This date in history ...

[Croghan27]

My father knew Colin B. Mackay, one time President of UNB. He was responsible for moving the UNB Law School from Saint John to Fredericton and was President during the creation of UNB Saint John - where I began a truncated university career and (I believe) Caissa's was more distinguished.
 
He came from 'the Mackays of Rothesay' - just north of Saint John. An area that is no end of rich (think Turnbull who invented the variable pitch propeller used on all airplanes, Crosbys of molasses fame). It is extremely British (James Cross headed there immediately after the FLQ released him.)

[Croghan27]

The Glorious 12th.
 
He never makes it any more, but on this date, Good King Billy used to ride about Saint John his white charger on the streets of the south end. (The Irish ghetto).
 
Despite the bolderized version of the Orange Order in the wiki link above, not all irishmen were unquestioned supporters. The Order's people were more English than Irish and were celebrating the victory of a Dutch King over the indigineous forces at the Battle of the Boyne.
 
I recall, as a child being tickled to see some lad prancing about on a big white horse. It was rather forwned upon as we were Catholic and one of the pledges Orangemen makes is:
 

"... he should strenuously oppose the fatal errors and doctrines of the
Church of Rome, and scrupulously avoid countenancing (by his presence or
otherwise) any act or ceremony of Popish worship; he should, by all lawful
means, resist the ascendancy of that Church, its encroachments, and the
extension of its power, ever abstaining from all uncharitable words, actions, or
sentiments, towards his Roman Catholic brethren; he should remember to keep holy
the Sabbath day, and attend the public worship of God, and diligently train up
his offspring, and all under his control, in the fear of God, and in the
Protestant faith...."

Quite a good friend of mine, an Irish Catholic (even if not what you might call devote) used to get rather excited on the 12th. I, a scots Catholic, thought it a rather interesting historical anachonism. and not threatening.

[lagatta]

Older Catholic relatives in Eastern Ontario remembered that with more than a bit of anxiety. No, not quite the Klan, but very nasty bigotry.

Croghan, sad to say, I've never been to Saint John (I have been to Edmunston and Moncton). This must be remedied.

[Croghan27]

Older Catholic relatives in Eastern Ontario remembered that with more than a bit of anxiety. No, not quite the Klan, but very nasty bigotry.

Croghan, sad to say, I've never been to Saint John (I have been to Edmunston and Moncton). This must be remedied.

While my mother came from England, Dad was New Brunswick, born and bred. (He was the only one of his brother to be born in Canada, the rest in Newfoundland.) He was also a member of the just formed United Church of Canada (from the presbyterian component) and so had something of a detachment from the violence.
 
He was a teenager at the height of the 'Marching season' before the First Great War. Billy would ride up Broad Street, heart of the catholic and Irish territory, compelete with marchers and bands and signs and singing.
 
The local 'paddies' would take a dim view of this and the suggestion was the every year 2-3 of the marchers never made it home.