Ties,regimental,university,college, club.

[macwilkin]

I'm fascinated where all the organisations come from and get their names from? Other than freemasons, who seem to me to be a very different beast in the UK to the USA, (but that's only as an outsider) we don't really get anywhere near as many of these kinds of outfit. What's their history and why do you chaps have so many of them with such exotic sounding names?

Cheers, Graham.

The Society of King Charles the Martyr is a UK Anglican organisation with a North American branch. It is a devotional society to Charles I, martyred by Cromwell and the Roundheads.

The International Order of St. Vincent is also an Anglican devotional order for altar servers, sub-deacons, vergers, etc. But again, the British counterpart, The Guild of Servants of the Sanctuary has us beat in the name department. St. Vincent of Saragossa is the patron saint of acolytes and altar servers.

Finally, MOLLUS is a hereditary society for descendants of Union Army officers in the Civil War. It was started not long after Lincoln's murder, and many prominent Federal officers were members, including Scottish-American and Medal of Honor receipient, Arthur MacArthur. Much like the Grand Army of the Republic, once its original members began to pass to the final muster, the organisation allowed sons and grandsons of members to join.

If you look hard enough in the UK, you'll find some organisations with exotic-sounding names as well.

Regards,

Todd