Loyal Orange Young Briton Lodge

03/11/2026

03/08/2026

Mr Iveson seated in this photo was a member of the Metcalfe Loyal Orange Young Briton Lodge # 260.

160 years ago today — on March 7, 1866 — Prime Minister John A. Macdonald put out an urgent call for 10,000 men to mobilize to defend Canada against a potential Fenian invasion.

Rumours were rife that Fenian attacks across the U.S. border were imminent, possibly as soon as St. Patrick’s Day.

The volunteers of Ottawa’s Civil Service Rifle Corps were among the first to respond to the call.
The Fenians were a passionate brotherhood of Irish ex-pats who remained committed to Ireland’s independence, prepared to resort to violent means if necessary.

A large contingent of U.S.-based Fenians had armed up for the Union Army and had been hardened and emboldened by their Civil War experience.

They were now convinced that British North America, once captured, would be the bargaining piece needed to finally gain independence for Ireland.

Other Ottawa area volunteer units mobilized against the Fenian threat as well, including the Bells Corners Company and the Buckingham Infantry Company.

In April, the Fenians mounted an unsuccessful attack along the Maine-New Brunswick border.

In May, residents of nearby Prescott reported hearing the bugles of Fenian soldiers amassing across the St. Lawrence River in Ogdensburg. Volunteer militia were rushed by train from Ottawa but no invasion was attempted.

Ottawa’s volunteers were called back home to patrol the capital’s streets and guard the opening of Parliament.

This was the first session of the Parliament of the Province of Canada to be held in the new capital of Ottawa — and one of its last, with Confederation soon to eliminate this legislative body.

The parliamentarians quickly gave passage to emergency measures needed to deal with the Fenian crisis.

Further Fenian attacks were repelled in the Niagara region and south of Montreal.

The Canadian militia counted a total 32 dead and 103 wounded during the 1866 Fenian campaigns.

This, of course, was not the end of the Fenians. Two years later, D’Arcy McGee, a patriotic Irish-Canadian leader hated by the Fenians, was assassinated on Sparks Street.

Patrick Whelan, a Fenian, was executed for McGee’s murder in what would be Canada’s last public hanging.

Later Fenian border assaults were quelled in Quebec and Manitoba.

Were the Fenians, in fact, Canada's first terrorist threat? Phil Gurski, historian, author and retired CSIS analyst explores that question in a recent episode in our "Time Travelling with the Historical Society of Ottawa" series:

https://www.historicalsocietyottawa.ca/resources/videos/time-travelling-series/time-travelling-with-phil-gurski-call-to-arms-the-fenian-threat

James Powell points out how the Fenian threat united British North Americans and actually strengthened support for Confederation:

https://todayinottawashistory.wordpress.com/2019/03/02/to-arms-the-fenians-are-coming

Image: Militia Volunteers from Metcalfe, Ontario, 1866, Frank Iveson fonds, Library and Archives Canada, PA-103906. Frank Iveson is seated centre front

03/05/2026

01/11/2026

Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada's first prime minister, lived his final years at Earnscliffe, a majestic Victorian manor nestled on the cliffs above the Ottawa River.

It was in his bed at Earnscliffe where Macdonald's eventful life would eventually come to an end in 1891.

Earnscliffe, now home to the British High Commission, was one of the several residences in Ottawa where Macdonald would take refuge during his turbulent decades as the first leader of our brand new nation.

Macdonald's only daughter Mary suffered from the debilitations of hydrocephalus and so he had a special landing customized at Earnscliffe so that Mary could enjoy observing special events from the upper floor.

Sir John A. Macdonald was born January 11, 1815.

Honouring the memory of Sir John A. Macdonald is complicated — as it is with so many important figures of our past.

While the Canada in which we take great pride would probably not exist in its present form if not for the "old chieftain", Macdonald's name is gradually disappearing from various schools and landmarks across the country.

Macdonald's tenure was rocked by financial scandals.

We also look back at tragic decisions his government made impacting Indigenous peoples.

Additionally, Macdonald's legacy might not have been possible without financial support that came as a result of family connections to slavery in the British West Indies.

History is complicated.

Today, despite the abundant flaws or our country's first prime minister, we mark the 211th birthday of a crucial player in the founding of our nation — Sir John A. Macdonald.

"Sir John A. Macdonald Day" on January 11 was proclaimed by act of parliament in 2002, along with "Sir Wilfrid Laurier Day", on November 20 every year.
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James Powell recounts the death of Sir John A:

https://todayinottawashistory.wordpress.com/2023/11/25/the-death-of-sir-john-a-macdonald

11/24/2025

A couple of weeks ago members of all the branches of the Loyal Orange Association joined together to enjoy a great year end dinner at the Smiths Falls Presbyterian Church Hall. The OYB (Orange Young Briton Lodge) and the LOL (Loyal Orange Lodge) of Smiths Falls hosted the annual event. Greetings, prayers, introductions, fellowship and presentations were all part of the evening dinner and program.

11/12/2025

Remembrance Day 2025 will be one to remember. The camera doesn’t show it very well, but it was cold 🥶 with winter ❄️ conditions, but Brothers Brisebois and Alexander braved the wintery conditions to remember and lay a wreath .
It starts inside the warmth of the Spencerville United Church at 10 AM. Then a half hour later we head outside to the Cenotaph next door for the wreath laying ceremony. It was the most wintery weather conditions I ever remember for a November 11. Temperature was - 9 degrees, it was snowing, with a north wind blowing. But 300 plus area residents still attended to remember.
This is just some of the things we do as Orangemen in Canada 🍁 ❄️🥶 to brave the elements and remember the 80,000 Canadian Orangemen and Orangewomen in WW 1 who answered the call to the battlefields and the tens of thousands Orangemen and women who answered the call again in WW 2, plus don’t forget the thousands of Orangemen and Orange women who fought in the various other wars before and after the world wars.
We also say Thank You to our present day Orangemen and women of our military who wear the 🇨🇦 flag on their uniform today. WE REMEMBER. THANK YOU.

11/11/2025

It was during and after World War I that the Orange Young Britons Association membership began its decline. Because it was that age group of young men who signed up for war service at many of the Orange Halls across Canada. Many halls were used as recruiting centres. In some cases which primary Lodges almost the all the membership signed up for Military Service and after the war many of the OYB Lodges ceased to exist because most of the members never returned home from the wartime battlefield. 🇬🇧🇨🇦🪖🎖️

11/05/2025