LOL 1099 History, Page 1


Drumaheagles LOL 1099

The History of our Lodge

	WDM of Ballymoney Bro Francis Tumblinson installed the Warrant No. 1099 at Drumaheagles on Friday 16th November 1894. The first Office bearers of the Lodge being, WM Francis Boyd, DM Robert Turner, Secretary Charles W Orr, Treasurer Henry Stockman. Previously the No. 1099 had been issued in County Down before coming to Ballinderry in County Antrim. In 1883 it moved to Ballymena and was issued to Craigywarren LOL in exchange for No. 1126 and again exchanged by Craigywarren for No. 476. The warrant remained in the Ballymena area and was issued to Ballymarlow LOL who around the time of the Home Rule debate had a poem about their Lodge called We Will Not Have Home Rule, Ten and Ninety-nine. Ballymarlow LOL exchanged 1099 in 1894 for the lower number of 637.

	In 1895 the Lodge had a lovely WM chair made which is still in their possession. In 1925 the Lodge room and the other property, which included what was left of, the Hibernian Woollen Mill was purchased from the Hackett estate by the Lodge. Quite a bit of history goes with the site of the Orange Hall with some of the Building predating the Battle of the Boyne and having been a brewery and whiskey distillery before being changed to the Hibernian Woollen Factory by the owners who had seen beer and whiskey production contrary with their Christian principles.

	In 1914 with the outbreak of war 37 Volunteers from the Lodge enlisted in the Armed Forces to help preserve our freedoms. Sadly, 8 of the Brethren would not return from the war. Those that did return were hosted by the Lodge and friends to a soiree and presented with a sum of money, which was thought to be a practical gift upon their demobilisation from the forces.

	In 1926 Sir William V McCleery transferred into the Lodge, Sir William would later become MP for North Antrim, holding the position of Minister for Labour and National Insurance at Stormont. He was elected Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland in 1955 and Imperial Grand Master of the World in 1956, he held both these posts until his death in 1957. His portrait hangs in Ballymoney Town Hall along with other famous locals.

	Over the years the Lodge has utilised various forms of transport to demonstrations - foot, horse drawn coaches, private cars and taxis, trains from the now abandoned Station at Macfin (half a mile from the Hall), tram from Drumaheagles Halt when going to Bushmills or Portrush, until more recently coaches and buses.

	In 1921 Daughters of Ulster, WLOL No 68 was formed at Drumaheagles with the first Worshipful Mistress being Mrs Dickie (Grandmother of one of our present members) she was succeeded by Mrs McCleery, wife of Sir William V McCleery after Sister Dickie moved with her husband to England in 1922. The Ladies Lodge folded in the Sixties; the warrant was given by Wor Bro John Dunlop, WM in 1971 to form a new Ladies Lodge in Ballymoney Orange Hall.

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