SCOURING the mildewed corridors of my memory I cannot ever recall being in accord with the Orange Order.
In my youth I was dimly aware of its existence through my paternal grandmother, who was a member of the Eastern Star which, despite sounding like a Chinese takeaway, was closely connected to the Masons. Whether my grandfather was a Mason or a member of the OO I have no idea. What I do know is that his younger son, my father, resisted all attempts to enlist him, devoting much of his spare time to serving the Church of Scotland both as an elder and as an officer in the Life Boys.
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