The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-01-17 00:00:00

PRESBYTERIAN CHAPEL PROVIDENT

SOCIETY.

The Annual Meeting of the Provident Society
(established 1784) in connection with the Stour-
bridge Presbyterian Chapel, was held at the Wol-
laston Road Schools, on Monday evening last.
There was a good attendance of members and their
friends. After a substantial tea, the business of
the meeting was proceeded with,—the Rev. D.
Magiunis in the chair. Apologies for absence
were received from Mr. Benjamin Williams, Mr.
Maginnis, Ste.

The Chairman, in opening the proceedings,
stated that the committee had this year, by way
of experiment, substituted a tea meecing at the
schools for the usual dinner at a hotel, chiefly with
a view to secure the presence of ladies, and he
believed that the obvious success of the experi-
ment would secure its repetition in future years.
Mr. Job T. Short, Lion. Sec., presented the
statement of accounts for 1873: from which it ap-
peared that the number of members was 60, that
the receipts from members' subscriptions amoun-
ted to £34 13s, and from interesi on invested
capital, £97 8s lids and that the payments were
—to ten members in sickness, £l7; to four super-
annuated members, £52; and for management,
£2 5s 6d; having a balance in hand on the year's
transactions of over £6O. The capital invested is
about
..£2,300.

•
It is necessary to add, by way of explanation,
that the financial prosperity of the society is
mainly owing to the fact that many of its earlier
members were honorary members, and that it had
the advantage of being under the management of
a succession of able and judicious officers. One
after another of the Scott family took a warm in-
terest in its affairs, Mr. William Scott being its
treasurer bra period of more than .t 0 years;
and more lately the same office was held
for more than a quarter of a century by Mr. Ak-
royd, who rendered the society invaluable service
in the investment of its funds and in its general
management. The result is that many contem-
porary societies in the district have ceased to exist,
the Provident Society is in a healthy and prosper-
ous condition, and able to confer unusual advan-
tages upon its members. The subscription is but
I2s a year, Is for management, and a small sum
to ,the chapel funds; and in return the society
pays—in sickness lOs a week for first ten weeks,
is 6d a week for second ten weeks, and 5s a week
during remainder of illness; in old age, cowmen-
sing at O. 55 a week for life, and at death, .£lO.
In a pamphlet issued from the Friendly Societies'
Registration Office, London, entitled " An account
of some Remarkable Friendly Societies," six are
described, and the Stourbridge Presbyterian
Chapel Provident Society stands in the list and is
characterised as 'a most extraordinary result."
The adoption of the statement of accounts was
moved by Mr. John Pagett, secondel by Mr. Ben-
jamin Shakespeare, and carried unanimously.
Thanks were cordially voted th the officers for
their services during the past year. and the fol-
lowing officers were appointed for the ensuing
year, viz :—Treasurer, Mr, William Wellings ; sec-
retary, Mr. Job T. Short; committee : Messrs.
Bunjaimin Shakespeare, Benjamin Moody, Henry
Leeson, John Guest, and William Newman; audi-
tors, Messrs. Edward Blurtou and Smnuel
Moody. Mr. Charles Cochrane, J.P., was elected
an arbitrate r iq the room of Mr. Ilvury Wood who
has gone to reside out of the district, the other
arbitrators being Messrs. J. E. Swindell, JP,,
Frank Evers, J.P., James Williams, and John
Mill-
ward, The only other officers are three trustees,
viz. :—Rev. D. Maginnis, Messrs. J. C. A. Scott,
J.P., and Benjamin Williams; and a visitor who
is appointed at the Quarterly Meetings and holds
office for three months.

There were five candidates for olectioa to mem-
bership, namely, Messrs. Tho:nas Garland, John
Dunn, Alfred Green, Henry Thompson, and Em-
manuel Burton, and a vote by ballot having taken
place npon each separately, they were all elected.
. • ..

A re-solution ex•pressive of gratitude to Mrs.
Scat for the great interest she has uniformly
taken in the society, and of deep sorrow on se-
counf of her protracted illness, was cordially
adopted, and suitably acknowledged by Mr. J. C.
A. Scott.

A vote of thanks to the Chairman, moved by
Mr. Scott, seconded by Mr. Blurton, and suppor-
ted by Mr. Short, brought this part.of tho pro-
ceedings to a close.
Music, &c., followed. Mr. E. Forrest presiding
at the piano. Mr. A. J. Nash give a recitation,
and several songs were admirably sung by Miss
Harris, Messrs. Bowater, Pagett, Perks, Guest,
Short and Leeson.