A Baker ‘Boy’ receives his 40 Year Medal

Victor Wray, who joined the Apprentice Boys of Derry in 1972, has recieved his 40-Year Long Service Medal.

The presentation was formally made on Saturday last, August 9, prior to the highlight of the Apprentice Boys’ annual calendar - the Relief of Derry Celebrations and Pageant.

Making the presentation to Victor was Bro Robin Logan, Past President of the Baker Club, and Alwyn Ferguson, serving secretary of the Baker Club and treasurer of the General Committee of the Apprentice Boys of Derry.

The presentation was made in glorious sunshine on Saturday outside the Apprentice Boys of Derry Memorial Hall on Society Street, watched by a crowd of over 300 people who had gathered in Society Street for the start of the annual commemoration of the Relief of Derry in 1689, when the Great Siege of Londonderry came to an end with the breaking of the boom by the Ship The Mountjoy helmed by Captain Michael Browning, assisted by the crew on The Phoenix.

Victor was proposed into the Baker Parent Club by Bro Raymond Walker in 1972, and in the 40 intervening years has served as a committee member, as vice-president as well as president of the Club, the latter for over four years.

In his time as president of the Baker Parent Club Victor helped to open what are known as ‘branch clubs’ in Scotland and was a member of the General Committee of the Apprentice Boys as well.

Commenting on his service: “The Baker Club was a very small band of members when I joined. We only had a flag and it was several years later before we got a bannerette. We have had another bannerette made since, and the Baker Parent Club has grown into one of the strongest of the eight Parent Clubs in the organisation.”