Cabinet Photo of Fraternal Organization

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone could help me identify this fraternal organization.

Couple things, Can we date it by the flag?

There is an F. C. --- Floral thing, so I'm assuming those are the letters of the order. Though I can't make out the last letter. Maybe an L?

Not Sure if that Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty?


Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Warm Regards,
Scantic

 

Well, that's a 48 star flag in the center which became official July 4, 1912. The one to the right side appears to be the 1896 version 45 star version, though, and not the 1908 46 star one. At least that's what I'm thinking with the way the long and short star lines are alternating as they appear to be.

But what's with the Union Jack to the left of the US flag? Has to be a reason why the flags of both the US and the UK would be together.

 

I wonder whether the flag draped over the lectern has anything to do with the US Episcopal Church?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Episcopal_Church_(United_States)

 

Thank you as always for your help! I greatly appreciate it! The flag does look very very similar. It may def. be a organization affiliated with the church.

 

FCL. All I can think of is Faith Christian League, but I'm sure that's not it.

 

You probably won't believe this and I'm not sure I believe it is the "correct" one for that gathering (because it's all men gathered there) but maybe they were part of the "money" behind the "group/organization" mentioned below:

"F.C.L. Motto of the Women's Relief Corp. Stands for "Fraternity, Charity, and Loyalty." Information is from the following website:

http://www.graveaddiction.com/symbol.html

I'll do a bit more looking.

 

The Grand Army of the Republic, and also the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, both used "Fraternity, Charity, and Loyalty." But I don't really see how a British flag would fit with those organizations.

 

I'd like a good look at the badge on those sashes.
With the swords and red cross my 1st though was the Knights Templar....but they seem under dressed ??

 

Looks of searching has only yielded 2 possibilities - The Brotherhood of St. Andrew (and official Episcopal Church men's organization that has existed since the 1881's and is international, but not "military" from what I can see) and the Masonic Scottish Rite Knights of St. Andrew (whose logo has crossed swords forming the X for St. Andrew's Cross.)

 

Take a peek at these logos and badges for the Knights of St. Andrew.

https://www.google.com/search?q=kni...v&sa=X&ei=c4s5VYiXD8WxogTO_oGIAQ&ved=0CDkQ7Ak

 

the St Andrew sash...seems to be only tartan.

 

In those modern pictures, yes. But maybe that's not the way it always was. Remember, this picture is about 100 years old.

 

Tartans have been around a lot longer than that !

 

Also note, there is a sword and shield at the base of the flag in the middle of the picture. This obviously helps very little, but I think it must be some sort of fraternal order.

 

Read again, please, komo. I said maybe they did things differently then, not that tartans did not exist then.

 

I know of no Knights of the Whatever , or other fraternal organization that has changed it's dress code , badges , flags or any ceremonial rites over time.
If you do , please enlighten me, & i'll search them out.

 

"Maybe" was the operative term. I know very little about fraternal organizations. I was going by what I could see of badges and flags and the fact that some of the men are holding swords.

 

I also think the flag draped over the lectern is of the US Episcopal church. The church's flag is white with a red cross and a St. Andrews type cross in the top left field/quarter. The lectern flag has a cross on a light background with something diagonally in the top left field/quarter.

https://flagspot.net/flags/rel-epis.html

With those flags, it probably is an Episcopal men's society.

--- Susan

 

Actually, i believe you have found an early picture of the Smothers Brothers, before they were radicalized by association with Pat Paulson & his ilk.

 

Now that is funny.

But that one poor fellow, he's the only one in the entire large photo wearing white/light socks which are visible.