Pioneers of Education in Glossop; Institutes and Friendly Societies.

This article is based on the notes of Robert Hamnett, originally published as a series of articles in the Glossop Advertiser in June 1913.

I have no doubt that there was a day school attached to the Parish Church in early times, although the first direct evidence we have only dated back to 1702. At that time there was a Parliamentary Election in progress between Lord Marquis Hartington and Thomas Coke. Coke's election agent in Glossop was a William Hodgkinson who wrote to Mr. Coke as follows:- " April, 4th, 1702. To Thomas Coke at the Parliament House, Westminster. It hath been observed a great number of votes have come out of Glossop-dale against you. There's one Waterhouse and Wagstaffe, my Lord George Howard's bailiff, that are the great men amongst them. I question not but his Lordship is in your interest. I have heard my kinsman, Mr Henry Bradshaw, in the Custom House, highly commend him, who I am satisfied will much heartily espouse your side, both on this or any other matter. There are some in these will be for Lord Marquis Hartington, we fear; but you may depend on as many votes as you had the last election. If you could, with conveniency, send us the least charge that would be expended in procuring a patent for a free school in our parish, 'twould very much oblige our neighbours as well as your most obedient servant." I have seen no account that Mr. Coke sent money for this purpose, but he won the election.

I do not suppose that Glossop was behind Mottram, and we do know that William Hollingworth, of Matley, in 1624, left 13s. 8d "towards the furnishinge of the school house now in building at Mottram”.

The Curate, the Rev. John Hadfield, brother to Mr. Hadfield of Lees Hall, was also the schoolmaster in 1766, and in an old deed, dated 1675, we find that Thomas Twyford was schoolmaster at Glossop. This school was where the present kitchen garden now is; it was afterwards removed to Castle Hill, now the site of the houses numbered 8 to 14, Castle Hill.

Hague's Endowed School, Whitfield, was opened for teaching on 22nd November, 1778.

There was a school at Wedneshough Green, Hollingworth, erected by public subscriptions in 1786. Those who required a higher education were sent to the Manchester Grammar School.

When the factory system got firmly established, the children of the cotton operatives were sent at an early age to the mill, and got little-chance of obtaining learning; the farmers' sons and daughters were, of course, more favourably situated, and private schools were run by men who had failed in other spheres of business. One of these was Joseph Fielding, who had been a partner with John Shepley and Samuel Fielding in "'making Perpetual Cotton Rovings." He utilised one of the mill books as a school account book, and from it we get a very good idea of the difficulties he met with. He received payment in what he could get in kind where it was most convenient to pay him that way.
He opened school in 1808. On the 15th January, 1810, the parents who sent their child or children to him were : Robert Hall, William Chatterton, Joseph Hadfield, Benjamin Goodison, John Goodison, Christopher Hadfield, Jonathan Bowden, Charlotte Johnson (Charlotte, James and Alexander), Robert Sellars, James Wood, Aaron Howard, Ann Goodwin, Nelly Ridgway, Sarah Barber, Sarah Braddock, Joseph Hadfield, Ann Bowden, Robert Willis, John Bramhall, Hannah Pickford, Edward Pickford (of the Bull's Head), Catherine Hopwood, Ann Thorp, Thomas Barber, Martha Barber, Nancy Hall, Hannah Broadbent, Milly Hadfield, Betty Platt, Joseph Garlick, Sarah Garlick, John Hadfield, John Dewsnap (Nancy), Simion Dewsnap, Thomas Nield (of Chunal), James Lee, David Lee, Levi Lee, Sarah Harrison, Mary Robinson, John Shepley (of Glossop), Mary Sellars, Edward Lees, Catherine Taylor, Anthony Higginbottom, George Dewsnap, James Shaw (Padfield).
Quite a school full considering the population. He apparently got them from Hadfield and the other hamlets.
His charge was 3d., 4d., 5d. and 6d. week; in winter time he charged each scholar 3d. towards the cost of coal.
He took on any other work that he could get to augment his income. For instance, we find the following items:- copying a will, 5s.; to a Militia List, 5s. 6d.; drawing up an advertisement, 1s.; writing out a freehold list, 1s.; mangling, 6s. 1½d. (he kept a mangle). He charged John Robinson, Glossop, 6½d. for "mangling after your wife's funeral," etc. he was paid by milk and butter, 1s. 7d.; muffins, 1s.; gin, 1s. 9d.; Sundries taken from the bar, £1. 7s. 6.; gin, 2s.; this he had at the Bull's Head. He never drew any money from Pickford's. He "supped" the school wages: Sash frame, 10s.; ale, 2s. 6d.. at John Dewsnap's.; seven loads of coal, 9s. 11d., from George Bowden; handkerchiefs off Joel Harrop, 15s. (he must have supplied the scholars with them); shoes mending, 3s.; 2¾ yards of velveteen, 9s.10d.; chair, 2s. 6d.; 8ozs. of tea, 4s. 6d.; 12lbs. of beef, 4s. 6d., from Robinson at Pyegrove; 5½lbs. of pork, 3s. 8d.; 6lbs. of bacon, 6s.; stone and lime, 28s.; 1½ load of potatoes, 12s., from Widow Platt, of Dinting; pair of scissors, 9d. His spelling was below par.
It seems he was an Orangeman and owed 5s. 5d. arrears of subscription, which were paid for him by one of the members. 8Ibs. of mutton, 4s. 4d.; window tax, 3s. 3d.; 650 quills, 10s. 4d.; three grave stones, 45s., from George Bowden, of Heath; pair of stockings. 2s. 8d., from John Hadfield, hatter. He had a farm and land which he let out to several persons. One or his tenants rented a farm from him at £30 per annum, and did 40s. worth of ploughing for him, besides supplying him with meal and flour. Medicines 20s., from Dr. John Bowden, known as the Marine Doctor, he having served in the Marines, his children James and Maria were the scholars (1817); six herrings, 9d.; 2 dozen candles, 12s. 6d.; clothes 36s. 3½d. from James Hall, tailor, for children John, Hannah, and George. He sold Bibles, Testaments, almanacks, dictionaries quills, paper, school books; in fact, anything he could make a profit at. He was well known as a fortune teller. He died on the 24th of August, 1849, at the age of 83.

It was usual to teach writing in Sunday Schools on the Sabbath Day, but eventually the custom died out. A number of cotton operatives and others knew the disadvantage of lack of education and tried to get the Sunday Schools to return to the old custom, but failed, so they banded themselves together and started a school of their own in a building attached to the Norfolk Arms. This becoming too small, they decided to build one of their own and choose a site where the Goods' Office of the Glossop Railway Station now stands. The committee were: Mr Samuel Robinson, of Whitfield (the Treasurer), and Messrs. James Higginbottom, Joseph Calvert, James Fernley, Ellias Lloyd, James Peace, Anthony Higginbottom, Joseph Green, John Higginbottom, Thomas Jepson, James Haigh, Jonathan Heys (of Bell Man's Hall, Gladstone Street), John Broadbent, John Winterbottom, Joseph Marshall, and John Watkinson, the secretary. Their first efforts to raise funds were for each committeeman to make weekly collections, some paying 1d. per week. The working classes were deeply interested in the movement and supported it generously.
Amongst the subscribers were: Royal Foresters, £5; Ancient Druids, £6; Gardeners„ £1; Oddfellows, £5; Oddfellows at the Tontine Norfolk Arms, £2; Oddfellows at the Junction, £2; collected at the mills, one collection, £11 13s.; Mr Ellison, £5; Robert Shepley, £4; Co-operative Society, £5 (1834). The annual sermons realised from £7 to £15. 1836 they received £4, a gift from the magistrates being part of a factory fine; they also received many sums from 2s. 6d. to 10s., being compromises from persons who had committed assaults or caught poaching.
In 1836 it appears there was in Glossop a "Ten Hours Bill Association," who paid 1s. for coal used at a meeting. The Reform candidates used the school for a public meeting which brought in £2. 3s. 6d. On 3 December, 1836, they received a Government grant of £250, which enabled them to pay off the loans they had borrowed.
The school flourished until the site was required for the Railway Station. The entrance to the school is now the entrance to the Station Hotel. Altogether they raised £730 in six years, not bad for working men.

The following is their first report of the Glossop-Dale Universal Sunday School, For children of all denominations; Wherein Instruction is given upon the basis of Christianity, and Writing allowed.
Established, July 21, 1833.
The Committee would not thus early intrude themselves upon the notice of the public, had not wants of the most urgent character compelled them so to do; in making these wants known in a quarter most likely to receive attention, we have been required to publish our real situation, and upon what basis the School is founded, we therefore proceed to show the rise, progress, and present wants of the Glossop-dale Universal Sunday School, its Constitution; Form of Government; Means; Reliance for Support; Good effects; Justification of Committee; Principles of Committee, etc.
The Committee, which consists of operatives and small tradesmen (the greater part of the former) finding their children and those of their neighbours, exhibiting a degree of carelessness towards Sunday School attendance, and expressing themselves dissatisfied at being deprived of that portion of education which would assist in making them useful members of society, suggested the idea of making an effort to induce the conductors of existing schools to re-establish the system of writing; the usual forms of meetings and resolutions having been gone through, a deputation waited upon the several Trustees and Managers of all the Schools, respectfully requesting the introduction of writing amongst the scholars on the Sabbath Day, alleging as a reason, that from length of hours in factories, and consequent fatigue, children did not avail themselves of the proffered assistance on weekdays, and that Sunday School teaching as at present practised, so far ceased to interest the rising generation, that at a dangerous period of life, say from 12 to 18 years of age, youths were found absent from Sunday Schools, neglecting church discipline; and associating with loose and abandoned characters, and moreover it was a fact indisputable, that in all schools where writing was prohibited, there was a lamentable lack of teachers; notwithstanding these appeals, we got no direct answer, but subsequent conduct proved that writing would not be allowed.
Progress.
The Committee being thus thrown upon their own resources, invited two Ministers of the Gospel to appeal to the public, on 14th July, on behalf of a more liberal system of education than was at that time given to children; that appeal was not in vain, it having raised funds sufficient for the Committee to open a School on the following Sunday, July 21st; and we are happy to add that from union among ourselves, donations from well-wishers in our own and distant towns, we shall be able to carry on the School for 12 months without further appeal to the public; in making further report of our progress, we have to state, that the number of scholars presenting themselves at the opening of the School, amounted to 115, and that on the following Sunday, 197; upwards of 200 now receiving the benefits of a liberal education, and more waiting the chance of an extended school-room, which circumstance leads us to communicate our present wants.
That as it appears to the committee, very few parents are opposed from religious scruples, to their children receiving instruction through the medium of writing on Sundays; and it being further known the children in great numbers are deterred from attending the School, and in consequence of its crowded state, it has become indispensably necessary to be prepared with a more commodious room, and more particularly as the one now occupied for the occasion, can only be considered as temporary, being kindly and gratuitously furnished by Mr Joshua Oates.
Constitution.
We now proceed to show what constitute the principles upon which the school is conducted. A Hymn is sung on the opening of the school; a chapter read from either the Old or New Testament; an address delivered to the children, on the various duties to be observed by them through life; and a short prayer for the preservation of teachers and scholars, to walk in the ways that may lead them to spiritual or temporal comforts; a portion of time is now allowed for all to write, to such as have made sufficient progress, Scriptural quotations are given for copies; Bible, Testament, and Reading Made Easy Classes are then forwarded through their several duties; and on the approach of the hour for Divine Service, the Boys are alternately taken to the various places of Worship; the Girls remaining in the Schoolroom, furthering their improvement by reading and spelling; the same discipline is observed in the afternoon, with the Boys, and the Girls are taken to a place of Worship.
Form of Government.
Patron - Visitors appointed monthly, and expected to attend; treasurer, secretary; Committee.
The Committee invested with full power - approved teachers according to the rules of the School, eligible to be elected to serve on the Committee; attendance of visitors always acceptable. The right of property in the school building, to be so vested, as to be property in common for ever.
Means.
The Committee have to report that their own subscriptions amount to £18; that a donation from the "Royal Foresters' Society," of £5; a donation from the Society of the "Loyal Ancient Shepherds” of £6 is lodged in the District Bank, which several sums amount to £29.
The Committee found their reliance for support upon the very favourable opinion expressed towards the undertaking by all classes of society; and more especially that portion of the influential gentlemen which has been waited upon; these, with scarcely an exception, have promised their support, if it be shown that the conducting of this school is upon a basis at once religious, and to divest it of Sectarian or Party spirit. The Committee having shown under the head of "Constitution," that their object is solely directed to the moral and intellectual improvement of youths of both sexes, they rest assured of finding a sufficient number of generous and liberal minded Christians to carry their project into effect.
The good effects expected to arise from the establishment of this Universal Sunday School, the Committee presume to hope, will be found by their interesting that portion of the youth by writing, which consider the practice of teaching too limited in other Schools; if, in bringing only this class, which otherwise would be so wandering in idleness, witnessing if not committing immoral acts, to assemble together, and giving them the opportunity of imbibing the principles of religion a great object would be attained; but the result, the Committee presumes to hope will tend to still greater benefits, for whilst qualifying their scholars to take that share of the affairs of this world their abilities may entitle them to, their system is such as to stamp on the mind a variety of moral and religious impressions which, no misfortune on earth can efface, but may serve to strengthen.
The Committee has had many difficulties to encounter, arising solely from reports prejudicial to their character as men; if in attending to the cry of our own families, and those of others, for a system of education are forefathers held as good, and which in the present day we can see no reason to fear evil from; if this is deviating from the apathy of duty and religion, we plead guilty - we gave our opponents the chance of setting is right, if they had thought proper so to do - by calling a public meeting - it is true, the idea of getting writing re-introduced, originated amongst a few of the members of the "Loyal Ancient Shepherds' Society"; but they did not set themselves up to dictate to others; they humbly and respectfully requested that the cry of the scholars and teachers might be attended to; finding that this could not be done, and having been joined by others, made an effort to lead to heaven by another road those who had neglected that of their calumniators; in this work the hand of Providence has been with us, and a school established agreeably to our wishes - having thus far triumphed in a good and useful cause, we trust our principles will continue firm, we promise upon the faith of Christians, never to traduce the character of our neighbours, for the sake of continuing power in our own hands; we promise not to sit in judgement on the motives of other men, taking the Scripture as our guide, "Judge not lest ye be judged"; and should it so come to pass that one, two, or three of our members should differ from us in the mode in which we wish to lead the young on to happiness here below and heaven above, we promise not to exclude them from communion among us, but shall consider them as fellow brethren, working another road to obtain the same good object - we shall not presume to set ourselves up as models of perfection, neither do we expect to find amongst the conductors of any religious establishment, men without blemish; we shall be content to stand and receive the blows of our persecutors, provided they be under the direction of our Lord and Saviour, when He says “He that is without fault let him cast the first stone.”
The committee has seen with regret, a publication purporting to be lines written on the occasion of the opening of the "Glossop-dale Universal Sunday School" - we beg to say, it has been published without our authority or approbation.
The committee can not omit to do justice to the liberality of the Conductors of the Whitfield Sunday School, in publishing the fact of their having permitted writing to form a part of education.

The Wesleyans opened a school in a room over a stable at Shepley Mill on 3rd October, 1840.

The Duke of Norfolk pulled down some houses in the old Churchyard (one of them was built in 1785 by John Bramhall, Carpenter) and built the present All Saints' National Schools, which were opened on 10th April, 1852. I have a copy of the "Rules to be observed in the Glossop Church Sunday School, established A.D. 1852." "In the schools founded in that parish by the munificence of his Grace Henry Charles Duke of Norfolk, K.G. Etc., and Hereditary Earl Marshal of England." The old schools on Castle Hill were pulled down; they were formally endowed with £37 10s. 0d. per annum, the donor being unknown. No trace of it can be found, more’s the pity.

In the early forties of the last Century there seems to have been a wave of enthusiasm for better knowledge, a thirst for learning, and institutes and societies sprang up like mushrooms.
In 1841, the Littlemoor and Howard Town Mechanic’s Institute was founded.
In April, 1842, the Glossop Mechanics' Institute was established. it was founded by Robert Kershaw, Mr Bannister, and others at the Castle Hill Schools. Mr Kershaw also founded, in 1859, the Kershaw Street Institute.
On 17th May, 1852, the Wesleyan (High Street West) Literary Institute was formed.
At the annual tea party of the Dinting Vale Printworks Reading Room and Library, 26th of June 1858, over 500 persons were present.
In the same year the Saint James' Church Institute had 120 members, and 40 waiting on the books to be members. There were 800 vols. of books in the Library. It was founded in 1848.
On 12 December, 1860, there was held the first annual meeting of the Dinting Mechanics' Institute.
In 1861 the Brookfield Young Men's Institution was formed.
I do not know when Woods' established their Reading Room and Library, but it was in existence for many years.
All these institutions had good libraries of a well selected books, which were well read. I have a catalogue of the books of most of them, and the books were mainly those of an educational value, a very small proportion being fiction, and these were of a moral character; "1s. shockers" were unknown then.
All honour to the men who founded these institutions, and who gave their time in the management of them. One result was the formation of kindred societies.

There was a very strong Botanical Society in Glossop, with a valuable collection of botanical books and dried specimens of flowers, leaves, ferns, etc. On 18th November, 1858, they had their anniversary dinner at a beer house in St Mary's Road, called the "Pedestrian Inn," kept by Thomas Green, who built and owned the houses there. Green's Square was named after him. The Annual Botanical Show was well patronised, and the lecture was generally given by some eminent botanical collector or authority.

There was a Co-operative Society in Glossop in 1836; how long it existed I do not know, but I have a document dated 18th April, 1842, which shows that John Wood, shoemaker, Howard Town, became surety for his son Charles, who had become the agent for the Glossop-Dale Working Men's Co-operative Society; Hartley Hargreaves and William Shore were two of them connected with the Society. The present system of Co-operation first took root in this neighbourhood on the 2nd January, 1861 at Hollingworth. The Glossop-dale Industrial Co-operative Society was registered on the 10th January, 1867.

Another result of the establishment of various Institutes was the encouragement of thrift.
The Glossop Savings' Bank was opened on the 3rd April, 1843.
A Money Club was opened at the Hare and Hounds Inn, kept by Joseph Hadfield, in June, 1881. The shares were for £45, and the monthly subscription 6s.
The Manchester and Liverpool Bank first opened, once a week, in a room at the Norfolk Arms ; they then removed to No. 1, High Street West, but it was not until the 1st August, 1867, that they opened daily, Mr. Gee being appointed the resident bank manager.

Most of the cottage property in Glossop, owned by working-men, has been has been built or bought through the aid of Building Societies.
On the 22nd November, 1858, a silver cup was presented to a Mr. Sykes as a recognition of his services as treasurer for nine years, to the Woolley Bridge Perpetual Building Society, held at the Spread Eagle Inn.
The Lamb Inn Benefit Building Society was established on the 20th January, 1851, and was dissolved by mutual consent, the members sharing the profits, directly afterwards.
In 1874 the Glossop-dale Working-men's Perpetual-Building Society was formed, most of the members of the Lamb Inn Society joining it.
There was also a society at the Crown Inn, Whitfield, which, I believe, proved disastrous to some of the members.

The Glossop-dale Burial Society was established on the 27th November, 1830.
The Gun Inn Friendly, Sick, and Burial Society, and the Hyde Funeral Societies, are societies that have always had many members in the Glossop-dale district, and have done much good.
At most of the principal works there were formerly sick clubs for the work hands, a powerful one, financially, being at Woods', of which the late Samuel Wood was for many years the treasurer.

One of the most curious clubs that formerly existed in Glossop, was the Female Friendly Society, held at the Bull's Head Inn, and was instituted on the 8th October, 1798. The members of the Society met on the 2nd of January, unless it happened to be Sunday; the first Mondays after the 25th of March, June, and September, at nine o'clock in the morning; all subscriptions had to be paid before 10-30 a.m., at which time a procession was formed, and they marched to church. After listening to the sermon, for which the vicar was allowed half-a-guinea, and the clerk 2s., they went back to the Bull's Head, and dinner was served out to them at 1 p.m. Any member absent without due cause was fined 6d. and for neglecting to call "here" when their name was called out, was fined 3d.
The stewardess, was compelled, under a penalty of 5s., to visit every sick person within a radius of three miles. During the business of the meeting, the members were forbidden to come into the club room drunk, interrupt any member when speaking, swear, bet, or make wagers, call for ale unless by consent of the stewardess, speak after silence had been called three times, or introduce a stranger without consent. For committing any of these offences a fine of 1s. was levied. Maternity benefits were allowed, any member having a second illegitimate child was fined 5s., at the third 10s.; if she had a fourth she was expelled. The first one was not penalised. After the meeting, any woman not going straight home was fined 2s. 6d. As the foregoing rules were examined and allowed by two Justices of the Peace at the Midsummer sessions, 5th August, 1823, we may conclude that this Female Friendly Society was a most successful one, as on this date there were 423 members.

The Stockport Philanthropic Society, established 20th of August, 1817, had also many members in Glossop-Dale.

In 1837 the Glossop members of the Independent order of British mariners had a procession through Glossop, all the members being dressed as sailors. Can anyone give me any information about this lodge?

There were formally some strong Orange Societies in this district. No. 596, Lodge of the Orange Society built some houses in Unity Street, the lease is dated 17–2–1832, and the land belonged to Samuel Hadfield, Esq, of Old Hall, Mottram, and Moses Hadfield, Esq., of Shiloh, Mellor. The lease was granted to Joseph Cooper, shopkeeper, Whitfield, and Richard Denton Cordwainer, Whitfield, trustees and members of the Lodge. The lodge was eventually dissolved, the members joining the Britons' Glory Lodge, No. 777, Independent Order of Oddfellows, Manchester Unity, hence the name of Unity Street.
The Oddfellows were, I believe, the the first friendly society to open a lodge in Glossop, - the “Prince Regent” at the Bull’s Head. The lodge was opened by some members from Stockport, and on returning by coach the following morning, they began to blow horns and made a noise which disturbed the worshippers in the Parish Church and caused a commotion. The result was that some of the Glossop members were summoned and “sacked” at their work, but when proper explanations were given they were reinstated and harmony restored. The Manchester Unity was formed in 1812. and Oddfellowship in the Glossop and Longdendale valleys increased rapidly.
In 1829 the "Loyal Clio" No. 384, in 1832, the “Loyal Key” No. 658, in 1833, the “Loyal Britons’ Glory“ No. 777, in 1837, the “Loyal Queen Victoria“ No. 1346, were opened.

The Friendly Societies 60 years ago were more enthusiastic in having processions than they are at present; then, every member thought it his duty to walk and wear such regalia as he was entitled to by virtue of his office or position.
In September, 1866, there was a procession which started from the house of Mr. Daniel Massey’s, Hare and Hounds Inn. Assembling at 9 a.m. with five brass bands, they marched off, headed by Bros. Joseph Woodcock and Jas. Lawton on horseback, members of the various lodges followed, accompanied with wagons filled with widows and orphans, and the procession broke up in a field opposite to Wren Nest Mills, and the widows and orphans returned to the Hare and Hounds Inn, where tea was provided for them.

The Ancient Order of Foresters were not far behind, a friendly rivalry existing between the two Orders. In 1834 Court No 70. “William Henry,” in 1841 Court No. 1279. “Conquering Hero,” in 1851, Court No. 2403. “Pride of the Valley,” in 1853, Court No. 2493, “The Mersey,” were opened. On the 13th May, 1856, there was a united procession of all the lodges to the Parish Church, the collection being in aid of the National Life Boat Institution. On the 1st July, 1891, the jubilee of Court “Conquering Hero” was celebrated by a grand procession of the Foresters of the district, and a meeting in Victoria Hall. The traditional characters of Forestry, Robin Hood, Maid Marian, Little John, Will Scarlet, Friar Tuck, Allan-a-dale, Sheriff of Nottingham, the Tanner, and others, were represented in costume by local members.
It was one of the finest sights ever seen in Glossop. Lieut. S. Hill-Wood (now M.P.) presided over the meeting, which was addressed by the High Chief Ranger, Mr. C. J. Radley, Bro. Colonel W. Sidebottom, M.P., Bro. John Hadfield, Bro. Rev. J. A. Martin and others, and the musical portion was rendered by two Glossop favourites, Messrs. Sydney Clifford and Herbert Bates. The juveniles had tea at Talbot Street Schools.

One would have thought that this being partly an agricultural district, the Ancient Order of Shepherds would have been numerically stronger than they were. I only know of one lodge that existed. viz., “Prosperity” Lodge, No. 112. On the 2nd April, 1858, they had a procession from the Commercial Inn, Hadfield, to the Spring Tavern, Broadbottom, to open a new lodge there. On the 26th February; 1859, they held their first annual meeting of the Widow and Orphans Fund.

The Druids were in existence in 1859, the “Wonderful Virgin” Lodge, No. 32, holding its meetings at the Rose and Crown. The “Gardeners'” Lodge was probably held at the Globe Inn.

The Free Masons on 11th January, 1854, opened the Devonshire Lodge No. 908, now No. 0625, at the Globe Inn, where they remained until 1857, when they removed to the Norfolk Arms Hotel, and remained there until they had secured premises of their own in Norfolk Square.

The Temperance people were not inactive, the Chisworth Temperance society being formed in 1855. In 1860 the Sons of Temperance Society was established, and in January 1861 the Glossop Temperance Society. The Primitive Methodists formed a Band of Hope in 1867, and few schools were without one. In 1873 or 4, the Good Templars opened a lodge the “Hope of Glossop.” Unfortunately, teetotallers were only human, and dissensions arose, and another lodge the “Glossop Refuge” was held in Woods’ Reading Rooms. Afterwards in Mount Pleasant School.

The first Workingmen's Club was established in October, 1866 at Waterside, by Messrs Sidebottom’s.

There was a club formed on the 2nd January, 1864, called "The Shades of Evening,” held in High Street, but I know little of it.

There being quite a number of cotton masters, their sons, and other gentlemen in the town, a Gentlemen's Club was formed; land was leased 29-9-1861, to Mr William Shepley, one of the trustees, and a club-house built in Ellison Street. It is now the Social Club, but for many years was owned and occupied by the late T M Ellison, as the Town Clerk’s offices.

It will be seen from these accounts that the moral, intellectual, and general welfare of the Glossopians have not been neglected in the past.




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