Greenspond Loyal Orange Lodge No. 205
Greenspond, Newfoundland, Canada
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The first members of the Orange Association in Greenspond joined in St. John's, Newfoundland around 1870. Some of these men were, Charles Whitemarsh, Thomas Wornell, Edward Meadus, Sylvester Green, Job Granter, Ethelred Carter, William White, and James Burry.
Around 1875, Burnette Loyal Orange Lodge No. 28 was formed in Greenspond and had its first meetings in Fred White’s store. The first Orange Hall in Greenspond was built in 1880, which was shared by Greenspond’s two lodges, Burnett and Glover. Glover Loyal Orange Lodge No. 33, named after the Newfoundland Governor of the time, Sir John Glover, was formed from a split among the Anglican and Methodist Burnett members. Unfortunately the Hall was destroyed by fire in 1898, causing the two lodges to hold meetings elsewhere. The Burnett Lodge held meetings at the St. James Society of United Fishermen Hall and the Glover Lodge met at the Blandford Society of United Fishermen Hall. In 1900 the Glover Lodge bought John Oakley’s shop and made it into their Orange Hall, while the Burnett Lodge bought the old Court House. The hall that burned down was eventually restored by the Orange Young Britons, who were very active in the 1880's. They named their lodge "No Surrender Orange Young Britons No. 29", and their first master was George Burry of Greenspond. The Orange Young Britons went dormant in the early 1920's until it reorganized in 1929. William Johnson Royal Black Preceptory No. 647, was formed in 1904 and used the Glover Orange Hall. The first Worshipful Preceptor was Edward Carter of Greenspond. The Preceptory went dormant in 1986. A Greenspond resident, Kenneth Oakley began correspondence with Newfoundland’s Prime Minister and Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Newfoundland, Sir Richard Squires in 1914 to inquire about uniting the Burnett and Glover lodges in Greenspond. Kenneth Oakley was the Worshipful Master of the Glover Lodge, and with over 150 members by 1914, the hall was no longer big enough to accommodate them. In 1920 the Glover Lodge completely renovated and enlarged their hall. Four years later, the two lodges, Burnett and Glover, amalgamated and under the new charter the united lodges became Greenspond Loyal Orange Lodge No. 205. In the 1970s the hall was renovated once more by free labour which included a new roof, windows, siding and interior work. The height of Orange activity in Greenspond occurred around the war years (1939–1945). Even when Orangeism was declining across the country Greenspond continued to thrive. In 1981, for example, Greenspond received a plaque for the most initiations in Newfoundland, presented to them by the Grand Master R.W. Bro. Renea Locke. Just three years later in 1984, however, the Lodge in Greenspond was inactive. |
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Where is Greenspond, Newfoundland?