Orange Order staff had narrow escape from bomb 40 years ago

Serious damage was caused in the 1976 attack on the House of Orange in Belfast city centre after the bomb exploded in Crymble’s music shop directly beneath their offices.

No one was injured in the blast, however a fire on the ground floor resulted in thousands of pounds worth of musical instruments and equipment being destroyed.

Windows were shattered in all the rooms and masonry in the hallway was torn off.

Those caught up in the terrorist attack included former Grand Master John Bryans, then Grand Secretary Walter Williams and office assistants, Elaine Huddleston and Kathleen McDowell.

According to a report in the Orange Standard newspaper, the bomb had been placed in Crymble’s earlier that morning by two youths who shouted a warning before making their escape.

In a previous interview with the Orange Standard, Miss Huddleston recalled the incident as “quite scary” given there was no prior warning.

“The staff in Crymble’s Music did not activate the alarm system and unfortunately the police did not realise there was actually more people in the building,” she said.

She added: “I quickly informed the others, so we got out, and there was a bit of an uproar with people telling us to run and a man pulled us into Salisbury Street.

“We were only out a few minutes and the building went boom.”

Then Grand Master Rev Martin Smyth said at the time he was certain the explosion was aimed directly at the institution.

“Planting a bomb in the record shop was an easy way to get at the Order’s headquarters,” he said.