Benvarden Mitchelburne Club
Of The Apprentice Boys of Derry
On Thursday 1st August 1714, Queen Anne died and was succeeded by King George I.
This smooth transition of power served to both illustrate and vindicate the great constitutional gains delivered by the Glorious Revolution of King William III, Prince of Orange. For that reason, the 1st August 1714 became a very important date in the history of Protestant Britain.
History also informs us that, on this exact same date, Colonel John Mitchelburne founded the very first Apprentice Boys Club.
Our Name
Our club is named after Colonel Mitchelburne - the great Protestant hero who served as Governor of Londonderry towards the end of its famous Siege.
From the mastheads of our banners, his name and example lives on today as a quintessential and inspirational embodiment of Ulster's historic Protestant resolve to stand firm in the face of adversity, and not back down - crying aloud 'No Surrender', and actually meaning it.
Our local club is honoured to carry his name on our standards.
From the mastheads of our banners, his name and example lives on today as a quintessential and inspirational embodiment of Ulster's historic Protestant resolve to stand firm in the face of adversity, and not back down - crying aloud 'No Surrender', and actually meaning it.
Our local club is honoured to carry his name on our standards.
Our StructureThere are literally hundreds of Apprentice Boys Clubs scattered throughout the world.
Obviously most of them are located in Ulster. The rest are located in England, Scotland, the Irish Republic, Canada and Australia. Each one of these individual clubs associate themselves with the Apprentice Boys movement via one of the 8 Parent Clubs that are based in Londonderry – they signify this by incorporating the name of the Parent Club into the title of their own local club. The names of the 8 Parent Clubs are as follows (this is also the order in which they normally march when on parade): [01] Apprentice Boys of Derry (named in memory of the original 13 Apprentice Boys); [02] Walker (named in memory of Londonderry Governor, Bishop George Walker); [03] Mitchelburne (named in memory of Londonderry Governor, Colonel John Mitchelburne); [04] No Surrender (named in memory of the historic battle cry used by the Protestants of Londonderry during the Siege); |
[05] Browning (named in memory of Michael Browning, Captain of HMS Mountjoy, who was killed in action as his ship tried to break the boom and relieve the city);
[06] Baker (named in memory of Londonderry Governor, Henry Baker, who died of fever during the Siege);
[07] Campsie (the youngest of the 8 Parent Clubs - named in memory of Henry Campsie, one of the original Apprentice Boys);
[08] Murray (named in memory of Colonel Adam Murray, a heroic military leader of Londonderry's Protestants during the Siege).
We have 8 Parent Clubs is in order to symbolise the 8 regiments formed within Londonderry at the time of the siege.
Our local club at Benvarden affiliates to the Apprentice Boys movement via the Mitchelburne Parent Club.
[06] Baker (named in memory of Londonderry Governor, Henry Baker, who died of fever during the Siege);
[07] Campsie (the youngest of the 8 Parent Clubs - named in memory of Henry Campsie, one of the original Apprentice Boys);
[08] Murray (named in memory of Colonel Adam Murray, a heroic military leader of Londonderry's Protestants during the Siege).
We have 8 Parent Clubs is in order to symbolise the 8 regiments formed within Londonderry at the time of the siege.
Our local club at Benvarden affiliates to the Apprentice Boys movement via the Mitchelburne Parent Club.
Our History
The Apprentice Boys movement was founded on 1st August 1714 by Colonel John Mitchelburne. It was then reconstituted one hundred years later by Benjamin J. Darcus on 1st August 1814. Our parent club - The Mitchelburne Parent Club - was formed in the 1720s.
Throughout the 19th Century, a number of short-lived Apprentice Boys clubs and associations were formed. These included the Williamite Club, the Cairns Club, the Juvenile Club and a number of other clubs. There was even an autonomous Apprentice Boys association set up in Dublin on 7th December 1813. It had its own Governor and distinguished itself as a wealthy, successful organisation. Both Sir Edward Carson and the well known philanthropist Dr Bernardo were counted among its members. The Dublin association ceased to function after World War One. |
Our Motto
Our organisation’s motto is ‘No Surrender’ – the historic battle cry used by the Protestant population of Londonderry during the Siege.
Our Emblem
Our organisation’s emblem is the Bible – the Word of God, and the Book that inspired the heroic defence of Londonderry.
The 13 Apprentice Boys
The names of the famous 13 Apprentice Boys are as follows: Henry Campsie, Robert Morrison, James Steward, Alex Cunningham, Alexander Irwin, James Spike, John Conningham, Robert Sherrard, Daniel Sherrard, William Cairns, Samuel Hunt, William Crookshanks and Samuel Harvy.
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The History of Benvarden Mitchelburne Club
Benvarden Apprentice Boys Club was formed in 1947.
Its 13 Foundation Members were:
President: Bro John Stewart
Vice President: Bro Jack Kearney
Chaplain: Bro James Blair
Secretary: Bro Robert Warke
Treasurer: Bro Nathaniel Campbell
Bro Alfred Warke Senior
Bro John Blair
Bro Andrew Reid
Bro Thomas Reid
Bro John Watton
Bro Hugh McIntyre
Bro Joseph Cochrane
Bro Thomas McLean
The Club Charter was Installed in Benvarden Orange Hall on 2nd August 1947.
The above-mentioned officers remained in place until 1951.
In 1948, the Club dedicated its first new banner.
In 1950, thirteen members of Benvarden Club helped to set up a new Mitchelburne Club in Bushside. Their names were as follows: Bros William Hanna, Bro James Hanna, Bro John Hanna, Bro Robert Hanna, Bro Daniel McMullan, Bro Herbert Stewart, Bro Robert Riley, Bro John Smyth, Bro Robert J. Thornton, Bro Neil McMullan, Bro Hugh Jameson and Bro Frank Stewart.
Benvarden Mitchelburne Club stands today as a strong, confident and successful branch
of the Apprentice Boys movement - filled with sureness of purpose and looking forward to a bright future.
Lady Macnaghten of Benvarden & The Siege of Londonderry
Benvarden has a very strong connection to the events of the Siege of Londonderry.
If you look at the graphic located above (depicting Bishop Walker's proclamation of victory), you will notice a woman to his right carrying a baby in her arms. She is wearing the family tartan of the Macnaghten Clan.
Her name is Lady Macnaghten of Benvarden.
We know from history that Lady Macnaghten took her family and workers from Benvarden to Londonderry, in order to keep them safe during the troubled years of 1688 and 1689.
After the siege was over, Lady Macnaghten returned to her Estate at Benvarden House (now owned by the Montgomery family).
Today, in the city of Londonderry, there are still areas of the Waterside named 'Benvarden' in honour of the role played by Lady Macnaghten and the people of Benvarden in defending the Walled City.
If you look at the graphic located above (depicting Bishop Walker's proclamation of victory), you will notice a woman to his right carrying a baby in her arms. She is wearing the family tartan of the Macnaghten Clan.
Her name is Lady Macnaghten of Benvarden.
We know from history that Lady Macnaghten took her family and workers from Benvarden to Londonderry, in order to keep them safe during the troubled years of 1688 and 1689.
After the siege was over, Lady Macnaghten returned to her Estate at Benvarden House (now owned by the Montgomery family).
Today, in the city of Londonderry, there are still areas of the Waterside named 'Benvarden' in honour of the role played by Lady Macnaghten and the people of Benvarden in defending the Walled City.
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