Parades

Orangemen Plan a Shorter March

 

An article from the Toronto Telegram of Tues July, 09-1968

 

By Wilson McConnell – Telegram Staff Reporter

 

If you want to see Toronto’s Orange Parade next Saturday don’t go to the Exhibition grounds because for the first time in many years, the Orangemen aren’t going there.

 

 The parade will leave Queen’s Park on Saturday July 13 at 12 o’clock noon and proceed by way of Wellesley St, Yonge St, Queen St, and University Ave. back to Queen’s Park.

 

Bands will play in the park commencing at 2:15 p.m.

 

The order of parade will be:

Mounted Police Detachment

King Billy

County Lodge Officers

Loyal True Blue Association

Ladies Orange Benevolent Association

Eastern District

Northern District

Centre District

Western District

Orange Young Britons

East York County officers and lodges

 

The civic reviewing stand will be in front of the City Hall where Mayor William Dennison and other council members will occupy seats.

 

More Marchers

 

By shortening the route to three miles Orange officials hope to attract more marchers. Marching time is estimated at 75 minutes.

 

There will be fewer automobiles as auto trains will be available for elderly members.

 

This year’s King Billy will be Maurice Clark, a 31-year-old member of the Metro police mounted detachment.

 

Riding a white horse he will wear a scarlet tunic, black riding boots and breeches and a tri-cornered hat and will carry a sword to depict William, Prince of Orange as he led his army to victory at the Battle of the Boyne in Ireland in 1690.

 

A native of Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, Mr. Clark is a past master of Aughrim Rose of Derry LOL 2159.

 

Honored

 

On the Orange reviewing stand at Queen’s Park cres. And Wellesley st. will be 78- year-old Fred Woods who has been the King Billy of the Toronto parades for many years. He has been made an honorary past county master in recognition of his outstanding service to the order.

 

Heading the procession will be Toronto’s Northern Ireland accordion band and the Albertbridge accordion band from Belfast. These bands will also be heard at the remembrance service at the Cenotaph at 10:45 a.m.

 

County Master David Griffin will preside and prayers will be said by Rev. J.G. McDonald of Don Mills United Church and chaplain of Joshua LOL 154.

 

Wreaths will be laid by the Grand Orange Lodge, the Ladies Orange Benevolent Association, the Loyal True Blue Association and the Orange Young Britons and individual members.

 

A place of honor at the head of the parade will be accorded members of Cregagh Estates Purple Star LOL 892 from Ireland and their hosts Toronto’s Belfast Purple Star LOL 875.

 

Friday night at 7 p.m. there will be a dinner dance at St. Lawrence Hall. Ex-Mayor William J. Stewart CBE, chairman of the Toronto Historical Board will be the principal speaker.

 

Head table guests will include Carl W. Smith of Kitchener, Grand Master of the Orangemen of Canada, Domenic DiStasi Grand Master of Ontario West, Mayor William Dennison, Alderman W. McCartney of Londonderry, John Garland Past Grand Master of New York, John McClure a grand lodge officer from Greenock Scotland, and Harry McWhinney master of district number 24 in Glasgow, Scotland.

 

Tommy Farr of LOL 1953 Belfast Ireland will present inscribed bricks taken from the escape tunnel used by the defenders of the city of Londonderry during the famous siege to the county lodge and to County Secretary Joe Kennedy.

 

Former mayor L. H. Saunders is presently touring Australia and New Zealand in his capacity as President of the Imperial Orange Council of the World.

 

 

 

Newspaper Article submitted by John Wells, County Secretary August 6^th, 2009

 

Notes:

1)      The writer of the piece (Wilson McConnell) was a member of Victory LOL 137.

2)      The Mayor of the day (William Dennison) was a member of Enniskillen LOL 387.

A map of the parade route accompanied the article.

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