A working class hero from the Sailortown area of Belfast, he left school to take up an unskilled job in the shipyards. However talent as a preacher, and public speaker propelled him to prominence In Belfast. Rising through the ranks he was Worshipful Master of St Michael's Total Abstinence LOL 1890, and a speaker for the Belfast Protestant Association (BPA). By 1902 he had become the voice and face of working class Orange dissent over the lack of leadership and a strong proponent of Protestant principles. His stand for democracy and Protestantism led to the creation of the Independent Orange Order which spearheaded a UK wide campaign to advance the cause of Protestantism above party politics. Sloan found himself at the head of an Institution which represented working class radical trade union activists like Alex Boyd, liberal thinkers like Rev. D.D. Boyle and Robert Lindsay Crawford as well as the leading Protestant speakers and activist of the day like Richard Braithwaite, Thomas Galbraith and Samuel Boal.

A member of the Grand Lodge of Ireland, journalist and editor he was always a radical thinker. He was the leading advocate for the ILOI, writing a series of booklets and pamphlets. The Maghermourne Manifesto was very much his creation and when he saw the Order move to a more Unionist position he drifted in the opposite direction.

A rising star in the Presbyterian church, Liberal Unionist and supporter of Land Reform, Boyle joined the first Independent Twelfth Platform offering prayer. He was subsequently disciplined and led many North Antrim Lodges across to the Independents in what he described as “The Reformation Refought”.

Secretary of the Belfast Protestant Association jailed in June 1901 for opposing a Corpus Christi parade. Secretary of Sloan’s Parliamentary Committee and served as Grand Secretary of the ILOI.

Chairman of the Belfast Protestant Association and leading speaker. He was expelled from Kane Memorial 890, along with Robert Matchett. He went on to become a Protestant organiser across the United Kingdom.

A veteran Protestant public speaker and supporter of Sloan. Known as ‘Long Tom’ or the ‘Bubble Burster’ he was one of Sloan’s key allies and was suspended by the Grand Lodge of Belfast for 6 years.

An early supporter of Sloan, as W.M. 731, and a leading Belfast trade unionist and organiser of Belfast's Municipal Employees’ Association (MEA). He proposed the resolution at the Plains Meeting to form an Independent Orange Institution, and threw his considerable organisational skills into the new Order.

Owner of a grocery business on the Sandy Row, and leading Orangeman. Grand Chaplain in 1915, his contribution to the ILOI was recognised by No.2 being renamed Mateer Memorial.

Renowned painter and illustrator, head of Art at Methodist College, Belfast Royal Hibernian Academy Associate, he painted many early Independent Orange Banners.

Suspended for 6 years he went on to become WM of Johnston Memorial ILOL 13, County Grand Master of Belfast and Deputy Grand Chaplain of the Institution.

A rising star in the Presbyterian church, Liberal Unionist and supporter of Land Reform, Boyle joined the first Independent Twelfth Platform offering prayer. He was subsequently disciplined and led many North Antrim Lodges across to the Independents in what he described as “The Reformation Refought”.

Joining the Orange Order in 1855 he then emigrated to America where he fought and was injured in the Civil War. On his return to Ballymoney he became a successful businessman, Town Councillor and Justice of the Peace. He became the second Imperial Grand Master in 1906.

Along with Clarke Murphy he defended Ballymoney District against charges brought by the County Grand Lodge of Antrim and at the meeting handed in their six warrants in protest, and chaired a meeting in Whiteside’s Temperance Hotel which agreed to form their own Orange organisation.

James Robinson was a leading figure in Orangeism and in the Apprentice Boys in his native Londonderry. He was W.M. of ILOL 82 in the city and Grand Master 1915 -17.

A member of the Granagh ILOL No. 30 from Finvoy and was Worshipful District Master of Rasharkin District which had 6 lodges. In 1907 he became Deputy Grand Master.