The Goldhanger Friendly Brothers
with information kindly
supplied by the late Cecil Chaplin
The Goldhanger Friendly Brothers was originally a form of early mutual sickness benefit, life assurance and a working man’s club with a registered address of The Chequers Inn, and still exists today which is probably unique. It was originally associated with the Wesleyan Chapel located in Head Street and had other names over the last 200 years, including The Friendly Society, Society of Good Fellowship and The Good Intent. In the early 1900s the society folded early when a local school teacher disappeared with all the funds. However, it was reformed in 1903 and in 2003 the centenary was celebrated at the Chequers…
This article about the
history of the Friendly
Brothers, probably written by historian Paul Smith with the help of Cecil
Chaplin, was
published in the Parish Magazine in 1993...
Dr Salter who lived in
Tolleshunt D’arcy but was the Goldhanger GP, wrote in his published diary in
1864…
“Drove to Goldhanger to
attend the the Hand-in-Hand Club Fest,
The fellows were very jovial and drank the
health of their new doctor most enthusiastically”.
He was probably referring to the Friendly Brothers.
This name has not been seem elsewhere referring to the Goldhanger society, but
in a Houses of Parliament report of 1867 (shown later) this name is used
referring to the similar Tollesbury society, and a parish magazine of 1931
refers to the
“Club Feast”…
There are some early local newspaper reports that refer to Goldhanger
Friendly Society activities. In 1842 the Essex Standard reported on a joint
United Parishes Friendly Society meeting held at Goldhanger. There was a ploughing match at Falcons Farm followed by a
dinner in the Chequers at 4pm. From the Essex Standard in 1842…
In 1846 Essex Chronicle reported on a court case in Maldon involving
the Goldhanger Society of Good Fellowship. One Samuel Johnson complained about
being expelled and withholding his "advantages" as a sick member. The
court found in his favour and awards him payments from the Society’s funds…
In 1850 an Houses of Parliament Registrar of Friendly Societies in
England identified 87 friendly societies in Essex, with Goldhanger society
established in 1834. Between 1846 & 1850 there were 60 members in
Goldhanger with no sick payments and 2 deaths. A similar registrar in 1863 lists 106 Goldhanger
members and funds of £404.
An 1867 Houses of Parliament report lists “The Good Intent of
Goldhanger, Chequers Inn, Goldhanger”…
In the title page of the
Society’s Rules of 1876, the “certain meeting-house” is undoubtedly The
Chequers…
The 5-pages of
Rules
for 1951 are available here
In 1899 the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies
reported…
This entry probably means the funds were just £50 and
there were 103 members. A 1902 a Houses of Parliament report on Friendly
Societies lists “The Good Intent of Goldhanger, Chequers Inn” also established
in 1811, but with just 17 members in that year…
Early Friendly Brothers dinners at The Chequers, typically for 70
members, consisted of beef or mutton roasted in the baker's oven over the road
at 2 Fish Street, with the vegetables provided by the members. The dinners were
suspended during the war years. Here is a receipt from the butchers for the
annual dinner in 1932…
At the Friendly Brothers
regular meetings in the snug bar, the secretary would give each member a token
in return for the monthly subscription. The token could be exchanged at the bar
for a pint of beer. This Notice still hangs in the "Snug" bar (G.F.S. = Goldhanger Friendly Society)…
Friendly Brothers members
outside The Chequers in 1910
The ladies were the
landlord’s family and his staff, and a Coastguard sitting in the front row
Today the Friendly Brothers still hold their annual dinner at The Chequers just before Christmas, with several members who have left the village making a special journey back to the village to enjoy the event and meet old friends. This plaque displayed in The Chequers gives the names of past and present chairman, secretaries, and treasurers…
There is no doubt the
determination and dedication of the
late Cecil Chaplin who was
the secretary for over 50 years
was largely responsible for
the continuing existence of this
unique society and piece of
village history.
Cecil Chaplin
1926 - 2013