Page:Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham.djvu/94

82 Grocers.—These gentlemen organised a Benevolent Society, in 1872.

Independent Order of Rechabites.— Dwellers in tents, and drinkers of no wine, were the original Rechabites, and there are about a score of "tents" in this district, the oldest being pitched in this town in 1839, and, as Friendly societies, they appear to be doing, in their way, good service, like their friends who meet in "courts" and "lodges," the original "tent's" cashbox having £675 in hand for cases of sickness, while the combined camp holds £1,600 wherewith to bury their dead.

Jewellers' Benevolent Association dates from Oct. 25, 1867.

Medical.— A Midland Medical Benevolent Society has been in existence since 1821. The annual report to end of 1883 showed invested funds amounting to £10,937, there being 265 benefit members and 15 honorary.

Musical.—The Birmingham Musical Society consists almost solely of members of the Choral Society, whose fines, with small subscriptions from honorary members, furnishes a fund to cover rehearsal, and sundry choir expenses as well as 10s in cases of sickness.

New Meeting Provident Institution was founded in 1836, but is now connected with the Church of the Messiah. A little over a thousand members, one-third of whom are females.

Oddfellows.—The National Independent Order of Oddfellows. Birmingham Branch, was started about 1850. At the end of 1879 there were 1,019 members, with about £4,500 accumulated funds.

The Birmingham District of the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows in January, 1882, consisted of 43 lodges, comprising 4,297 members, the combined capital of sick and funeral funds being £42,210. The oldest Lodge in the District is the " Briton's Pride," which was opened in 1827.

The first Oddfellows' Hall was in King Street, but was removed when New Street Station was built. The new Oddfellows' Hall in Upper Temple Street was built in 1849, by Branson and Gwyther, from the designs of Coe and Goodwin (Lewisham. Kent), at a cost of £3,000. The opening was celebrated by a dinner on December 3rd, same year. The "Hall" will accommodate 1,000 persons. The Oddfellows' Biennial Moveable Committee met in this town on May 29th, 1871.

The M.U. Lodges meet at the following houses:—Fox, Fox Street; White Horse, Congreve Street; Swan-with-two-Necks, Great Brook Street; Albion, Cato Street North; Hope and Anchor, Coleshill Street; 13, Temple Street; Wagon and Horses, Edgbaston Street; Crystal Palace, Six Ways, Smethwick; The Vine, Harborne; Prince Arthur, Arthur Street, Small Heath; George Hotel, High Street, Solihull; Bell, Phillip Street; Bull's Head, Digbeth; Edgbaston Tavern, Lee Bank, Road; The Stork, Fowler Street, Nechells; Three Tuns, Digbeth; Town Hall, Sutton Coldhield; Coffee House, Bell Street; Coach and Horses, Snow Hill; Roe Buck, Moor Street; Drovers' Arms, Bradford Street; Co-operative Meeting Room, Stirchley Street; Black Lion, Coleshill Street; Queen's Head, Handsworth; No. 1 Coffee House, Rolfe Street, Smethwick; New Inn, Selly Oak; Wagon and Horses, Greet; Talbot, Yardley; Saracen's Head, Edgbaston Street; Dolphin, Unett Street; Grand Turk, Ludgate Hill; Roebuck, Moor Street; White Swan, Church Street; White Lion, Thorpe Street; Queen's Arms, Easy Row; Rose and Crown, Wheeler Street, Lozells.

The National Independent Order was instituted in 1845, and registered under the Friendly Societies' Act, 1875. The Order numbers over 60,000 members, but its strongholds appear to be in Yorkshire and Lancashire, which two counties muster between them nearly 40,000. In Birmingham district, there are thirteen "lodges," with a total of 956 members, their locations being at