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The Hall was opened in 1877, dedicated to
the memory of the Brave Thirteen Apprentice Boys who closed the City gates
in 1688. In 1937 the hall was extended along Society Street. The extension
is dedicated to the memory of those who died in "The Great War"
of 1914-1918.
 It
now houses the headquarters and debating Chamber of the Apprentice Boys of
Derry Association and their office. This is not the sole use of the hall
however. Other organisations such as the
Orange
Order have separate accommodation in the Hall it supports a
thriving Social Club. This is the only place where new members are
initiated. A new statue of Governor Walker, incorporating a leg from the
original statue, now stands in the Walker Memorial Garden next to the
Apprentice Boys Memorial Hall as does the famous cannon - Roaring Meg. The
Apprentice Boys of Derry Association was established during the early part
of the nineteenth Century to commemorate two significant events concerning
the City of LONDONDERRY; namely the "Shutting of the Gates" and
the "Relief of Derry." These two events had a major influence
upon the course of British and European history in the seventeenth
Century. The present constitution of the United Kingdom and Parliamentary
Sovereignty stems from this era. The deeds, resolution and resilience of
the inhabitants of Londonderry and the surrounding area were important
factors in bringing about our present system of Government and Democracy.
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