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I have donated two items to date to Englesea Brook Chapel & Museum, which feature below:-
The Temperance 'Band of Hope' Belt Buckle
In the hamlet of Englesea Brook; a Temperance Belt Buckle was recovered by me, whilst metal detecting a large field to the south of the Chapel.
According to local history this large field may have been used for Primitive Methodist Worship, when there were too many worshippers to house in the Chapel. Along with this find a few Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, and later coins and artefacts have been recovered, along with: a Victorian Sixpence, dated 1886; and two George V Sixpences, dated 1916 and 1921, respectively. However, this is the only find which can be linked to the Temperance movement or Methodism, and hence the local support of the Primitive Methodist ministers based here and around about.
This Temperance Belt Buckle and its ornate plate is thought to date to around 1900, and carries a Temperance Coat of Arms, depicting a man and a woman, under the flag of St George, holding onto a roped Anchor, with the words “BAND OF HOPE” below, and below that the possible phrase of “CLAND’S BRIGHT FORTUNE”, inside a square curved convex cornered shield, surrounded by a dot pattern, and then by ornate moulded edges. The narrow rectangular oval belt loop is moulded with a rope effect. The buckle is made out of brass, and has been created by pouring molten metal into a mould. It is approximately 50 millimetres in length, and 45 millimetres in width.
The Belt Buckle has been given to Englesea Brook Chapel and Primitive Methodist Museum on indefinite loan, in order for it to be displayed for the interest of the general public.
SOME BACKGROUND TO THE TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT AND THE 'BAND OF HOPE':-
The Temperance Movement began around the 1820s, and was a social movement against drinking alcohol, either totally or in moderation, to remind people of the moral virtue of abstinence from alcohol, especially spirits, or the effects of drunkenness, drinking to excess, and all the problems associated with it, within society. Even the famous term ‘teetotal’ was coined by John Turner, a follower of the Temperance movement.
The Temperance Movement, like Prohibition in America, called for the legal prohibition of all alcohol during the Victorian period.
The organisation was quite radical in its efforts to promote abstinence: publishing periodicals; campaigning against the influence of public houses and brewery companies; organising rallies; demonstrating; and organising marches.
The movement itself was also involved with women’s rights, their right to vote, and also female suffrage.
As can be seen from the Belt Buckle above (which was found in Englesea Brook), another movement was created by the Temperance Societies, namely the ‘Band of Hope’ which was a movement founded by the Baptist Minister Reverend Jabez Tunnicliff, of Leeds, as a children’s Temperance organisation, which aimed to teach children about the dangers of alcohol and the virtues of abstinence, hoping that in turn they would promote these ideals, and the future would be considerably alcohol problem free.
The ‘Band of Hope’, became a national organisation in 1855, with meetings held in churches and chapels across the UK.
The ‘Band of Hope’ still exists today, but is now known as ‘Hope UK’, a Christian charity based in London, which teaches children and young people about drug and alcohol abuse.
The movement took an active campaign in closing down as many public houses as possible, and replacing them to make an alternative to public houses, often then, functioning as meeting houses / temperance halls, coffee houses, etc. An Order, founded as part of the Temperance movement, called the ‘Independent Order of Rechabites’, and formed in Salford in Manchester in 1835, was charged with creating alternatives to public houses, and still exists today. It is similar in form to many of the Friendly Societies which grew up since the 18th century, and similar in a way, to Freemasonry.
The Temperance movement was often linked with the Methodists, and other Protestant non-conformists, especially on a local level, as well as the later Salvation Army, who also placed moral value upon abstinence.
By the 1930s the movement was declining, especially due to the encouragement of criminals selling alcohol on the black market, the distortion of people’s drinking habits, and the effect prohibition was having on the economy, in those places it had taken hold worldwide, and especially after the United States repealed Prohibition in 1933.
Since then, licensing laws have continued to be relaxed, closing hours have been extended, and even now in the 21st century, some public houses and bars can apply to sell alcohol 24 hours a day.
However, the Temperance movement is still in existence in many parts of the world, and the Salvation Army, still requires members to refrain from drinking alcohol, smoking, taking illegal drugs, and gambling.
The 'Primitive Methodist Centenary 1807-1907' Commemorative Plate
Whilst shopping in the South Cheshire town of Nantwich, I noticed this 'Primitive Methodist Centenary 1807-1907' Commemorative Plate, for sale in a Charity Shop.
I had a feeling that the plate would be perfect for donating to and for display at Englesea Brook Chapel and Primitive Methodism Museum, so I purchased it, and contacted Dr Jill Barber, with two photos of the front and back of the plate, to see if the museum was interested.
Dr Jill replied to me that they have many of these plates for sale, but the one I had purchased so 'CHEAPLY' was actually 'RARE', because the wording on the plate differs to the more common version, and so the Museum would be delighted to add it to their Collection.
The plate only had a slight chip on the reverse edge, and some wearing, and it even came with its own steel hanger!
Both the more common version and the rare version of these Centenary Plates, were manufactured by 'Wood & Sons of Burslem' in the North Staffordshire suburb of Stoke on Trent.
The differences between both plates are:-
Obverse
1. The top half of the rare version includes around the edge the phrase 'THE LITTLE CLOUDS INCREASING STILL / WHICH FIRST AROSE UPON "MOW HILL" ', whereas the more common version includes 'THE LITTLE CLOUD INCREASETH STILL / WHICH FIRST AROSE UPON MOW HILL'.
2. The bottom half of the rare version includes around the edge the phrase 'THE CENTENARY CAMPMEETING WAS CELEBRATED / AT MOW COP ON MAY 25TH, 26TH, & 27TH, 1907', whereas the more common version includes 'THE CENTENARY CAMPMEETING WAS HELD AT / MOW COP ON MAY 25TH 26TH & 27TH, 1907'.
Reverse
1. The rare version includes at the top of the scroll 'TRULY WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT!', whereas the more common version includes ' "WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT!" '.
2. The rare version includes 'CONGREGATIONAL 607,682', whereas the more common version includes 'ADHERENTS 607,682'.
3. The more common version includes above the makers mark 'ROYAL SEMI PORCELAIN'.
The Commemorative Plate is now on display for the interest of visitors to the Museum, along with many other historic items and artefacts associated with Primitive Methodism.
Do please visit the museum, their website may be viewed @ https://engleseabrook.org.uk/.
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