The Minor Family of Somerset

still alive in June of 1997 when I went to Ireland and living un
married at Whitehill farm. He was aged 87 very alert. Probabl
y never been more than 100 miles from home gave me the informati
on on the rest of his family.
Received aChristmas Card 2001, but not 2002
Manorcunningham Temperance L.O.L. 1117
Records show that Orange Lodges have existed in the Manorcunning
ham area from the early years of the l9th Century. In 1823 L.O.L
. No. 1441 was worKing the District with Bro. John Davis as Wors
hipful Master. In 1835 L.O.L. 346 whose W.M. was James Billingto
n Marshall in the District of Lifford was operating here. Anothe
r lodge, which operated in Manorcunningham, was Mondooey L.O.L
. 1866. It ceased to function in the 1860's and the number is no
w worKing in Culmore.
The present lodge in Manorcunningharn L.O.L. 1117 came into exis
tence in l919 having been started by Bro. Algeo a native of Coun
ty Fermanagh. It metin the local Church of Ireland hall. During
' the troubles' of the early 1920's the original warrant and min
utes were destroyed. The lodge flourished in spite of many diffi
culties during 1920's and 1930's under the leadership of the lat
e Wor. Bro. David Hunter who immigrated to Canada in 1924 and th
e lateWor. Bro. R.J. Flemming who was Worshipful Master from 192
4 to 1938. During the Second World War 1939-45 the late Wor. Bro
. Herbert Platt and Wor. Bro. Robert Hamilton carried on the wor
k of the lodge. Many members of the lodge served in H.M. Force
s during the war.
After the war there was a large influx ofnew members and on 27t
h June 1951, Bro. Edward McIntyre, City of LondonderryGrand Mas
ter opened the new Orange Hall. This hall was further extended i
n1954. At present the members have undertaken a scheme for impr
ovement and refurbishment in order to improve facilities.
The present Worshipful Master is Wor. Bro. James Hamilton who to
ok office in 1995. Wor. Bro. James Barr, Wor. Bro. Alex Lindsay
, Wor. Bro. Robert Hamilton and the late Bro. Alex Hamilton hav
e all given over 50 years outstanding service to the lodge. Wor
. Bro. Alex. Lindsay was W.M. for 44 years.
The Lodge is very proud of its Pipe Band which was formed in 193
5 having replaced a flute band which had been formed in 1912 b
y the local Unionist Club. In 1988 the Pipe Band won the All Ire
land Grade 4 Championship under the leadership of Pipe Major Wil
lie Walker and DrumSergeant Victor Wray. The band is still flou
rishing under Pipe Major RobertWallace.
Robert looked at age 87 very much like my father Matthew Hamilto
n Benjamin Murray, his first cousin once removed. I saw him a
t his farm, "Whitehill" in Manorcunningham, Co. Donegal Ireland
. The farm consisted of 100 acres, farmed now only in cattle, h
e used to farm several different crops. Thefarm house was abou
t 200 years old, he had lived there all his life with hissiste
r Cissie (Racheal) and Brother Sandy (Alexander) they never marr
ied and stayed with their parents. I doubt that he had been mor
e than 100 miles from home any time in his life. He was a nea
t a tidy gentleman in an old farmhouse that still used wood to h
eat and cook
I met Robert Hamilton June l997 at Whitehill Farm, he had live
d there all his life, never married. He lived with his sister C
issie and Bro. Alexander, nicknamed Sandy. Cissie's real name w
as Rachel