User:Honeycombe/Right Hon William H. H. Lyons (Orangeman)

Right Hon William H. H. Lyons

William Henry Holmes Lyons, JP, DP, High Sheriff of Antrim 1904. Born in Belfast 31 July 1843 and died March 1924.

Educated at Harrow School and in France. He was intend to peruse a military career and passed his examinations with distinction, but owing to defective eyesight he was unable to enter the Army. This was fortunate for he was able to devote his life to public work. Mr Lyons became a prominent Unionists (Ireland).

He was a member of the Orange Institution. For fifty years he was a prominent member of the Black Institution and in December 1915, he was promoted to the position of Sovereign Grand Master of the Orange Lodge of Ireland. He was also Grand Master of the Imperial Grand Black Chapter of the British Commonwealth.

Mr Lyons was appointed a Privy Councilor in Ireland in 1922.

Mr Lyons married in 1888 a daughter of the Mr Geoffory Evans of Gortmerron House in County Tyrone. He had two daughters and son who died in 1917 from the effects of illness contracted in World War I.

According to the Belfast News, a memorial service took place at St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast on March 27th 1924.