Origins of the Australian Orange Order

The first gathering and meetings of Orangemen took place in the early days
of the colony in New South Wales amongst military personnel. They held
warrants issued by the Grand Lodges of the United Kingdom and lodges
consisted of brethren of the various regiments, several of them being 17th,
50th, and 63rd.

Research shows that in 1830 the 17th Leicestershire Regiment arrived in New
South Wales and with them was Warrant No.260 granted by the Grand Lodge of
England. The Secretary of that Lodge, Bro. Robert Fiddles, is recorded as
having written to the Grand Lodge, stating that they were 75-strong and
requested an additional warrant for some 29 of their members who were
stationed with the 63rd Regiment in Hobart Tower.

In 1829, the military commanders had ordered the return to Grand Lodge of
all military lodge warrants. However, a number of Orangemen disobeyed the
order and retained them, continuing to use the Irish and English warrants to
hold meetings throughout the growing colonies as far inland as the gold rush
areas of New South Wales and Victoria. Lodge meetings under the military
warrants were not allowed to admit non-military persons.

A Corporal Wm. McKee wrote to the Grand Lodge in 1823 advising that L.O.L.
260 was rapidly increasing in membership. He also reported that, in his
view, if Orange lodges were established in Australia the welfare of the
community would be increased, for by now there were numbers of free
respectable people and discharged soldiers who would support the
Institution.

On April 9, 1835 the "Lady Nugent" arrived in Sydney. Those on board
including the families of 29 soldiers of the  50th Queen's Own Regiment.
Among them was Private Alexander, whose wife had sewn into his tunic the
warrant of the 50th Regiment's Orange Lodge No.1780.

They met as opportunity offered (it having been decided to secretly retain
the warrant) in a room above the printing office of Bros. Barr and Kitchen,
two Londonderry Orangemen whose premises were situated next door to the
Crown and Kettle Hotel, Sydney, with Bro. Alexander the Wor. Master.

These gatherings formed the nucleus of the first  Australian Lodge.
Ultimately the old Military Lodge sitting under Warrant No.1780, by now
having admitted a number of civilians to membership, became Sydney No.l in
1845.

The first Australian Lodge (No.l) was formed with 39  brethren on April 13,
1845, the first Wor. Master Pro. Richard McGuffin and his Officers, being
installed by Bro. Alexander. L.O.L. No.l, operated in Sydney until its
closure in 1968.

The first Grand Lodge was opened in Sydney in 1845, Pro. Robert Barr being
the first Grand Master, and Bro. Andrew Alexander, the Deputy Grand Master.
Bro. Alexander was the Grand Master the following year.

The institution grew and prospered; No.2 Lodge was opened in 1845, No.3,
No.4, and No.5 (in Kiama on the New South Wales South Coast) in 1846, No.6
and No.8 in 1847, No.7 in 1850. Of those early Lodges No.6 and No.8 are
still meeting. Other Lodges more than 100 years and still meeting are No.ll
at Penrith, No.27 in Sydney, No.36 at Bathust, No.96 at Taree, and No.99 at
Lismore on the far North Coast of New South Wales.

Expansion
During early years, No.4 reported an attendance of  nearly 400 members, and
No.3 reported an attendance of  700 at a supper in July, 1868. As the colony
grew so did   the Institution and membership grew to many thousands.

Reports were printed in the "Sentinel'' (one of the two Protestant press
newspapers then in Sydney -- operated Orangemen) as early as 1848 of July 12
processions in Sydney and Melbourne. Eventually there was scarcely a country
town which did not have its Orange lodge Protestant hall.

The first Orange Lodges in Victoria were formed in  1843 and 1847, the
direct result of civil unrest by sections of the local Roman Catholic
community. The civil unrest followed the democratic election of a Protestant
to represent the Port Phillip District in the first New South Wales
Parliament. Open voting at election then existed, so that each party knew
how the other voted. The conduct of many Roman Catholics at this election so
aroused the Protestants that they resolved to band themselves together for
mutual protection "and to resist in the future the lawless conduct of the
Popish mob."

In June 1867, the two branches of Orangeism operating in Victoria merged to
form the Loyal Orange Institution of Victoria, which continues to function
successfully, currently with some 30 subordinate lodges.

The first Orange lodge in South Australia met in Port Adelaide in 1854 with
20 members. By 1894 there were around 3,100 members in that State. In 1860
the Grand Lodge of South Australia was constituted, there being 10 Lodges at
that time. In 1880, the first ladies' lodge was opened in Adelaide.

The Institution commenced operation in Queensland in 1865 and the Grand
Lodge was constituted in 1867. Initially, the Institution was called "The
Loyal Protestant Association of Queensland," but on January 30, 1873 the
name The Loyal Orange institution of Queensland was adopted. In 1898 a
serious split occurred in the Institution because of a new R.A.P. ritual.
The rift was healed in 1905 and the Institution became "one" again. By 1932,
there were or had been 191 Warrants issued to male and mixed Lodges .

Little is now known of the origins of the Institution in Western Australia,
but it is believed the first Lodge was formed in 1886. The Grand Lodge was
constituted in 1913.

The Grand Orange Council of Australia was formed in 1883 in order that
ritual workings might be made uniform throughout all jurisdictions. That
objective, amongst others, continues to be the main function of Council.

Principles
The Institution in Australia today owns headquarter buildings in all states.
The Order continues to maintain its long-standing commitment to upholding
the principles established by King William III at the Battle of the Boyne --
to propogate and defend the interests of Protestantism; to promote the
widest measure of religious and civil liberty and the separation of Church
and State; and to support welfare of mankind.

The Loyal Orange Institution of Victoria conducts a  Protestant Information
Centre and Bookshop. The Centre is situated within Loyal Orange House,
Melbourne, and   provides information leaflets, books, etc. About the
Protestant faith.

The Institution also conducts Protestant rallies, featuring prominent
Protestant preachers, and throughout Australia has vigorously (but
unsuccessfully) opposed concept of State aid to denominational schools, it
being considered as segregative and an infringement or the religious liberty
of Australians.
In New South Wales and Victoria the Institution has established homes for
the aged and invalid, which altogether accommodate some 140 people at low
rental, and support other community welfare projects.

"The Sentinel" (not the publication referred to earlier), Australia's Orange
Journal, is widely read in many parts the "Orange" world and copies of each
issue are posted every Australian Federal parliamentarian as a public
relations exercise.

Although the two world wars caused a great decline in membership as members
enlisted, many never to return, and the Institution is nowhere near as
strong as it used to be, it is still nevertheless alive and well and, by the
grace  of God, continues and will continue to support the basic
 principles -- freedom of worship, freedom of speech and freedom of public
assembly -- and the welfare of mankind.

HILTON R. WICKHAM, J.P.
Grand Secretary
Grand Orange Council of Australia

Exchangebanner.gif - 13664 Bytes