Page:Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham.djvu/95

Rh the Criterion, Hurst Street; Bricklayers' Arms, Cheapside; Ryland Arms, Ryland Street; Sportsman, Moseley Street; Iron Horse, Moor Street; Exchange Inn, High Street; Red Lion, Smallbrook Street; Woodman. Summer Lane; Emily Amis. Emily Street; Boar's Head, Bradford Street; Turk's Head, Duke Street; Bird-in-Hand, Great King Street; Tyburn House, Erdington.

Old Meeting Friendly Fund commenced in 1819, and registered in 1824. Its capital at the close of the first year, was £5 14s, lO½d.; at end of the tenth year (1828) it was nearly £264; in 1838, £646 in 1848. £1,609; in 1858, £3,419; 1868, £5,549; in 1878, £8,237; and at the end of 1883, £9,250 16s. 2d.;—a very fair sum, considering the members only numbered 446, the year's income being £877 and the out-goings £662.

Railway Guards' Friendly Fund was originated in this town in 1848. It has nearly 2,200 members; the yearly disbursements being about £6,000, and the payments £40 at death, with life pensions of 10s, and upwards per week to members disabled on the line. More than £85,000 has been thus distributed since the commencement.

Roman Catholic.—A local Friendly Society was founded in 1794, and a Midland Association in 1824.

Shepherds.—The Order of Shepherds dates from 1834, but we cannot get at the number of members, &c. August 9, 1883 (according to Daily Post), the High Sanctuary meeting of the Order of Shepherds was held in our Town Hall, when the auditor's report showed total assets of the general fund, £921 15s. 4d., and liabilities £12 6s. 9½d. The relief fund stood at £292 18s. 8d., being an increase of £66 0s. 11d, on the year; and there was a balance of £6 13s. 9½d, to the credit of the sick and funeral fund.

St. David's Society.—The members held their first meeting March 1, 1824.

St. Patrick's Benefit Society, dating from 1865 as an offshoot of the Liverpool Society, had at end of 1882, 3,144 members, the expenditure of the year was £857 (£531 for funerals), and the total value of the society £2,030. Unitarian Brotherly Society, registered in 1825, has about 500 members, and a capital of £8,500.

United Brothers.—There are nearly 100 lodges and 10,000 members of societies under this name in Birmingham and neighbourhood, some of the lodges being well provided for capital. No. 4 having £8,286 to 186 members. United Family Life Assurance and Sick Benefit Society claims to have some 8,500 members, 750 of whom reside in Birmingham.

United Legal Burial Society, registered in 1846, like the above, is a branch only.

Union Provident Sick Society.—Founded 1802, enrolled in 1826 and certified in 1871, had then 3,519 members and a reserve fund of £8,269. At end of 1883 the reserve fund stood at £15,310 16s. 9d., there having been paid during the year £4,768 17s. 2d, for sick pay and funerals, besides 15s, dividend to each member. There are 15,379 Friendly Societies or branches in the kingdom, numbering 4,593,175 members, and their funds amounted to (by last return) £12,148,602.

Friends (The Society of).—Quakerism was publicly professed here in 1654. George Fox visiting the town the following year and in 1657. The friends held their first "meetings" in Monmouth Street in 1659. The meeting house in Bull Street was built in 1703, and was enlarged several times prior to 1856, when it was replaced by the present edifice which will seat about 800 persons. The re-opening took place January 25, 1857. The burial-ground in Monmouth Street, where the Arcade is now, was taken by the Great Western Railway Co, in 1851, the remains of over 300 departed Friends being removed to the