The
Imperial Orange Council was established in the 17th July 1867 at a meeting in
Radley's Hotel, New Bridge Road, Blackfriars in London, England.WORLD ORANGE COUNCIL
The
Imperial Orange Council was established in the 17th July 1867 at a meeting in
Radley's Hotel, New Bridge Road, Blackfriars in London, England.
The Council set out "to take into consideration the state of Orangeism and Protestantism generally with the view of devising means for its extension and it guard faithfully the civil and religious liberties of citizens everywhere
Nine Grand Lodges send representatives to the Council, which meets every three years. Grand Lodges represented are Australia, Canada, England, Ghana, New Zealand, Scotland, Togo, United States of America, and Ireland. Holland, the original home of King William III has links with the Order, but is not represented at Grand Lodge level. Other Countries with have Orange links are Poland, Italy and Argentina. Countries who have had Orange links include South Africa, Bermuda, Spain Brazil and Cuba. The Council only recognise one Grand Lodge in each Country
The aim of the Council is to unite the Loyal Orange Institution throughout the World, to harmonise and to promote a universal method of procedure. Members are encouraged to obey the laws of their Countries as Christians called to be subject to the higher power. The Council also arranges for the co-operation of the Orange Society with other Protestant bodies in taking parliamentary action by forwarding petitions, remonstrance's and protests, and for using their influence to safeguard our heritage of civil and religious liberty.
The first Imperial President was the Earl of Enniskillen the then Grand master of Ireland and its Secretary no less a person in Orange folklore than Willliam Johnston of Ballykilbeg. Four Orange jurisdictions were represented - Ireland, Scotland , England, and Canada, and the Council held its next session in Toronto in 1870. The first Imperial Council meeting coincided with agitation in Irealand over the Government of the day's anti-procession Act and Orangemen felt that the law was being operated in a one-sided manner against them. The 1850 Act, passed after a riot at Dolly's Brae, banned party processions of all kinds in Ireland and it led to many Orangemen being imprisoned for walking on " the Glorious Twelfth".
William Johnston was in the vanguard of agitation against the Act and was largely instrumental in getting the World Orange Council to show its first teeth with a terse resolution:-
"That we cannot but view the Anti-procession Act, administered by successive governments, in a one-sided manner it has been, as a failure and bearing strongly against the Loyality of the country and by creating an artificial crime or misdemeanour, serves to weaken the efficiency of the common law, which should prevail in Ireland, equally with England and Scotland".
The resolution was forwarded to the Prime Minister, the Earl of Derby, and after more pressure was exerted by friends of Orangeism in high places then Act was eventually repealed.
The Grand Lodge of Canada have staged the Council Meetings on six occasions in Toronto (1870, 1891,1906 and 1982). Ottawa(1879) and Winnipeg (1923. In 1900 the Council met in new York after Ulster emigrants had set up lodges in the United States of America in the late 19th Century. Three year on in 190 the Council moved to Dublin then enjoying the peace before the storm of the Irish Rebellion in 1916. The only occasion when the Council met in the Southern Hemisphere was in 1994 when the meetings were held in Auckland, New Zealand.
The United Kingdom venues have included London, Brixham, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast, Londonderry, Carrickfergus, East Kilbride and Stirling. In 1988, Brixham was selected as the veniue to coincide with the 300th Anniversary of the landing of William, Prince of Orange.
The Council at their Triennial Meetings elected a President, Senior Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. These officers constitute the Executive Committee which has powers to act on behalf of the Council between meetings. IN Addition the Council elects a distinguished Orangemen as the Imperial Grand Master, who during his term of Office acts as an Ambassador for Orangeism throughout the World.
Click Here for a list of
The Current Council Officers
The mailing addresses for the Imperial Orange Council Executive Officers are as follows:
President - Ian M Wilson B.Sc "Pippins", Manse Road, Whitburn West Lothian
Senior Vice-President - Gerald W. Budden, Box 3118, Manuels, Newfoundland AIW 1B7, Canada
Secretary John McCrea J.P. "Schomburh House" 368 Cregagh Road, Belfast BT6 9EY
Treasurer - David A Griffin, Canadian Orange Headquarters, 94 Sheppard Avenue West, Willowdate, Onterio M2N 1M5 Canada
The Imperial Grand Master is:
Robert S Saulters
"Schomberg House", 368 Cregagh Road, Belfast, BT6 9EY Northern Ireland Tel: 0289 070 1122.