Donald Teuma-Castelletti
SHAWVILLE July 21, 2018
Members of the Royal Enniskillen Loyal Orange Lodge #27 opened the doors to their hall Saturday afternoon, welcoming the public to discover their history and building at an open house event.
Running from noon till four, guests to the Orange Lodge explored photos, documents and their cultural artifacts, while having the opportunity to learn firsthand from the experts about the history of the organization, as they celebrate their 175th anniversary in Shawville.
“It’s a chance to let people know there is an Orange Lodge in Shawville and let people know about our history,” said long-time member Lee Murphy, of the open house.
Walking in, the Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Canada, Don Wilson, greeted guests, asking them to sign their logbook. Names of other guests on the page often featured an accompanying lodge number, indicating their membership to another lodge.
Once inside, guests were free to explore many different photos and items lining the walls and tables. Sitting behind a collection of photographs was Murphy, who offered detailed accounts of events happening in pictures, as well as important documents and figures within the Shawville chapter.
While showing off pictures, Murphy would share what it meant to the lodge and him, too. Some would be certification of memberships – like one early member Thomas McCord, who helped start more branches in the west – or a photo of two young men, pre-WWI, who lied about their age to join their father overseas at war.
He shared how the Orange Lodge had a strong connection to the military, and even had some of his own photos to show, when he travelled to France and toured to the Battle of the Somme, laying a wreath there.
Murphy explained that many of the afternoon’s visitors had been curious about their own family members and their connection to the area. Folks could be seen scanning photos for a glimpse of a relative or searching through the documents for any familiar names.
“A lot [of the guests] have been asking about their uncle, father or grandfather,” said Murphy. “Everybody’s doing this genealogy, looking to find out about their ancestors.”
With the Shawville Lions’ Country Jamboree happening, more guests trickled in through the afternoon as the event went on. The group had plenty of stories to share and included many details that’d be hard to find in any history textbook.
