Ladies Lodges celebrate members’ long service

On Monday January 16, 1920, January 1920, Mountjoy Woman’s LOL 29 was presented with a new warrant constituting the formation of a new Ladies Lodge.
Members of Mountjoy WLOL 29 who collected awards at the Mountjoy WLOL 29 and Holland Memorial WLOL 167 joint Dinner evening in The Apprentice Boys Hall, Londonderry, Lena Nicholl (third from left), received an award for longest active member and Lily Lindsey, an award for longest serving member.  Included are Lenas grandchildren Harry and Lucy Nicholl and ( on right), Kay Miller, Mistress of No:2 District.  INLS 1314-520MT.Members of Mountjoy WLOL 29 who collected awards at the Mountjoy WLOL 29 and Holland Memorial WLOL 167 joint Dinner evening in The Apprentice Boys Hall, Londonderry, Lena Nicholl (third from left), received an award for longest active member and Lily Lindsey, an award for longest serving member.  Included are Lenas grandchildren Harry and Lucy Nicholl and ( on right), Kay Miller, Mistress of No:2 District.  INLS 1314-520MT.
Members of Mountjoy WLOL 29 who collected awards at the Mountjoy WLOL 29 and Holland Memorial WLOL 167 joint Dinner evening in The Apprentice Boys Hall, Londonderry, Lena Nicholl (third from left), received an award for longest active member and Lily Lindsey, an award for longest serving member. Included are Lenas grandchildren Harry and Lucy Nicholl and ( on right), Kay Miller, Mistress of No:2 District. INLS 1314-520MT.

The event took place at the Lodge Rooms, Victoria Hall, Spencer Road, Londonderry but the Lodge members currently holds their monthly meetings at Victoria Lodge Rooms, Bonds Street, in the Waterside.

One of the founder members was Catherine Holmes and the Lodge is pleased to still have relations of Catherine among the membership.

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The late Maisie Holmes became a member in 1938 and was a committed and dedicated Secretary of the Lodge for 40 years, until her sad passing on April 22, 2006. However, the Lodge is delighted that Maisie’s daughter, Kay Miller, is also a committed member and presently holds the office of Chaplain.

Dorothy Thompson (centre), who received an award as the oldest member of  Holland Memorial WLOL 167, at the Mountjoy WLOL 29 and Holland Memorial WLOL 167 joint Dinner evening in The Apprentice Boys Hall, Londonderry, pictured with Lodge members Jennifer Thompson and Christine Monteith. INLS 1314-521MT.Dorothy Thompson (centre), who received an award as the oldest member of  Holland Memorial WLOL 167, at the Mountjoy WLOL 29 and Holland Memorial WLOL 167 joint Dinner evening in The Apprentice Boys Hall, Londonderry, pictured with Lodge members Jennifer Thompson and Christine Monteith. INLS 1314-521MT.
Dorothy Thompson (centre), who received an award as the oldest member of Holland Memorial WLOL 167, at the Mountjoy WLOL 29 and Holland Memorial WLOL 167 joint Dinner evening in The Apprentice Boys Hall, Londonderry, pictured with Lodge members Jennifer Thompson and Christine Monteith. INLS 1314-521MT.

Lodge Officers for 2014 are: Worshipful Mistress, Cynthia Armstrong; Deputy Mistress, Lizzie Nicholl; Chaplain, Kay Miller; Secretary, Valerie Moore and Treasurer, Cynthia Williamson.

With an active membership of 27 ladies, members get together for regular meetings and are prominent at all Orange parades, church services and other activities, which assist, promote and sustain the Orange traditions in the City of Londonderry. The Lodge has also travelled to Scotland to parade in the Lanarkshire Twelfth and have made very many new friends during the 25 years of attending the Scottish celebration.

In recent times the Lodge has organised many enjoyable outings, visiting locations such as Glenveigh Castle, Stormont, Belfast City Hall, the Somme Centre and the Famine Village at Doagh Island. Plans are in the pipeline for visits to a number of other historical and political locations for guided tours.

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Future activity by the ladies will include fundraising events to enable the Lodge to buy a new Bannerette. This project began with a successful and enjoyable family event on St Patrick’s Day, organised in the Apprentice Boys Memorial Hall. The packed venue raised a considerable amount of money to get the project off the ground.

New members are always welcome to join, thereby ensuring the Lodge continues to be progressive and vibrant in future years. Any lady interested in becoming a member can contact Valerie Moore by email to [email protected] or to her at WLOL 29, c/o Victoria Lodge Rooms, Bonds Street, Waterside, Londonderry.

On Saturday night, March 22, at a celebration dinner in The Apprentice Boys Memorial Hall, Mountjoy WLOL 29 made three presentations recognised the amazing service to the Lodge by several loyal and devoted members.

One was presented to Sister Lily Lindsay, who, to this day continues to be a faithful member, having joined the ranks of the Lodge in February 1975. During her 39 years of membership, she has served as Deputy Mistress and in the office of first Member.

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Also recognised was Sister Lena Nicholl, also a dedicated and committed member, who has faithfully served the Lodge for 29 years, having previously held the office of Treasurer for 13 years.

And also celebrated for her service was Sister Jean McCobb, a member for 34 years who currently holds the office of Tyler, a post she has fulfilled for 19 years.

The most senior member, Sister Ivy Haire, who for health reasons was, unable to be present, received a bouquet of flowers, delivered to her home, in recognition of her service to the Lodge.

Meanwhile, The members of Holland Memorial WLOL167, founded in 1937, who also attended the event on Saturday night, were also in celebratory mood, with Sisters Juin Wray and Dorothy Thompson being recognised for their many years with the Lodge and for their tireless work on behalf of members. Both ladies received plaques in recognition of their service.

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Holland memorial are named after a Governor of the Apprentice Boys of Derry, whose daughter was a member and named it after her father.

The Warrant to set up the lodge was granted on October 29, 1937, and members held their first meeting at 25 Bishop street on November 30, 1937. All meetings since that date have been held in the Apprentice Boys memorial Hall and take place on the fourth Wednesday of each month.

The first year the Holland Memorial ladies ‘walked’ the Twelfth was in 1977, and the ladies have continued to step out every year since. Their bannerette was bought in 1981, and they have carried it with them proudly every year since.

Down through the years the ladies have attended church services locally and further afield, and to give a social aspect to their get togethers, and in addition to dances, the ladies enjoy bus trips and support the Orange charity each year.

the present officers of Holland Memorial are Karen Guthrie, WM; Stacy Austin, DM; Sadie Guthrie, Chaplain; Juin Wray, Secretary, and Hilary Steele, Treasurer.