The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-04-21
HtNPtCkEO CLUBS
FLOURISH ABROAD
Cause Much Amusement, Some
Trouble and Many HeartacheS
in English Villages

Of all the queer clubs that ex1s,
in the world, you will find some OF the
oueerest in Lancashire. England. One
of these is called the Henpecked Club
AS the title indicates, the members
are all males, and you can come across
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 nom
members who have the reputation OF
being henpecked. When evidence
has been brought to show that a
particular man has allowed himself to
come under his wife's thumb they tax
him with it in the place of meeting.
The president delivers a lecture on
the danger Of a husband permitting
his wife to usurp his position as mas
ter and when the others have indoors
ed his remarks the person to whom
the speeches are addressed is warned
that if he continues to stand the hem
pecking he will be made the subject Of
a demonstration, according to the
London Tit-Bits.
The announcement that ''henpeck-
ed'' club demonstration is to take
place is received in the district with
mixed feelings. The men applaud it,
and the local police, recalling similar
displays that led to trouble, become a
little anxious. On the evening APP
pointed the members of the club meet
at public house, where they arm
themselves with all kinds of household
utensils; then, led by concertina play
ers or tin whistle band, they start
out and march along the crowded
streets Of the district
One man carries a broom, another a
swab, a third shovel or a coal scut-
tie, or a fender, Or poker. Firetongs,
black lead brushes, washtubs. buckets
all the utensils Of the home, in fact
are carried shoulder high. AS they
march along to the music in front and
the discordant changing of their bag
gage they sing snatches of songs in
which the name of the victim often
occurs.
The mission of the verses, which
have been specially composed for the
occasion by a local poet, is to hold
up the henpecked one to ridicule the
reason for the demonstrators bearine
the household goods being, of course
to remind him that, having fallen un-
der petticoat government, he will
quickly become the slavey.
When they reach the cottage where
their victim resides they form a cir
Gle 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 curing halt in the pro-
gramme to "be a man. and Join his
brethren. Sometimes, if he looks
upon the affair as more of a joke than
anything else, he does their bidding
and they reform and march to head
quarters. with him at their head. Usu-
ally, however, his wife appears in
stead with a bucket of soapy water
which she promptly throws over the
demonstrators or she quickly causes
clearance with a 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'
lice courts. Sometimes it is an en-
ragged victim being charged with as,
saulting a demonstration, but more Of
ten than not the sequel shows a wife
appealing for a separation order.