University of Virginia Library

OF A BENEFIT SOCIETY OF PATTERERS.

In the course of my inquiries, I received an
account of an effort made by a body of these
people to provide against sickness, — a step so
clearly in the right direction, and perhaps so
little to be expected from the habits of the class,
that I feel bound to notice it. It was called
the "Street-sellers' Society;" but as nearly all
the bonâ-fide members (or those who sought
benefit from its funds) were patterers in paper,
or ballad-singers, I can most appropriately
notice their proceedings here.

The society "sprung up accidental," as it
was expressed to me. A few paper-workers
were conversing of the desirableness of such an
institution, and one of the body suggested a
benefit club, which it was at once determined to
establish. It was accordingly established be-
tween six and seven years ago, and was carried
on for about four years. The members varied
in number from 40 to 50; but of a proportion
of 40, as many as 18 might be tradesmen who
were interested in the street-trade, either in
supplying the articles in demand for it, or from
keeping public-houses resorted to by the frater-
nity, or any such motive, or who were merely
curious to mix in such society. Mr. C — was
conductor; Mr. J. H. — (a poet, and the writer
of "Black Bess," "the Demon of the Sea," and
other things which "took" in the streets), secre-
tary; and a well-known patterer was under-
conductor, with which office was mixed up the
rather onerous duties of a kind of master of the
ceremonies on meeting-nights. None of the
officers were paid.

The subscription was 2d. a week, and meet-
ings of the members were held once a week.
Each member, not an officer, paid ½d. for ad-
mission to the fund, and could introduce a
visitor, who also paid ½d. No charge was made
for the use of the club-room (in a public-house),
which was entirely in the control of the mem-
bers. Every one using bad language, or be-
having improperly, was fined ½d., and on a
second offence was ejected, and sometimes, if
the misbehaviour was gross, on the first. Any
one called upon to sing, and refusing, or being
unable, was fined ½d., and was liable to be
called upon again, and pay another fine. A
visitor sometimes, instead of ½d., offered 6d. when fined; but this was not accepted, — only
½d. could be received. The members' wives
could and did often accompany their husbands
to the meetings; but women of the town, whe-
ther introduced by members or not, were not
permitted to remain. "They found their way
in a few times," said the man who was under-
conductor to me, "but I managed to work them
out without any bother, and without insulting
them — God forbid!"

The assistance given was 5s. weekly to sick
members, who were not in arrear in their sub-
scriptions. If the man had a family to support,
a gathering was made for him, in addition to his
weekly allowance, — for the members were averse
to "distress the box" (fund). There was no
allowance for the burial of a member, but a
gathering took place, and perhaps a raffle, to
raise funds for a wake (sometimes) and an inter-
ment; and during the existence of the society,
three members, I was told, were buried that
way "comfortably." The subscriptions were
paid up regularly enough; "indeed," said a
member to me, "if a man earned anything, his
mates knew of it: we all know how the cat
jumps that way, so he must either pay or be
scratched." The members not unfrequently lent
each other money to pay up their subscriptions.
Fashionable young "swells," I was told, often
visited the house, and stayed till 3 or 4 in the
morning, but were very seldom in the club-room,
which was closed regularly at 12. After that hour,
the "swells" who were bent upon seeing life
— (and they are a class whom the patterers, on
all such occasions, not so very unreasonably
consider "fair game" for bamboozling) — could
enjoy the society congenial to their tastes or
gratifying to their curiosity. On one occasion
two policemen were among the visitors, and
were on friendly terms enough with the mem-
bers, some of whom they had seen before.

From the beginning there seems to have been
a distrust of one another among the members,
but a distrust not invincible or the club would
never have been formed. Instead of the
"box," or fund (the money being deposited in
a box), being allowed to accumulate, so that an
investment might be realised, available for any
emergency, the fund was divided among the
members quarterly, and then the subscription
went on anew. The payments, however, fell
off. The calling of the members was preca-
rious, their absence in the country was frequent,
and so the society ceased to exist, but the mem-
bers were satisfied that every thing was done
honourably.

The purpose to which the funds, on a quar-
terly division, were devoted, was one not con-
fined to such men as the patterers — to a supper.
"None of your light suppers, sir," said a mem-
ber; "not by no means. And we were too fly
to send anybody to market but ourselves. We
used to go to Leadenhall, and buy a cut off a

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sirloin, which was roasted prime, and smelt like
a angel. But not so often, for its a dear jint,
the bones is heavy. One of the favouritest jints
was a boiled leg of mutton with caper trim-
mings. That is a good supper, — I believe you,
my hero."