| Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland | |
|---|---|
An Orange walk at Larkhall, in South Lanarkshire, Scotland |
|
| Formation | circa 1800 |
| Legal status | Fraternity |
| Purpose/focus | To celebrate and promote Protestantism, Liberty and Unionism[1] |
| Headquarters |
Olympia House, G40 3TA |
| Location | Glasgow |
| Region served | Scotland |
| Membership | 50,000[2] |
| Grand Master | Henry Dunbar |
| Main organ | Trustees, Senior Officer Bearers[3] |
| Parent organization | Orange Institution |
| Website | www.orangeorderscotland.com |
The Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland is the autonomous Grand Lodge that organises the Orange Institution in Scotland. A staunchly protestant fraternity, the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland is one of the largest political forces advocating unionism in Scotland and the continuance of the United Kingdom.[2][4] It has 50,000 members which are predominantly drawn from the Scottish Lowlands,[2] and its headquarters are in Bridgeton, Glasgow.
The Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland is made up of four County Grand Lodges: Ayrshire-Renfrewshire and Argyll, Central Scotland, East of Scotland and Glasgow. From these County Grand Lodges Orangemen and Orangewomen are elected to serve their fellows as part of the organisation's governing body.[3]
On 24 March 2007 more than 12,000 Orangemen, a far greater turnout than expected, from Scotland and other countries of the United Kingdom took part in a procession to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Acts of Union 1707 and marched through Edinburgh's Royal Mile.[5] This culminated in a rally where its leaders warned members of the danger of the Scottish National Party breaking up the UK. The Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland, Ian Wilson, said that "the Union has been good for Scotland and will continue to be good for Scotland".[5]
The Orange Order, after decades of gentle decline in Scotland, made a slight recovery in its membership between 2006 and 2009.[2] In October 2009 the Orange Order declared their strong opposition to the Scottish National Party and Scottish nationalism.[4] Traditionally supportative of the Scottish Conservative Party,[2] the Orange Order in Scotland vowed to support unionism even if that meant aiding their political opponents the Scottish Labour Party in Scottish and UK elections.[4]
The Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland is the traditional point of contact for Ulster loyalists from Northern Ireland.[6]