Friendly societies in the rural East Riding, 1830-1912
Local and affiliated order friendly societies which together formed the largest working-class movement in Victorian Britain have been largely ignored by social and labour historians. Oddfellows, Foresters, Druids, Shepherds and Gardeners with their ritual, regalia, and secrecy imitative of Freemasonry, emerged as benefit societies in industrial Yorkshire and Lancashire in the second and third decades of the nineteenth century. The orders exploded into the East Riding in the wake of the passing of the New Poor Law in 1834 and its implementation three years later but many branches suffered severe set-backs or extinction during the economic crisis which hit agriculture in 1848-52. A substantial number of those that survived, many of them well into the twentieth century, chose independence rather than the authoritarian rule of a national headquarters.Affiliated branches far from being the preserve of the urban artisan, as has been often suggested, had an extensive agricultural worker membership. The founders and leaders of branches, which were most commonly located in larger open settlements with a substantial nonconformist and artisan population, were drawn from all sections of the membership but village craftsmen
Neave, David
History
Friendly societies in the rural East Riding, 1830-1912. Local and affiliated order friendly societies which together formed the largest working-class movement in Victorian Britain have been largely ignored by social and labour historians. Oddfellows, Foresters, Druids, Shepherds and Gardeners with their ritual, regalia, and secrecy imitative of Freemasonry, emerged as benefit societies in industrial Yorkshire and Lancashire in the second and third decades of the nineteenth century. The orders exploded into the East Riding in the wake of the passing of the New Poor Law in 1834 and its implementation three years later but many branches suffered severe set-backs or extinction during the economic crisis which hit agriculture in 1848-52. A substantial number of those that survived, many of them well into the twentieth century, chose independence rather than the authoritarian rule of a national headquarters.Affiliated branches far from being the preserve of the urban artisan, as has been often suggested, had an extensive agricultural worker membership. The founders and leaders of branches, which were most commonly located in larger open settlements with a substantial nonconformist and artisan population, were drawn from all sections of the membership but village craftsmen
friendly societies rural east riding local affiliate order friendly societies together_form large working_class movement victorian_britain largely_ignore social labour historian ritual secrecy freemasonry emerge benefit society industrial yorkshire lancashire order east riding wake pass new poor_law implementation many branch suffer severe set back extinction economic_crisis agriculture substantial_number survive many well choose independence rather authoritarian rule national branch far preserve urban artisan often suggest extensive agricultural worker membership founder leader branch commonly locate large open settlement substantial nonconformist artisan population draw section membership village craftsman