The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1911-02-03
THE HENPECKED CLUB.
Queer Methods Of a Queer Society In
Lancashire, England.

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
club in almost every Lancashire town
of any size.
The meetings are held, as rule, In
some bar parlor, and the discussions
are about members and often nom
members who have the reputation Of
being henpecked. When evidence has
been brought to show that particular
man has allowed himself to come I'M
der his wife's thumb they tax him with
| 1t in the place Of meeting. The presi-
dent delivers a lecture on the danger
of husband permitting his wife to
| usurp his position as master, and when
the others have Endorsed his remarks
| the person to whom the speeches are
| addressed Is warned that II he con-
| tiuues to stand the henpecking he will
| be made the subject Of n demonstra-
| ton.
The announcement that "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 n little
| anxious. On the evening appointed
| the members of the club meet at a
| public house, where they arm them
| selves with all kinds of household
utensils; then, led by concertina play
| ers or a tin whistle band, they start
out and march along the crowded
streets of the district.
One man carries a broom, another q
swab, a third shovel or coal
scuttle or fender or a poker. Fire
tongs, blacklead brushes, washtubs,
buckets-everything used in the home,
In facts carried shoulder high. As
they march along to the music In front
and the discordant changing Of their
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 uI
the henpecked one to ridicule, the rea
son for the demonstrators bearing the
household goods being, Of course, tc
""Jalnd him that, having fallen under
s,tlcoat government, he will quickly
| Become the slavey.
When they reach the cottage where
their victim resides they form 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 halt In the pro-
gram to "be 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 headquar-
tiers with him at their head. Usually,
however, his wife appears instead
with bucket of soapy water, which
she promptly throws over the demon
strators, or she quickly causes a clear
ance with hose pipe.
To the onlooker It is just an exhibit
ton for laughter and nothing more,
| but behind the scenes there Is general
| ly lot OF trouble and heartaching.
A good number Of these "henpecked"
demonstrations have sequels In police
| courts. Sometimes 1t Is an enraged
victim being charged with assaulting
| n demonstration, but more often than
not the sequel shows wife appealing
to the magistrate for separation or
der-London Tit-Bits.