Thomas Sloan

Thomas Henry Sloan (1870–1941) was an Irish and British politician and founder of the Independent Orange Order. He represented the Belfast South constituency as an Independent Unionist at the Westminster parliament from 1902 to 1910.

Sloan first came to attention as a supporter of the working class evangelical Protestant preacher Arthur Trew, and soon became a leading member of his Belfast Protestant Association. In 1901, Trew was sentenced to twelve months' hard labour after he incited an anti-Catholic riot, and Sloan took over his Sunday afternoon speeches on the steps of Belfast Customs House. Trew's imprisonment had increased interest, and Sloan was a superior speaker and organiser, and managed to secure his election at the Belfast South by-election, 1902, against the official unionist candidate.^[1]

In 1903, Sloan founded the Independent Orange Order. Soon after, he reached an agreement with the Irish Unionist Party and disassociated himself from the Belfast Protestant Association.^[1]

References

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Thomas Sloan