Bangor Purple Star (LOL 677)
The Lodge meets at 8.00pm on the second Friday of each month in the Orange Hall Hamilton Road. This is the oldest of the current Lodges in No 18 District, originally a Newtownards Lodge which moved to Bangor in the year 1860. It had its own flute band which was called Bangor Unionist Star Flute Band.
The earliest recorded Master was William Skillen in 1869 when dues were 3d per month. The records show many brethren leaving for America and Australia at this time. Another point of historical interest at that time was the initiation on 4th August 1894 of Thomas Cree the Grandfather of Worshipful Bro Leslie Cree PM PDM OBE.
The Lodge was involved at an early stage of keeping its members before the welfare state came into being. Regular payments were made to members and widows in reduced circumstances and to orphans. In 1915 many6 members were initiated into the Lodge. It was stated that they were presently serving with Kitchener's Army under training at Clanbeboye.
On the financial side, they were quite well off with £30 invested in the Post Office. It was also the practice of the Lodge to pay the funeral expenses of its members.
The funeral of one member cost four pounds thirteen shillings plus a docto4rs b i8ll of twenty five shillings. This was paid by the Lodge and represented a considerable sum of money at that time.
The Lodge took a great deal to do with the Lord Enniskillen Memorial Orphan Society and was the largest giver in County down in 1918, when 88 candidates were selected to benefit.
A Juvenile Lodge was re-opened in June 1918 with the formation of a junior band afterwards.
The Lodge was large with 100 members in 1919 there were four Lodges in the town - 769, 447, 677 and 933.
A further glance through old minute books and cash accounts tells us that in the year 1951 the Worshipful Master was Bro William Bickerstaff, Deputy Master Bro James Major (Sen) and the Chaplain Rev William Erskine MA, Ashley Park, Bangor. At this time the initiation fee was five shillings monthly dues one shilling and walking dues five shillings. New members were being installed each month with 116 names on roll book. Many of these came from the Clandeboye area of Bangor and from well known families.
In the past years quite a number of members received 50 year long service medals. Two of these Bro Robert Lockhart and Bro Danny Burgess are still active members.