Liverpool Campsie Club

The Liverpool Campsie Club is a Branch Club of the Apprentice Boys of Derry Association; this association was formed to commemorate the "brave 13" Apprentice Boys who closed the gates of Londonderry in the famous siege of that Historic City in the year 1688. The Liverpool Campsie Club is very honoured to bear the name of the only one of the original Apprentice Boys namely Henry Campsie, It is presumed that Henry Campsie was the first man to shed blood in the Defence of the city of Londonderry, Campsie was the inspiration behind the shutting of the Gates, and was severely wounded whilst leading his associates to secure the City Magazines and armoury. The emblem of the roaring meg, ( cannon) was adopted as the Seal of the New Club,

The Liverpool Campsie Club was first formed in the City of Liverpool, England. On the 22nd September 1980, the President of their Parent Club presented The charter to the Liverpool Campsie Club, the charter bears the names of the following Officers,

Bro.’s E. O’Hare, W.Pashby, J.Kelly, M.Evans,G.Lewis, J.Fryer, G.Lloyd, H.Andrews, R.Jones, W.Roberts, W.Robertson, P.Dawson, and J.Mcfarlaine.

Since that date the Campsie Club has gone from strength to strength, Its membership consists of people who are attached to the Protestant and Evangelical reformed faith and the Club meets on the fourth Friday at the Liverpool Provincial H/Q, 108 Everton Road,Liverpool, at 8pm, new members are most welcome. As well as attending meetings the Officers and Members also hold Church and Anniversary Parades , The Club also attends and gives its support to their fellow members in Londonderry with regard to the celebrations that takes place in that Great City of Londonderry, these historic events take place on the nearest date to the 18th December and the 12th August these dates are most important in the Apprentice Boys calendar as the 18th December is the date the 13 Apprentice Boys closed the gates of Londonderry and the 12th August is the date the boom was broken and the City and its people were saved, hence the famous cry of the citizens at that time of " NO SURRENDER" and these words are used in a well known folk song.

The Liverpool Campsie Club is also very proud to have been the very first Campsie Club to be opened on the English mainland and over the years have supported other Apprentice Boys Clubs with their presence at parades in London, Barrow-in-Furness,Workington and Corby as well as Glasgow, Edinburgh , and all over the Province of Ulster, N.Ireland.

The Liverpool Campsie Club was this year responsible in June for organising the Annual Apprentice Boys of Derry Parade in both Liverpool and Southport, This Parade attracted Members from all over England and Scotland together with Bands and fellow members from Ulster, The Liverpool Campsie Club has for the last 15yrs been able to engage a Band from Ulster for their annual parades and this year was no exception with the "Sons of Ulster" Flute band over from Randlestown, The Band was very well received and it was a credit to have had them on parade, The Governor and members of the General Committee of the Apprentice Boys from Londonderry was also in attendance and police estimated that between 800-900 people took part with no disturbances recorded, the crowds both in Liverpool and Southport with out in their thousands and an enjoyable day was had by all.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE APPRENTICE BOYS OF DERRY AND THE "DERRY CELEBRATIONS"

The first celebrations of the Relief of Derry took place on the Walls on that Joyous calm Sunday evening of July 28th 1689 when the starving citizens, who had endured such hardship for 105 days, crowded onto the ramparts to welcome Browning’s ships that had just broken the Boom across the Foyle. The first organised celebrations took place on Sunday, August 18th when a thanksgiving service was held in St.Columb’s Cathedral, thus establishing the pattern for all those, which had followed throughout the centuries.

On August 1st ex-Governor and Seige hero, Colonel Mitchelburne hoisted the Crimson Flag, the emblem of the city’s defiance, on the Cathedral steeple and afterwards he formed the club known as the Apprentice Boys. After his death the actual club appears to have gone out of existence but the celebrations continued in one form or another throughout the early 18th century. The resident garrison appears to have taken over the organisation of the events in August and December while the Defenders and their descendants participated by attending Divine Service at the Cathedral.

"The Londonderry Journal" of August 5th 1772, in just its eighth issue, recorded that the previous Saturday being the ever-memorable First of August there were uncommon demonstrations of joy in the City. The report mentioned processions to the Cathedral and a superb banquet in the Town Hall, along with illuminations, firings and other tokens of joy. In 1775 mention is made in the same newspaper of the Independent Mitchelburne Club and the fact that the same Club had participated in the Relief exercise. When the Centenary of the Relief was celebrated in 1789, Roman Catholic Bishop McDevitt and his clergy joined their Protestant fellow-citizens in their Thanksgiving Services."The Sentinel" Commenting on the absence of Roman Catholics from the December festivities of 1838 claimed in the editorial that "until a very recent period Catholics have joined their fellow citizens in commemorating the Shutting of the Gates.

Early in the nineteenth century the Apprentice Boys movement began to adopt a more definite role in the celebrations, The Apprentice Boys of Derry Clubs was founded in 1814 and a medal was struck, it is recorded that there was musketry firing from the Cathedral and volleys fired over the Gates. A practice that was to prove controversial in later days.

The No Surrender Club was formed in 1824 and there now appears to have been an increase in activity within the movement. Plans for the erection of Walker’s Memorial Pillar were finalised and Apprentice Boys took part in the Foundation Stone Ceremony in December 1826 when the Mayor and all leading citizens and military personnel officiated.

When the Mitchelburne Club was revived in 1854 there appeared to be an established "tradition" of "firing" on the celebration days. Each club possessed field pieces for this purpose. John Hempton, speaking at the soiree marking the December 1861 celebration, mentioned that "We have lately formed a governing assembly and have adopted a rule of alternate attendance at the Episcopal and Presbyterian Churches. Instead of the jovial Bottle and Glass soirees of our predecessors we have now this tea meeting, where each Apprentice Boy is able to introduce ladies to enjoy with him the festivities of the evening." This date obviously marks the setting up of the General Committee. The Clubs associated with this soiree were the Apprentice Boys, Mitchelbourne, Baker, Murray, Walker, Browning and Cairns, The latter appears to become defunct after this to be replaced possibly by the revived No Surrender, Campsie and Williamite Clubs continued to flourish until 1884 although their presence was not recorded at the famous 1861 gathering.

Attempts were made from time to time during the nineteenth century to prevent the celebrations in the interest of so-called "public order" but the Apprentice Boys always maintained their right to hold them. The 1860 August celebrations were memorable. The Party Emblems Act was passing through Parliament and Bishop Higgin decided that it was his duty to ban the flying of the Crimson Flag from the steeple and ring the bells of the Cathedral. The Apprentice Boys took over the Cathedral and observed their ritual customs, despite the Bishop's dictum and without interference from the police. The December 1860 event proved more unpleasant when a massive security presence was brought onto the City. The Apprentice Boys decided to relinquish their usual custom of firing the city guns but some dissentients decided to test the legality of the matter. Despite troop and police manoeuvres they managed to salute the closing of the Gates with fire from the Cathedral roof and the ancient ringing of the bells. Ironically a similar force was employed in 1861-on this occasion to protect the Apprentice Boys from the Bogsiders who wished to disrupt their festivities.

The 1870 December celebrations involved even more controversy when an even larger force of troops and R.I.C. men were drafted into the city to prevent the burning of the Lundy effigy. The town was sealed off, the walls occupied and the Governor of the Association, the famous John Guy Ferguson, was denied permission to hoist the Crimson Flags on the eve of the 18th, Despite this the 182nd anniversary of the shutting of the Gates was marked with cannon fire, hoisting of the flags and peeling of the customary joy of bells. When the Apprentice Boys met at the Corporation Hall in the Diamond they fought furiously with the police and managed to ignite an effigy of Lundy that had been kept in hiding. The 1871 Relief celebrations followed the same pattern with arrests and serious disorder- mounted police charged the ranks of the Apprentice Boys either-despite proclamations prohibiting processions in the City, they gathered for a Cathedral Service and later burnt Lundy from the Memorial Hall tower. Such was the spirit of our ancestors!

Governor Walker's fine Pillar. In recent times suffered a sad end when "mysterious " bombers sealed its fate, The truth has yet to be told about this serious incident but the headquarters of the Apprentice Boys Association at the Memorial Hall still survives despite repeated organised attacks, The foundation stone of this Hall was laid on the 12th August 1873. Underneath the foundation stone, in hermetically sealed tin cases were placed coins of that year, most recent issues of all local papers, copy of Hemton's "Siege and History of Londonderry" and parchment with names of committee etc. The baronial "Scottish style" building was opened on the 13th August 1877 at an estimated cost of £3,250 while the large extension was opened in 1937 at a cost of £30,000. All celebrations connected with the Siege centre around the Hall and all newly elected candidates for the brotherhood of the Apprentice Boys must be initiated here within the historic Wall of Londonderry. Most of the credit for the formation of the Apprentice Boys Association and the celebrations must go to the Siege Governor and hero Colonel John Mitchelburne. To him must be ascribed the distinction and honour of preserving trophies that were captured during the Siege and placing them in the Cathedral, the erection there of the first tablet commemorating the Siege, the giving to the city and the Apprentice Boys Club their own distinctive Crimson colour and flag, the formation of the first Apprentice Boys Club of which he was principal organiser and probably the first President, forerunner of later Governors, the planning of the earliest anniversary celebrations, the first hoisting of the Crimson Flag on the Cathedral tower.

The celebrations today and the Apprentice Boys Association in Londonderry have encountered much hostility from many sources but as with their ancestors the Apprentice Boys have held their ground and will continue with "God’s help" well in to the 21st century. In more recent times branches of the Apprentice Boys Parent Clubs have been formed in England and Scotland while for many years clubs have thrived in the Republic of Ireland. The "Troubles" of the last thirty years have witnessed a phenomenal increase in Apprentice Boys membership and general interest in the history of the Siege and the Association. It is obvious that people of the Reformed Faith are rallying to the Crimson colours in times of stress as their forefathers have done through out the centuries.

A BRIEF PORTRAIT OF SOME OF THE DERRY DEFENDERS AND OTHERS INVOLVED IN THE EVENTS OF 1688-1689

REVEREND GEORGE WALKER

Governor of Derry April 19th. 1689 to the end of the siege. Rector of Donoughmore, Co. Tyrone, His book "Walker’s Siege" is an excellent first hand account of the siege, he was a staunch member of the Reformed Faith and came to Londonderry to help the besieged citizens, After Lundy’s flight he was made Joint-Governor and always urged the defenders "to fight the good fight" The Walker Memorial Pillar on the city walls, erected in 1828 was the scene for the annual burning of Lundy on the 18th December until the recent troubles, when the Pillar was destroyed by a terrorist bomb.

COLONEL JOHN MITCHELBURNE

Governor of Derry from June 30th 1689 until the end of the siege. An excellent soldier he tried to make Lundy take more determined action. When Major Baker died, Mitchelburne took over his duties. He gave expression to the defiance of the Derry defenders by flying a bloody and crimson flag from the Cathedral tower. The Derry "Crimson" flag is carried today at all Apprentice Boys Celebrations. The Apprentice Boys Association and its celebrations owe much to Colonel Mitchelburne, who organised siege commemorations until his death. He is buried beside his comrade Adam Murray in Glendermott Old Churchyard and the Apprentice Boys demonstrate the high honour that they attribute to these two gallant defenders by making an annual visitation to their graves.

ADAM MURRAY

A local man, Murray is famous for his dramatic entry to Derry when Lundy was preparing the beleaguered citizens for surrender. The cry of "No Surrender" for long regarded as the warcry of the Ulster People is attributed to the fearless Adam Murray. He refused the Governorship of Derry after Lundy’s flight, but did accept command of the forces in the field. He was involved in all of the garrison’s battles outside of the Walls- especially the Battle of Pennyburn. He was a stauch defender of the Reformed Faith and all sections in Derry during the Siege had his confidence.

MAJOR BAKER

Governor of Derry. April 19th, 1689-died June 30th, 1689. He succeeded Lundy as Governor of Derry. He was a brave solder but died of a fever and gave his Governorship to Colonel Mitchelburne. He is buried in St. Columbs Cathedral. Londonderry.

CAPTAIN MICHAEL BROWNING

Of the "Mountjoy" A Derryman, Browning will always be remembered for the breaking of the boom, while for six weeks Kirke kept his "relief" force inactive, Derry Starved, Browning and his volunteers assisted by "The Jerusalem", "The Phoenix" and "The Dartmouth" determined to relieve Derry, Browning was killed commanding his men at the actual breaking of the boom, he was a truly heroic Derryman.

DAVID CAIRNES

Of Knockmany, Co.Tyrone, A very loyal supporter of the Derry Garrison, Cairns represented with outstanding ability Derry’s interest at King Williams Court in London. A lawyer, he whole-heartedly supported the shutting of the gates, unlike many professional men. He was elected an MP for Londonderry in appreciation of his great leadership.

COLONEL LUNDY

Governor of Derry, December 1688 to April 20th. 1689, His extraordinary behaviour during the early part of the Siege nearly lost Derry and its citizens. He had no interest in the conflict and did everything to try and persuade the defenders to surrender. Murray rendered ineffective any plans he may have had in this respect and caused him to flee from the city disguised as an ordinary soldier, "Lundy the Traitor" is remembered every year when an 18-foot effigy of Lundy is burned in public.

The names of the brave 13 Apprentice Boys were-

MORRISON, CROOKSHANKS, STEWARD, SHERRARD, IRWIN, HUNT, CONNINGHAM, CAMPSIE, SPIKE, CUNNINGHAM, CAIRNS, HARVY AND SHERRARD.

The President, Officers and Members of the Liverpool Campsie Club of the Apprentice Boys of Derry Association are very honoured and proud to belong to such an organisation

And we not only salute the memory of the brave 13 Apprentice Boys, but all those who have made the supreme sacrifice during the wars of this century. The Liverpool Campsie Club records its sincerest sympathy, in particular, with the families of the many Brethren and friends who have suffered at the hands of TYRANNY since 1969.

"AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN, AND IN THE MORNING, WE SHALL REMEMBER THEM"