12th July Celebrations
The following is an extract from The Lisburn Herald Saturday June 29th 1929.
Twelfth July Celebrations at Glenavy
R.B.P. 286 wish to announce that refreshments can be had in the Protestant Hall, Glenavy Charges Moderate.
God Save the King.
Officers Elected, 1963
The following is an extract from the Ulster Star on 2nd March 1963 and is used with permission of the paper.
Glenavy R.B.P. Officers elected
Officers of the red Cross Volunteers RBP No 286 elected last Saturday are: W.M., C.E. Dunn; D.M., R. Higginson; secretary, W. White; treasurer, T. McClay; chaplain A. Harbinson,jun.; pursuivant T. Trimble; first lecturer, J.E. Morgan. Committee – S. Ferguson, C. Harbinson,sen., R. Harbinson, G.E. Ingram, W. Semple, A. Harbinson, sen.
During the election the chair was occupied jointly by Sir Knights James Leslie RBP 379 and H. Ingram RBP 194
Charles Harbinson dies from fall
The following is an extract from The Ulster Star dated 24th July 1965 and is reproduced by permission of the Ulster Star.
Arch Falls: man dies
Mr. Charles Harbinson (38), of Landgarve, Crumlin, died in the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast , on Saturday afternoon from injuries received in an accident in Glenavy village the previous evening.
Mr. Harbinson, with a number of other men, was engaged in dismantling the Orange arch spanning Main Street, Glenavy, when he fell from a ladder.
He was taken to hospital but died the following day without regaining consciousness.
Mr. Harbinson, who was engaged in building work, was sexton of St. Aidan’s Parish Church, Glenavy, since November last.
He was a most efficient and painstaking worker, evidence of which is seen in the condition of the church grounds and property.
His cousin, Mr.Andrew Harbinson, is sexton of Lisburn Cathedral.
A member of the Orange Order and the Royal Black Institution Mr. Harbinson was hon. Treasurer of Pride of Glenavy L.O.L. No. 618 and was with Red Cross Volunteers R.B.P. 286.
He was a special-constable in the Glenavy Sub-District of the Ulster Special Constabulary, a member of Glenavy Men’s Club, Glenavy Football Club and a committee member of Glenavy Accordian band.
Mr. Harbinson is survived by his wife, Mrs. Sheila Harbinson, a young son and daughter, his mother and father, Mr. And Mrs. William Harbinson, his grandmother, three brothers and two sisters.
The funeral took place on Monday afternoon to Glenavy Parish Churchyard and was one of the largest ever seen in the Glenavy district.
Red Cross Volunteers RBP 286, 1997
Red Cross Volunteers RBP 286 pictured in 1997
courtesy of The Ulster Star 23 01 1998
125th Anniversary
The following is an extract from the Ulster Star dated January 23rd 1998 reproduced by kind permission of the Ulster Star.
Black preceptory celebrates 125th anniversary.
Red Cross Volunteers RBP no 286, based at Glenavy has celebrated its 125th anniversary with a series of special events.
Warrant No. 286 was issued in the name of John Arbuckle, the first Worshipful Master, on 9th December, 1872.The preceptory has been in continuous operation in Glenavy ever since, and is the oldest preceptory in the area, and within Antrim Royal Black District Chapter No. 3 to which it now belongs.
Incredibly the preceptory is in possession of a complete set of records from its foundation, and the Sir Knights can look back over a long and unbroken history.
A renewal warrant was issued in the name of Thomas T. Clendinning on 10 September, 1904, and it is this Grand Black Chapter of Ireland warrant under which the preceptory now sits.
The preceptory at first used the title Glenavy RBP NO. 286, the present title Red Cross Volunteers RBP No, 286 dating from 26 March, 1926.
The preceptory was declared Temperance on 3 March, 1902, although the term has never been used in the title.
Honoured.
Except when the building has been unavailable due to repair work, or other use, the preceptory has always sat in Glenavy Protestant Hall, which predates it only by two years, having been erected in 1870.
When no sitting in the Protestant Hall, the preceptory has occupied various premises in the village including the Old Sunday School and Methodist Church Hall.
To celebrate its 125th Anniversary the Preceptory has run a number of events over the past year including an Anniversary Thanksgiving Service when Sir Knight Rev. William Hoey, Deputy Grand Chaplain, Rector of St. Simon’s Parish, Belfast, was preacher and many other distinguished Sir Knights and friends were present.
Over the weekend of 9th – 10th August 1997, a party of Sir Knights from accompanied by Sir Knights from RBP No. 287 and RBP No. 289, travelled from Scotland to take part in the Provincial Grand Black Chapter of Scotland Demonstration, in Bellshill, Lanarkshire, as the guests of Bellshill Chosen Few RBP No. 475.
This was a completely new venture for Glenavy, which was much enjoyed by all who took part.
Today the preceptory has over 50 Sir Knights on its Roll and its Chaplain Sir Knight Kenneth Harbinson, PM, is the current Worshipful District Master of Antrim Royal Black District Chapter No. 3.
List of Past Masters.
Sir Knight John Arbuckle 1872 – 1873
Sir Knight William J Bolton 1875 – 1880
Sir Knight John R Buckles 1881 – 1885
Sir Knight William J Bolton 1886
Sir Knight Samuel Crowe 1887 – 1890
Sir Knight William J Bolton 1891 – 1892
Sir Knight Samuel Sloan 1893
Sir Knight Thomas Clendinning 1894 – 1917
Sir Knight William Higginson 1918
Sir Knight William Scott 1920
Sir Knight Lucas Waring 1921
Sir Knight William J Harbinson 1922
Sir Knight Alexander Ross 1923 – 1925
Sir Knight William McClurg 1926 – 1927
Sir Knight Alexander Withers 1928 – 1929
Sir Knight Thomas Moore 1930 – 1933
Sir Knight William J Harbinson 1934 – 1939
Sir Knight Ernest Thompson 1940 – 1945
Sir Knight John Lyle 1946 – 1950
Sir Knight David Steel 1951 – 1953
Sir Knight William Moore 1954 – 1961
Sir Knight Charles Dunn 1962 – 1963
Sir Knight Robert Higginson 1964 – 1965
Sir Knight George E. Ingram P.D.M.1966 – 1967
Sir Knight Walter White 1968 – 1969
Sir Knight Clem B. Davies 1970 – 1971
Sir Knight John A. Christie 1972
Sir Knight Peter Lundy 1973 – 1974
Sir Knight Thomas McClay 1975 – 1976
Sir Knight Ronald Ferguson 1977 – 1978
Sir Knight Douglas Harbinson 1979 – 1980
Sir Knight William D, Somersett 1981 – 1982
Sir Knight Kenneth Harbinson 1983 – 1984
Sir Knight Mervyn Bolton 1985 – 1986
Sir Knight Adrian Bell 1987 – 1988
Sir Knight William Stewart 1989 – 1990
Sir Knight Richard Belshaw 1991 – 1992
Sir Knight Roy Farrell 1983 – 1994
Sir Knight Desmond Reid 1995
Glenavy RBP 286 – Red Cross Volunteers 1980s
Glenavy RBP 286 1980’s
(Source unknown – kindly provided by D Jamison, Belfast compiler of the book Banners of Freedom)
Glenavy RBP 286 1980’s
(Source unknown – kindly provided by D Jamison, Belfast compiler of the book Banners of Freedom)