THE

ODD-FELLOWS' MAGAZINE.

APRIL, 1861.

Bryant Allen, D.p.6.M.

PERHAPS there is no task more grateful or more difficult than endeavouring to sketch the history of a personal friend. It has been, however, the custom to make our Unity acquainted with a general outline of the principal incidents in the lives of those who have been considered worthy of having their portraits grace our MAGAZINE. Mr. Allen having been selected by the Shrewsbury A.M.C., from amongst twenty-nine candidates for that honour-receiving the highest number of votes-we have now the pleasure of presenting a very brief sketch of his career.

Born of respectable parents, in the parish of St. Clement, in the city of Norwich, on the 23rd of October, 1806, he, at an early age, obtained a presentation to the Blue Coat, or Hospital School, an excellent foundation school in that city.

Upon quitting school he became apprenticed to Mr. Hitchen, a member of the Society of Friends, carrying on a large business as a dyer in Norwich. At the expiration of his apprenticeship his master gave him the freedom of his native city; a proof that he had been a faithful apprentice. Upon becoming an elector he immediately became a supporter of the Liberal party, and has remained steadfast to these views, taking an active part in the many contests which have gained for Norwich a wide-spread notoriety. Very early in life Mr. Allen became a member of a local benefit society. A misunderstanding arose; the difficulty was solved in the usual manner-by the breaking up of the club and the division of the funds. Mr. Allen, with many of the younger members, immediately attached themselves to the Manchester Unity; the subject of our remarks being admitted a member of the "Amicable Lodge" on the 17th of January, 1842, the Lodge having only been opened by the Norwich District on the 30th August, 1841. It will be seen that Mr. Allen's career as an OddFellow dates almost from the commencement of his own Lodge, to which he has rendered most important services from the first, taking an active part in its management. In order to protect the funds, he successfully

E*

advocated a proposition that no sum exceeding twenty shillings should be voted by way of gift without the sanction of a summoned Lodge. His next step was to urge the necessity of passing a rule, calling upon every Member to clear himself on the Lodge Books on the last night of each sitting; this became the law, and has proved admirable in practice. Arrears which, under the old system, had amounted to £50 or £60, are now reduced to as many shillings. Mr. Allen, at a later period, undertook the difficult task of establishing a Superannuated Fund; and, after a struggle extending over four years, he succeeded in inducing the Members of his Lodge to increase the contributions from 5d. to 6d. per week for that purpose; the practical result is that the Members of his Lodge will cease to pay contributions at the age of sixty, as the equivalent for the increased rate of 1d. per week contribution.

Mr. Allen has been thrice Noble Grand of his Lodge. For fifteen years he has held the office of Sick Steward, and as a Trustee for many years he has been the chief instrument in investing the Funds of his Lodge at a higher rate of interest than is received by any other Lodge in the District-£2,000 being invested at rates averaging more than 4 per

cent.

In 1847, Mr. Allen was elected D.G.M. of the Norwich District; in 1848, he succeeded to the office of Prov. G.M., and was also appointed to represent the District, in conjunction with Mr. Kitton and Mr. Daynes, at the Southampton A.M.C. He has subsequently attended the A.M.C's held at London, Durham, Lincoln, Norwich, Swansea, Leicester, and Shrewsbury.

Mr. Allen has for many years been indefatigable in his attendance at the meetings of the country Lodges in the Norwich District, of which there are at this time 42 situated nearly 50 miles apart, some being as far distant as 30 miles from Norwich. Doubtless this devotedness has won for him the golden opinion of those who have thus benefitted by his counsels.

At the last annual meeting, Mr. Allen was, for the second time, elected D.G.M. of the Norwich District; and, since the Shrewsbury A.M.C., his friends determined to present him with his Portrait, in oil, which has been completed by Mr. Sands, a very eminent artist, and will be presented on the 9th April, at a complimentary dinner-the Sheriff of Norwich having consented to preside on the occasion.

Mr. Allen has for many years carried on a highly respectable business as a dyer in Norwich, and has brought up a numerous family in the most creditable manner. Those who know him best, earnestly hope he may long be spared to continue a life of usefulness amongst his brother OddFellows, and that those best of graces, 'Health, Peace, and Competence," will be attendants on his affairs, dance round his home, and strew his path with flowers."

66

Friendly Societies' Statute Law.

THE following is an enumeration of the various Acts of Parliament passed for the regulation of or affecting Friendly Societies, with the dates when they came into operation. The progressive numbers are prefixed for convenience of reference :

:

By No. 28 it is provided that Nos. 23, 25, and 28 shall be construed as one Act, and may be cited together for all purposes as the Friendly Societies' Acts.

Section 9 of the principal Act-No. 23-makes it lawful for any number of persons to form and establish a Friendly Society, for the purpose of raising, by voluntary subscriptions of the members, with or without the aid of donations, a fund for any of the following objects:

1. For insuring a sum of money to be paid on the birth of a member's child, or on the death of a member, or for the funeral expenses of the wife or child of a member.

2. For the relief or maintenance of the members, their husbands, wives, children, brothers or sisters, nephews or nieces, in old age, sickness, or widowhood, or the endowment of members, or nominees of members, at any age.

3. For any purpose which shall be authorised by one of Her Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, or in Scotland by the Lord Advocate, as a purpose to which the powers or facilities of this Act ought to be extended.

Provided that no member shall subscribe or contract for an annuity exceeding £30 per annum, or on any other contingency exceeding £200.

If such persons intending to form and establish a society transmit rules to the Registrar, and obtain his certificate that the same are in conformity to law, the society is deemed to be fully formed and established.

Sec. 25 provides that the persons intending to establish a society shall agree upon and frame a set of rules for the regulation, government, and management of the society, which rules shall set forth :

1. The name of the society and place of meeting for business.

2. The whole of the objects of the society, the purposes for which the funds shall be applicable, and the conditions under which any member may become entitled to any benefit assured, and the fines and forfeitures to be imposed on any member.

3. The manner of making, altering, amending, and rescinding rules.

4. A provision for the appointment and removal of a general committee of management, of a trustee or trustees, treasurer, and other officers.

5. A provision for the investment of the funds, and for an annual or periodical audit of accounts.

6. The manner in which disputes between the Society and any of its members, or any person claiming by or through any member, or under the rules, shall be settled.

Two printed or written copies of the rules, signed by three of the intended members and the Secretary or other officer, are required to be sent to the Registrar; one he returns to the Society and the other he keeps. An actuary's certificate is also required from any Society providing benefits by way of annuity or superannuation.

Registrar for England-John Tidd Pratt Esq., 19 Old Jewry, London, E.C. Registrar for Scotland-A. Carnegy Ritchie, Esq., 10 Albany-street, Edinburgh.

Registrar for Ireland-Edward Lysaght Griffin, Esq., Dublin.

AFTER a glance at the above list of Friendly Society Acts, our readers may readily surmise that the Societies, like other things, must have suffered from over-nursing. We shall have occasion to touch upon this subject by-and-bye ; but, for the present, merely offer a running sketch of the several Acts, to show the variety of schemes offered for Friendly Society encouragement, and confusion.

No. 1 recited "that the protection and encouragement of Friendly Societies in this kingdom for securing, by voluntary subscriptions of the members thereof, separate funds for the mutual relief and maintenance of the members in sickness, old age, and infirmity, is likely to be attended with very beneficial effects, by promoting the happiness of individuals, and at the same time diminishing the public burthens;" and provided that any number of persons might form themselves into Societies of GOOD FELLOWSHIP for raising, by subscriptions and voluntary contributions, a stock or fund for the mutual relief and maintenance of all and every the members thereof in old age, sickness, and infirmity, or for the relief of widows and children of deceased members. It can cause no surprise that the Act contains a clause evincing the jealousy of those who had the charge of the poor against any infringement of the grand old question of "settlement," which has cost parishes nearly as much in law as they have spent in relieving the helpless and houseless wanderer; yet the Legislature resolved to confer a sort of privilege on those who should join Societies, and accordingly declared that a member of any Society under the Act, inhabiting or residing in any place, and not having a legal settlement