The Liverpool Standard, and General Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-08-22 00:00:00

allowance

may need. To give anything like a detailed account of
the society's operations would, perhaps, under present
circumstances, be considered out of place : it may, how-
ever, be briefly stated that, during the year ending the
Ist of January last, the income of the various lodges of
which the Manchester Unity consists was, for contributions
on account of sickness and death the sum of £242,800, for
nd for interest on invested
.ts during the same period

entrance mo:

to members -who were sick- and unable to follow their em-
ployment, amounted to £127,725, and from the various
funeral funds there was paid on account of the death of
members, £27,280, and of members' wives, £11,910, or a
gross total of £160,915 paid in one year for sickness and
funerals alone, and, of course, independent of the sums
expended for medical aid for our sick brethren. In ad
dition to these items large sums of money have been paid
from the widow and orphans' funds to the wives and
children of our departed brethren, and it is impossible for

us to tell the immense amount of misery that has been
avoided and the benefits conferred by the prudence and
forethought of the members of the society. The accumu-
lated funds would receive an addition on the year's opera-
tions alone, of £105,500, as the money subscribed for sick-
ness and death must not be appropriated to any other
purpose. The number of new members admitted during
the year was 16,618, of whom 12,000 were under 25 years
of age, a fact unparalleled :in the history of benefit so-

of which is the result

)our of t]

artisans and lanouring classes oi
casionally of late years by men wl

use position in society

makes it their duty to foster benevolent institutions, hav-
ing for their objects the elevation of the minds as well as
the soothing the adversities of their humbler brethren,)
must of itself show to the world that where men are com-
bined extensively for the promotion of benevolence and other
kindred objects, that success will ultimately crown their
efforts ; but to attain the desired end, it will be admitted
by all who are conversant with such matters, that pa-
I I fience, integrity, much forbearance one with another, and

strict 'atteniion'to the duties and requirements of the
society are necessary requisites in those persons whose
duty it becomes to direct and control its operations.
Such a man, my friends, was William Machan, who,

, -
for a number of years, was a valued and efficient
officer of our society. His duties brought him into
frequent intercourse with the brethren, and they
.enter:.

gratitude for his services to them, and admiration of his
virtues as a man ; they have therefore taken the present
means of showing the extent of that feeling. The career
of our deceased friend would aptly illustrate the power of
the working classes to earn for themselves honours and

distinctions amongst their fellows where they are so
minded, having at the same time for their guides integrity
and good feeling towards mankind. The deceased was
essentially one of that class, and his business habits soon
procured for him a respectable position as a master trades-
man amongst his fellow-citizens. He joined the society
of which he was such a valued member in the year 1832,
and the members of the order very soon discovered and
appreciated his worth as an officer; he passed successively
through the highest honuor it was in the power of the
district to bestow. He was grand master of the Liver-
pool district in the year 1837, and again in 1851. He
filled the responsible office of treasurer to the district for
fourteen years previous to his death, passing during that
time many thousands of pounds through his hands with
honour to himself and satisfaction to the members. Other
honours have been earned by him and cordially given by
the brethren. He was one of those elected to represent
the district at the annual meetings of the order, held in.
London, Rochdale, York, Isle of Man, Wigan, Bradford,
Glasgow, Bristol, Blackburn, Halifax, Dublin, and Car-
lisle, and never failed on these occasions to perform his
duties honestly, and with credit to himself and advantage
to the order. He was for several years a member of. the
board of directors of the Manchester Unity, a body en-
trusted with the executive government of the society, and

has had the high honour of being selected by the nifty as
one deserving of having his portrait taken, and a copy
engraved for publication, with a memoir in the Oddfellotes
Magazine of that day. Much more might be said, my
brethren and friends, in favour of the deceased, William
Machan's, memory ; but we content ourselves with the
reflection that the monument we have raised to him will
itself speak a language to the heart which the tongue
cannot utter ; and we now take leave of the subject,
having so far performed a duty to the memory of one
whose loss we deplore, and whose actions may be worthily
imitated by our fellow members."

Limmediately on the address having been delivered, the
monument was uncovered, after which the procession re-
formed, and again marched to Mr. Crewe's, where they
partook of a substantial and well-served collation.
The visitor, immediately on leaving the archway leading
to the cemetery grounds, cannot fail to be struck with the
excellent position selected for the site of the monument,
which advantage, together with the artistic skill exhibited
in the design, renders it one of the most striking and
conspicuous objects (erected to the memory of departed
worth) the cemetery can produce. The lower portion, to
the height of the cornice, is in accordance with the severe,
but chaste, style of Greek art, and possesses a pleasing
outline from the judicious introduction of breaks at the
angles, round which an enriched frieze and well-propor-
tioned pediment cornice also returns, On the front panel
+he inscription to the memory of the deceased, 9f which

the foll

wing is a copy

" In memory of
WILLIAM MACIIAN
Who died 6th July
'
1853, agrAl 43 years,
pool District of the Indepentlp
This monument is erected by the members of the Liver-
services as their treasurer. Manchester Unity, in grateful -, :nt Order of Oddfellows,
•emembrance of his valuable
during a period of 14 ears."
At the two sides, which sr: y
e similar, is a raised panel, with
a cypress wreath in (*V_ relief on each. Above the cornice
the style may be sflad to verge into the Italian, being
somewhat more Or. namental and broken, which relieves
the heavy
possess. It caflisists of a base, on the sides of which is
aPPer.rance the monument would otherwise
sculptured a • neat wreath, supporting a pyramidal entabla-
ture and and
c'ornice, with enriched scrolls at the angles,
surmol-111:ted by a ball, symbolical of the Order of cl dd.
*ll=r:flip
encompassing the globe. The workmanship is
uwell executed, and reflects much credit on the sculptors,
w_essrs. Stirling and Canavan, of Hope-street. The &chi•
tect is Mr. Robert Duckworth, of Shaw's•brow.