Early Orange Societies: Guardians of Revolution and Protestant Succession
This source, written by Bro. Mike Phelan, historian of the Grand Orange Lodge of England, explores the early formations of Orange societies in Britain and Ireland between 1688 and 1800.
It details the origins of the first Orange Association following the arrival of William of Orange and the establishment of various other Protestant clubs and fraternities, including the Kit-Cat Club and the Aldermen of Skinner’s Alley.
The text outlines the motivations and memberships of these groups, highlighting their role in supporting the Glorious Revolution, the Protestant succession, and resisting perceived threats from Jacobitism and Catholicism.
Finally, the excerpts touch upon the eventual decline or absorption of these earlier societies into the more formally structured Orange Order.
Check out our website www.gole.org.uk
