Description | This sub-series consists of records relating to friendly and benefit building societies, including:
Friendly societies: - bonds of officers [1794-1843] - copies of rules and papers relating to their alteration [1796-1838] - correspondence and papers, including records for societies at Scarborough, Helmsley, Pickering, Whitby, Easingwold, Malton, Kirby Moorside, Thornton cum Farmanby, North Cowton, and Thirsk [1827-1844] - printed "Instructions for the establishment of friendly societies" [1835] - printed "Index to Acts relating to friendly societies" by John Tidd Pratt [1860] - Friendly Societies Act (59 & 60 Victoria cap. 25) [1896]
Benefit building societies - letters and papers including a notification of the appointment of trustees; letters relating to the meeting places of societies and to transcripts of their rules; and records relating to the Whitby, Thirsk, Loftus, Staithes and Hinderwell benefit building societies [1860-1880] |
Administrative history | The Act of 1793 (33 George III cap. 54) required the rules of all friendly societies and later amendments to be laid before Quarter Sessions, and if confirmed, transcripts were to be filed with the records. It also provided for treasurers or persons in trust to be bound by sufficient securities for the performance of their duties, the bonds being deposited with the Clerk of the Peace. The Act of 1846 (9 & 10 Victoria cap. 27) required all transcripts filed with the Clerk of the Peace to be transferred to the Registrar of Friendly Societies. There had been earlier legislation: in 1819 (59 George III cap. 128) the Justices were empowered to publish rules for the formation of societies, while the Act of 1829 (10 George IV cap.56) provided that rules were to be certified by a barrister before confirmation and enrolment. Under this Act (s. 34) tables of sickness and mortality were to be transmitted to the Clerk of the Peace at five-yearly intervals and forwarded to the Secretary of State with lists of societies enrolled in the period. In 1846 the certifying barrister became Registrar. The provisions of the Act of 1829 as to confirmation and enrolment were extended to loan societies in 1835 (5 & 6 William IV cap. 23) and to benefit building societies in 1836 (6 & 7 William IV cap.32). This function was transferred to the Registrar of Friendly Societies in 1896 and 1874 respectively. |