hall Silver Band. One of the features of these early years was the length of meeting time with frequently three to six individual degrees being conferred complete with addresses in any one single evening. Over the years such illustrious members included, Rt. Hon Sir Joseph Davison D.L. J.P. G.M. who was a founder member Alderman J.W. Nixon M.B.E M.P, John F. Gordon M.P, William Grant J.P. M.P, Rev. H. H. Autchinson M.A. who was Chaplain to the Grand Black Chapter of the British Commonwealth Sam Gordon who was No. 2 District Master from 1934 - 1956 and the legendary Tommy Spence and David Ager who were both also founder members. The preceptory is still encamped at Clifton Street and extends the hand of welcome to all new members.

The preceptory banner shows a portrait of the harbour based Presbyterian Church on the main side.

Formed on the 19th Nov. 1924 this preceptory was the first to meet in the newly built North Belfast Orange Memorial Hall hence its name. The preceptory has a sister Lodge of the same name (L.O.L 1197) , which has provided a number of candidates to the Royal Black Institution. Former members of the preceptory include Sir Knt. McFall Hood J.P. Grand Master of the Royal Arch Purple Chapter, Sir Knt. John Bryans J.P. former Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, Sir Knt. William Fitzsimmons M.P. and Stormont Senator Sir Knt Joseph Cunningham.

The present bannerette and banner both have a Red Cross respectively with the various degree symbols of our illustrious order encompassed in an arch on the front and the "Return of the Dove" to the rear.