The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-02-04
THE hENrECktU CLUB.
Queer Methods Of Queer Society In
Lancashire, England.

Queer Methods Of Queer Society In
Lancashire, England.
OF all the queer clubs that exist IL
the world you will find some Of the
queerest in Lancashire, England. One
Of these is called the Henpecked club
AS the title indicates, its members are
all males, and you can come across q
club in almost every Lancashire town
Of any size.
The meetings are held. as a rule, In
some bar parlor, and the discussions
are about members and often non
members who have the reputation OF
being henpecked. When evidence has
been brought to show that a particular
man has allowed himself to come un
der his wife's thumb they tax him Will
it in the place Of meeting. The presi
dent delivers a lecture on the DANCE,
of a husband permitting his wife tt
usurp his position as master, and wheI
the others have Endorsed his remarks
the person to whom the speeches are
addressed is warned that If he con
tiuues to stand the henpecking he will
be made the subject Of a demonstra
ton.
The announcement that a "henpeck
ed club demonstration is to take place
is received in the district with mixed
feelings. The men applaud 1t, and the
local police, recalling similar displays
that led to trouble, become a little
anxious. On the evening appointed
the members Of the club meet at q
public house, where they arm them
selves with all kinds of household
utensils; then, led by concertina play
ers or tin whistle band. they star,
out and march along the crowded
streets of the district.
One man carries a broom, another q
swab, a third q shovel or a coal
scuttle or a fender or a poker. Fire
tongs, blacklead brushes, washtubs
buckets-everything used in the home
in fact-is carried shoulder high. As
they march along to the music in from,
and the discordant changing Of theiI
baggage they sing snatches of songs
IN which the name Of the victim oc
ours often.
The mission Of the verses, which
have been specially composed for the
occasion by local poet. is to hold uT
the henpecked one to ridicule, the rea
son for the demonstrators bearing the
household goods being, OF course. tt
remind him that. having fallen under
petticoat government. he will quickly
become the slavey.
When they reach the cottage where
their victim resides they form a circle
In front Of the door and sing and
clang their tenders and coal scuttles
more loudly than ever.
The man inside is invoked by the
president during a halt in the pro-
gram to ''be a man" and join his
brethren. Sometimes il he looks upon
the affair as more of joke than any
thing else he does their bidding. and
they reform and march to hec..--ar-
tiers with him at their head L .ly.
however. his wife appears instead
with bucket Of soapy water, which
she promptly throws over the demon
strators. or she quickly causes clear
ance with hose pipe
To the orllookpr it is just an exhibit
ton for laughter and nothing more.
but behind the scenes there is general
ly lot Of trouble aud heartaching
4 good number Of these .'hsnpecked''
demonstrations have sequeis in police
courts Sometimes it is en- enFaged
victim being charged with assaulting
a demonstration. but more often than
not the sequel shows a wife appealing
to the magistrate for a separation or
der.-Lcndoa Iit.RifA