THE RAILWAY REVIEW
RAILWAYMEN'S SOCIETIES
extracted and adapted
30TH JULY 1880
Railway servants have many provident and charitable societies especially devoted to their interests. The important railways, excepting the North Eastern, have each established provident or insurance societies, to which the servants are more or less compelled to attache themselves so long as they remain in the service.
The North Eastern directors, moved by Mr Pease, M.P., are at last establishing a provident society for the staff, not dissimilar in its provisions to the Stockton and Darlington Society.
The Great Western has two large societies for the benefit of the servants on that line -- "the Provident" for guards, porters, signalmen, &c., and the ""Mutual Assurance Sick and Superannuation Society" for enginemen and firemen. The "Provident" has been established for forty years, and in its attempts to give too much benefit in return for the subscription of the members it had become insolvent, and very recently underwent reconstruction. It members about seven thousand members, and from an account of a recent year's expenditure we there was paid £1,563 in superannuation, £5,040 in sick allowances, £742 for funerals, no less than £4,162 to widows and orphans, and £2,207 for management and surgeons' fees. The men in the employ of the company are obliges to become members. and the contribution of about one shilling per week is deducted from their wages, and augmented by an annual grant made by the directors. As a consequence of the agitation for legal compensation for injuries suffered by the workmen, the directors have recently greatly increased the amount of grant made by this society. In this they are not alone, inasmuch as other companies have been moved to greater liberality by compensation movement among the servants initiated and maintained by the Amalgamated Society. Indeed, we are not exaggerating when we assert that one effect of the attitude by the Servants' Trade Union has been to secure for their provident and benevolent societies an annual in the sum of the companies donations equivalent to thrice the income of the Amalgamated Society. The supporters of the society may take credit for having brought the directors of railway to a higher sense of their obligation to the provident associations of the workmen.
The Great Western Enginemen's Mutual Society is undoubtedly the most comprehensive of many insurance and provident societies connected with our railways. The premiums are fixed at 1s. 6d. and 1s per week for enginemen and firemen respectively, who are denominated for the first and second class, and receive benefits proportionate to the premiums paid. The society contained, at the end of last year, 2,137 members, its yearly income is stated at about£9,200, last year's expenditure was £6,840, and the balance to the credit of the society over £33,000. The benefits consist of a weekly allowance in sickness, a lump sum, or assurance at death or when total incapacity ensues, superannuation to disabled men, and weekly allowances to the widows of members. We have a fear that the subscriptions and benefits of this well intentioned society are not based on actuarial experiences. It is only in its sixteenth year, and therefore its ability to meet the liability it undertaken will not be tested for a further period of twenty years. But we notice that with the exceedingly low death rate of nine per thousand the disbursements for assurance, superannuation, and widows' allowances alone amounted to £4,356 in the year. Ultimately the drain on the fund for those disbursements will amount to quite £13,000 annually, which, added to the amounts claimed for sick allowance and for management -- neither of which are likely to decrease -- will be burden too heavy fort the yearly income of £9,200, assisted by the accumulated capital to bear. In other words, the society appears to us to be established on an insolvent basis; and possibly a suspicion that it is financially unsound may account for the opposition manifested by the office bearers to the demand made by the members for registration under the Friendly Societies Act.
The London and North Western servants are obliged to be members of a provident and of insurance society, established with the sanction of the directors. The joint subscriptions equal sixpence per week from each member, and the benefits are small in amount. The insurance provides a payment of £35 in cases of death by accident, twelve shillings a week during temporary disablement, and £25 in cases of permanent disablement. The provident Society provides 12s. a week during a members sickness, and a small funeral allowance, but there is a stipulation that a member hall not receive the benefits of both societies for one and the same period or casualty. The enginemen on the London and North Western have established a separate insurance fund, supported by levies called in as required to meet demands made by injured members, or by the families of those who die from natural or accidental causes. The director gives £2,300 among the several societies numbering 25,000 members, or half the salary paid the general manager, or an average of 1s. 10d. per member per annum. The richest railway company in the kingdom are not very generous in this respect.
The Midland Friendly Society begins a new life this year on a footing of guaranteed solvency, and with 15,307 members on its register. Benefits beyond the purchasing power of the members' subscriptions had brought the Midland men's society to the verge of bankruptcy. The directors came to the rescue, and liberally assisted the committee in framing a new constitution more sound than the old one. The shareholders have voted £9,000 per annum as their subscription, the members' contributions have been increased, and the benefits slightly reduced. Last year the disbursements reached £22,107, while the income from members' contributions and interest was but £20,450. The generous subscription of £5,500 by the company, however, put the balance on the right side, and in future the receipt side will show up more favourably.
The Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire servants have a Provident Society giving to the members sick allowances, medical attendances, and funeral allowances. It is eight years old, and in financial difficulties already. The old, old story has to be retold. Benefits are too high for the contributions paid, and insolvency threatens. The society comprises 3,583 members, with a balance giving an average of £1 per member. The financial condition of the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Society furnishes a reason for the unwillingness of Mr, Lawrence, the promoter, to register it under the Friendly Societies Act.
Our space precludes a reference to other railway societies on this occasion, but we hope to return to the subject at a later date. The chief lesson taught by the experience of the foregoing societies is that high and numerous benefits can only be assured by proportionately high subscriptions; that the promises in rule books are only trustworthy when they are measured by the amount of premiums exacted from those to whom the promises are made. Whenever an insurance agent boasts that the scale of premiums of his company are lower than those of its rivals, prudence suggest that it is safer to insure with one of the rival companies.
6TH AUGUST 1880
The Great Eastern servants have a Provident Society, through the agency of which help in sickness, small pension, or continued sick allowances, payments at the death of members or of their wives, and medical attendances are provided. Membership is voluntary, and about 4,000 of the employed constitute the society. The income amounts to about £4,150 per annum, and the expenditure to nearly an equal sum. A balance of £11,000 with constant increasing claims for pensions, and an expenditure equal to the income, indicates doubtful solvency. The directors of the Great Eastern, moved by the agitation in favour of compensation for injuries, have wisely put into operation a scheme of insurance against loss by accidents, to which they contribute a sum equal to the total of the premiums paid by the insured. The "Accident Allowance Fund," as their scheme is named, is a simple but piratical attempt to cover the risk of the loss by accidents so common on railways. By a payment of 2d. per week a member insures a sum of £20 during temporary disablement, and a further sum of £100 to his representatives in the event of his death by accident. The premium of 1. per week insures half the sums respectively. We may therefore conclude that for 4d. per week a railway servant can insure £100 against accidental death, and payment to him of a weekly allowance not exceeding £20 in the aggregate during temporary disablement. The dread of the operations of a Compensation Bill so frequently expressed by railway companies may be removed by the simple method of each company insuring their whole staff of servants, the cost of which will not be heavy charge on the working expenses. No less than 11,000 servants have voluntarily taken advantage of the Accident Fund since its formation two years ago, and the grant of the Board already reaches £2,000 per annum. The Great Eastern Company, following the example of other railway, have established a compulsory superannuation fund for the officers, but we regret to say that we regard the superannuation schemes as aids to the management in disposing of displacing officers in receipt of high salaries.
Turning the greater to the small companies, we find that the Furness Company's men have a sick club providing sick and funeral allowances and medical aid. The income is secured by a subscription from each member of about sixpence weekly, augmented by a grant of £50 from the Board, and by the fines paid for neglect of duty by the servants. There is also a library fund, a reading room fund, and a billiard room fund established for the employees at Barrow in Furness, but the enjoyment of their advantages must be confined to the men resident locally. The published report report of this society is incomplete and unsatisfactory. The number of members is not stated, and of the total balance of £452 shown to be in hand at the end of a recent year, only £52 11s. belonged to the sick fund. If other balances than those shown in the report exist, they ought to be mentioned. We assume there are no other balances, and that the sick fund is in an insolvent state.
The London and South Western Friendly Society is the Last of the company clubs to which we shall allude is this notice. Its objects are stated to be "to raise funds for the relief and maintenance of its members in cases of sickness arising from accident or from natural causes, and for payments of pensions on the attainment of sixty five years of age, as well as assurances at death." There are five classes of members, whose subscriptions to the fund vary with age and class from 5d. to 1s. 4d. per week. The benefit in sickness varies from ten shillings per week in class "A" to £1 per week in class "E," extending over a period of twenty six weeks, then reduced to three fourths for a further twenty six weeks should sickness continue, and finally reduced to one half, and continued so long as a member is incapacitated from his usual avocation. The continuous half pay may be enjoyed by a member when working for the company at reduced wages if raw cause of such reduction be infirmity, or incapacity arising from accident. On reaching sixty five a member becomes entitled to a pension equal to half the amount of the sick benefit of the class he belongs to; at a member's death a sum £10 is due to his relatives, and in the event of the death of a member's wife he is entitled to a sum of £5. In 1876 the services of an actuary were called in to make a valuation of the society. His verist was "insolvency." Modifications of the benefits were proposed chiefly in the direction of deferring the annuities to a latter age than sixty five, the Board of Directors promising an increase on the annual gift of £600 made by them to the society. The members declined to be guided by Mr. Pattison, the actuary chosen by the Board of Directors, and Mr. Neison was appointed by the men's committee as a joint actuary with Mr. Pattison. The actuaries again reported the insolvency of the society, and that the benefits were too high for the Subscriptions; but the members were as obdurate as before, and declined to believe that the liabilities exceed the assets of the concern. This belief did not alter the truth of the actuaries' voluminous but clear statement of figures, but it occasioned dissatisfaction as well as difficulty in reorganising the institution. When the members were asked to us their judgment they responded by an expression of feeling and of resistance to the suggested alterations. The inexorable logic of facts does not admit of room for such displays of felling. The inevitable faces the members, They must put their house in order, or its understand foundation will cause it to fall to the ground. Good sense has in the end prevailed, and the members of the South Western Friendly Society have determined to re-established their clubs, by adopting the financial alterations recommended by the actuaries w have named.
Of the indecent railwaymen's societies the "Locomotive Steam Enginemen and Firemen's Friendly Society" claims first attention, from the fact that it is the oldest and the only friendly society established by railway servants which depends entirely on the contributions paid by its members. In its earliest inception it combined the dual character of friendly society and trades union, but since the Enginemen's strike on the Great Eastern or Eastern Counties Railway, the society has confirmed it operations to the passive functions of a benevolent or provident institution. It retains one feature, and one only, of the militant combinations known as "trade unions;" it gives assistance to members when travelling in search of employment. The amount of this travelling relief is limited to eight shilling per week, and to one such payment during a member's stay in any one town or place. The constitution of the society is best described as a confederation of many independent societies agreeing to be governed by a general assembly or parliament, in which each society is directly represented. Each "branch" is a separate society, managing its own funds and affairs, but agreeing to combine with other branches to form two general funds, and for the purpose of establishing a general directorate, which administers the general funds, and fulfils the duties of a court of appeal and guardian of the laws of the branches. Membership is restricted to locomotive men on railways who, on joining, must be between the ages of 18 and 40 years. The entrance fees range from 5s. for a person under 25, to £2 14s. 6d. for a person between 35 and 40 years. The contributions, including a quarterly payment of 1s. for superannuation, vary from 1s. 2d. per fortnight for a member joining when under 25 years, to 1s. 6d. per fortnight for a member who joins when between the ages of 35 and 40. The benefits are :- Sick pay of 10s. Weekly; donation of £18 at member's death, of £5 at the death of a member's wife; a weekly pension of 5s. in permanent disablement, and the travelling relief alluded to. The accumulated funds of the society are stated at £80,000 and the membership stands, we believe, at 6,000. The whole business is conducted by the members themselves, at regular meetings of the branches, which are situated in the chief railway centres of England, Scotland, and Ireland. The quiet efficiency manner in which it plays its part of collecting funds and administering to the wants of the unfortunate among the class it serves, is a creditable testimony to our Enginemen's capacity for self-government, and in striking contrast with some railway societies directed by the influence of the companies. A prevalent practice when establishing railwaymen's societies is to calculate on a certain amount of support from the charity of the public, with a view to save the pockets of the members. The practice is not worthy or commendable one, and we rejoice to find the Enginemen's Society exhibiting an example of self reliance which we hope to see more generally adopted. In our next impression we purpose to review the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants.
13TH AUGUST 1880
The Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants is the most remarkable of the many societies established for the uses of the railway services: a union of men of all grades on all lines, maintained to advance the social and political claims of railway servants, and to provide mutual protection and mutual help. All other railway societies but this one are patronised or approved of by the governing authorities, probably because they confine their operations to insurance and sick benefits, are passive and non militant. The Amalgamated Society is not favoured with the patronage of directors, not the approbation of managers. On the contrary, it not frequently receives at the hands of one or other of our railway magnates the hardest criticism words can bestow on it. Yet it lives, and lives, too, by the desire of thousands in the service, who are the members contributing the funds, and who themselves supply the agencies and organisation which gives power to the union. The society is remarkable as a movement towards independence by body of workmen trained in rules of discipline to an obedience approaching subservient servility. Collectively the men are enabled to do that which they could not do individually, or could only do so at the rick of personal inconsistence and loss. combination is made to provide for the weaker the means to check the power of the stronger, and by criticism and publicity to regulate in some measure the conditions of railway service. The reason why the conditions of railway service. The reason why the Amalgamated Society is not of those patronised by directors or complimented by manager is thus very obvious; and it is one that does not in the least degree depreciate the value of the agency in our estimation. The administrators of railways wield great authority, and their decisions have a bearing on the comfort and well being of the thousands in service under them. The individual workman is too insignificant perhaps to calm the attention of great administrators, but, collectively, the individual workman becomes the most important factor in a railway system, and when united together for special purposes, or with a fixed determination, regard must be paid to his wishes. The history of the Amalgamated Society dates from the latter end of the year 1871. It may never be remembered that the commercial crisis of 1865 - 6 was followed by marvellous prosperity in the textile, mineral, and other heavy trades, extending year by year down to 1873. The resources of the railway were severely taxed, and were found to unequal in capacity to the growing demands made upon them. Accommodation, rolling stock, motive power, and staff were insufficient to meet the greater requirements of the trade of the country. Over work of servants became the rule rather than the exception, and employment in the traffic work grew unendurable. In many instances "home" was but a bedstead where men rested now and then for a few hours. Managers would not realise the need for amore numerous staff to manipulate the great traffic lines were called on to carry over them.
The prosperity of the country had also enhanced the value of labour, but managers, unwilling to swell the working expenses, declined to recognise the patent fact, and a comparison of railwaymen's earnings with those of other workmen naturally occasioned discontent in the service. In 1871 the press began to call attention to the condition of the service; Mr. Bass, M.P,. startled the House of Commons and the country by illustrations of overwork, and the servants were urged to form societies similar to the unions established by other classes of workmen. Thus encouraged, railwaymen began holding meetings, which served the double purpose of giving publicity to their grievances, and bringing the, together into communion with one another. Small associations were formed for the redress of grievances, memorials to directors were drawn up and presented, and many other disconnected efforts were put forward by the railway servants and encouraged by public opinion. In the early part of 1972 the men in London attempted to establish a comprehensive society which should embrace all grades on all the lines, and include under one direction the isolated movements then taking place throughout the land. At a meeting held at the Winchester Arms in the Borough, the new formation was started as the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, and one March 2nd, 1871, the society was registered under the Trade Union Act. In the following June a representative meeting was held at the Sussex Arms Hotel, Bouverie Street, London, comprising delegates ejected by railway servants at all parts of the kingdom. At this meeting the basis of the Amalgamated Society was determined on by the adoption of a code of laws, and form then it has been recognised as the representative union of the whole service. Avowedly it provides three benefits to its members - viz., assistance when out of employment, legal defence, and superannuation in disablement caused by accident or by old age; but in practice it confers other benefits, in which -- unfairly perhaps -- men share who do not contribute to the support of the union. After the delegate meeting in London the society rapidly grew in favour, and branches of it have been established in every part of England and Wales, and latterly in Scotland too. Viewing it as we do from an impartial standpoint, we regard the constantly maintained moral influence of the organisation as its chief and best characteristic. Guided by competent leaders, this influence must be ever felt, and unceasingly, though ofttimes silently, operate to the benefit of the men in their relations with the companies, and in the advancement of their social and political claims. Once fairly on its feet, the society conducted with great success a series of crusades against overwork, underpay, severe and illegal treatment, preventable accidents, and in favour of legal compensation for injuries suffered by men in their employment; it caused to founded an Orphanage at Derby for the maintenance and education of the children of railway servants killed in the performance of duty, and more recently it has established a fund for the aid all the orphans of its members who meet with death by accident; it has established many local benevolent agencies, assisting members, widows, and families in cases of exceptional distress, and not a few owe a new start in life to the succour that the sympathy and friendship created by the society has brought them. We are aware of many defects in the constitution of the Amalgamated Society, and shall not hesitate to point them out hereafter; it would have been matter for surprise had railwaymen in their first attempt created a perfect organisation. In establishing and maintaining such a society they have exercised a spirit of independence and practised self reliance the best of all helps and are undoubted gainers for so doing, while so far as we can judge their employers are not put to disadvantage by the workmen's gain. The more prominent members and officers can well endure the epithet of agitators which is the fashionable tittle levelled at every active opponent of existing evils so long as there is substantial good to show for the existence of the society, or so long as inequalities and injustices remain in the service which the union can assist in blotting out. We purpose reverting to this subject in our next issue, when the finances and internal arrangements of the society will be reviewed.
20th AUGUST 1880
In speaking at Oxford last year Professor Thorold Rogers, now M.P. for Southwark, observed that the organisation of the society was in itself worth all the subscriptions railwaymen paid to the funds. This truth for truth it is may not be readily comprehended by the members, many of whom do not realise that some of the material advantages they enjoy are enjoyed only because of the existence of the society's organisation. A notion obtains among workmen that the use of a society is that of a money or benefit club, and the greater the amount of money relief in return for the subscription paid the better and more useful is the society in their estimation. Benefit or provident societies are a boon of workmen, but combination or co-operation has other uses and other benefits to confer. Railway servants are better paid, have more regular hours of duty, are better treated, and their safety is more regarded because of the influence exercised by the organisation of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants; but thousands will not, or cannot, appreciate the fact because the advantages reach them through an indirect channel. Thus, if a body of servants by combination in the society obtained a concession in their rate of wages, the increased payments would Rach them from the company’s pay table. But assume that the additional payments passed into their hands through the society, the benefit the society conferred on them would be none the greater on that account, though it would be more easy to comprehend. There are about two hundred branches, or local centres, forming the union, supported by 12,000 members. Each branch has a chairman, a secretary, a treasurer, and a committee of its own, who administer local affairs and co-operate with one another in any general effort or movement; the whole of the branches work under an executive committee and a representative government known as the Annual General Meeting. In 1872-3-4 attention was mainly devoted to decreasing the hours of duty and increasing wages, with most successful results. In 1874 society determined to establish. An orphanage, and by the aid of its organisation, appeals were simultaneously made in all parts of the kingdom, with the results that £5,000 was collected for the purpose in a period of six months. During some subsequent years the organisation of the society continued to be used in raising funds for the Orphanage, and in creating for the institution machinery of its own. This done, an Orphan Fund was established in connection with the society for the support of all the orphans of members killed by accidents; the fund mainly relies on a small regular payment of the members themselves, collected and centralised by the agency of the union. When the Royal Commissioners on Railway Accidents held their protracted inquiries the society had independent witnesses from various localities examined; representations were made by it which induced the Commissioners to personally inspect places, it placed before the Commissioners the collective opinion of thousands of the men on the causes of accidents to servants, and convinced the Commission that by an increase of the liability of companies the accidents to workmen would be reduced in numbers. One remarkable testimony to the influence of the society’s agency is the increase of grants made by the companies to the provident and insurance funds of their servants. The constant agitation against preventable accidents, and in favour of compensation to workmen and against the unkindly treatment of aged servants, which by its organisation and agencies the society have maintained, compelled the companies to reconsider their obligations to those who serve them, with the gratifying that an aggregate sum of £30,000 per annum additional subscriptions has been granted to provident and insurance societies by the directors and shareholders. The recent general election furnishes an illustration f the usefulness of the society’s agencies. Under the direction of the central office the candidates before four hundred constituencies were brought to consider the question of employer’s liability, and to express their views on the Bill of Mr. Brassey and Earl De La Warr. It was this decisive action of the society, following on the opinion created by meetings, writings, petitions, and so on, of preceding years, which led Mr. Gladstone’s Government to propose legislation immediately on coming into power. Railwaymen provide another agency by means of the society. Officers independent of the power of the companies are retained who can declare the wants and grievances of the men. At public meetings, in the press, before Parliamentary committees, at inquests, Board of Trade inquiries, or in legal cases, these officers represent the interests and express the opinions of the men in a manner which none of the servants dare do if they would retain their employment. Again, the society is the one medium by which the unbiassed opinions of the men on different railways may be ascertained, and it is to the servants a means of concentrating their forces, just as the Railway Associations enables the companies to concentrate heir power for any united effort. The Amalgamated Society is probably the only trade union which makes no provision for the possibility of a strike. We deprecate the majority of strikes which have occurred among our Industrial population; yet we are strongly of opinion that the moral force of communities of workmen is most certainly regarded when they also possess the power of enforcing some measure of respect for their decisions. There are in the society many members alive to this view of their position, and in October the question of better protecting the members will be fully discussed by the general meeting, to held in Cardiff. Turning to the financial department of the society, the aspect is not so favourable. Here we find the common failing of every workman’s society, i.e., big benefits and small subscriptions, as though the printing of promises on paper would enhance the purchasing power of money. The union has three distinct branches of finance.
1. The ordinary and original benefits of (a) assistance when out of employment. (b) legal defence, and (c) superannuation to such a are disabled from accident or age;
2. The voluntary sick and burial fund; and
3The orphan fund.
The subscription for the first is 3 1/4d. Per week, for the second from 3d. To 8 1/2d. Per week, and the third 1/2d. Per week. We will deal only with the first. For 3 1/4d. Per week the society undertakes to maintain its agencies and organisation for the protection of the interests of members, and to provide the follow monetary benefits:- An allowance of 10s. Per week to members out of employment; legal assistance to any sum for defence, or redress in courts of law; and superannuation of 5s. Per week or £13 a year for life to men who, after one year and three years’ membership, are incapacitated from their usual employment by reason of an accident; a like sum to members over fifty who joined in 1872 and, by reason of age, cannot perform their usual duties; a like benefit to men who joined after 1872, who have been ten years in the society and are over fifty; and a like allowance under some other conditions. The ready manner of granting these heavy annuities will be gathered from the fact that in the few years since 1873 114 members have received annuities for accidents, and from July 1877 down to the present 124 members have been allowed the annuities for old incapacity. There are 201 members remaining on the lists to whom the sum of £2,613 perineum must be paid, and as the number goes on rising at the rate of about sixty a year, which increase must augmented in 1882, the future of the union, under existing circumstances, is not difficult to predict. We recommended the members to put their in order without delay, and to either decrease and adjust the benefits, or greatly increase the subscriptions. From a published statement we observe that the income for 1879 was £8,900, and that there was paid away in annuities to disabled members £2,013, in assistance to unemployed members £1,302, in legal defence £380, to sick members £123, to orphans £76, for the compensation movement £146, and some other smaller items. Te cost of managing the society and promoting its objects is not given, but the balance in hand at the end of the year is stated at £23,900. The benevolent funds of branches also spent £1,200 in relieving the distress of members or their families. The above is evidence of great good being done, but not that it can be continued to be done. Agreeing with the spirit and intention of the society, anxious to encourage the independence and self reliance it proclaims, we earnestly appeal to the good sense of the members not to destroy their institution by selfishly seeking unreasonably great benefits in the present to the certain loss of all benefits in the future.
27th AUGUST 1880
The Railway Servants' Orphanage at Derby is not, perhaps a "society," but it is an institution which was founded by a railwayman's society. Its establishment is the result of efforts put forward by the railway servants in the Amalgamated Society, assisted by members of the public; efforts that had not the approval nor the support of the companies or of their leading officers. It is the only railway charity whose establishment has been undertaken without some recognition or assistance from the authorities, and the fact invests its history with an exceptional inters. We are sure that the officers of our lines are not indifferent about the welfare of little orphans whose fathers have been slain on duty, and that their indifference to thee orphanage movement in its infancy arose from a prejudice against the society which promoted it, and not from want of a kindly regard for the children.
The Jews of Bible history, strong in their prejudices, doubted whether any good thing could come out of Nazareth, and directors and managers, guided by similar prejudices against the Amalgamated Society, doubted that from it there could meant a practical good thing which should bless the orphans of the servants whose lives were sacrificed in the performance of duty. Their doubts were ill founded; practical goods has come from the determination of the simple minded workmen in the society to help the orphans. Of later years the association of the society with the Derby Orphanage has entirely ceased, and the prejudice against the society no longer stands between the sympathy of directors and the charity.
Accidents to railway servants were numerous in 1872 and 1873, and the returns made by the companies of the Board of Trade under Railway Regulation Act of 1871, and published by the Board in reports to Parliament, placed on record for the first time the aggregate of the terrible slaughter taking place among the employees. The railway servants, noels than the public, were startled to find how many of the former met death by violence, and they could but contemplate with sadness the and want want which followed to the families of those thus killed. The time was opportune for launching a scheme which should give help to the sufferers, and it was promptly seized upon by the Executive Council and members of the Amalgamated Society. In April, 1874, the Executive council held a quarterly meeting at Wilson Street, Finsbury, when Mr. C.B. Vincent, the Birmingham District Secretary, and Chairman pro-tem. of the Council, suggested that an Orphan Fund should be attempted, and appeal for subscriptions be made to railway servants and the public. The suggestion was favourably received, and a small committee appointed to carry it into effect. In June collecting books for the purpose of obtaining subscriptions for the "Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants' Orphan Fund" were issued in thousands by the committee through the district agencies to the branches and members. In a preface inserted in the collecting books thus issued, each railway servant was requested to give one shilling on Saturday, June 26th, and to obtain another shilling from the public; but the plan was successful, and the time of collection was extended over several months. Many hundred members volunteered to be agents, and in almost every town there were railway servants emulating the practice of Wesleyan Sunday School children at New Year's tide -- begging donations from persons of all grades of life. The moneys collected were handed over to the branch secretaries, who in turn remitted them to the district secretaries. The public were invited to meetings, and the intention of the fund explained, and support asked for and obtained. It has been estimated that these efforts of the society realised the handsome sum of over £5,000, a sum sufficient to justify the committee in commencing the work of an Orphanage, by renting premises and taking in a few orphans. While the members were industriously gathering funds, plans. The Executive Council again met, and at the instance of Mr. Vincent called in a Mr. S. Wills, head master of the Seamen's Orphanage at Hull, to consult with him on the modus operandi of an orphanage. In the result an orphanage to be erected at Derby was determined on, Mr. Wills was appointed provisional secretary at a salary of £200 per annum, and the Orphanage Committee was re-appointed and empowered to act for the Council. In August the committee met at Derby, and after drafting a code of rules, waited on the members of the Corporation and other influential residents of Derby at the Town Hall, and sought their co-operation in completing the design of the society for the establishment of an orphanage. The Provisional Committee provided for in the draft code of rules was resolved on at this meeting, and afterwards in its name a public appeal was issued accompanied by a definite statement of the design, objects, and government of t proposed charity. It was at this and at subsequent preliminary meetings that the control of the institution passed from the hands of the Amalgamated Society into those of an independent body. It is true that the members of the Executive council were included in the Provisional Committee of the Orphanage, but they were a small minority, and the Provisional Committee itself shortly became a managing agency under the control of a governing body, from which the members of the society were excluded by the nature of the qualification. The Executive Council, at their next meeting, quickly realised that the institution had gone out of their hands, and disapproved of the rules drawn up by the sub-committee under the tuition of Mr. S. Wills, but it took many months for the members to comprehend that the Orphanage they had worked for was an independent charity, and not an appending institution of the society. The Derby gentlemen energetically set about the society. The Derby gentlemen energetically set about they had undertaken, and on January 11th, 1875, a temporary home was opened in London Road, Derby, and the good work was at once begun by the admission of ten orphan children whose fathers had been killed on railways. In the earliest rules it is set forth "that the design of the charity is to board and clothe, and educate children of deceased railway servants; the religious education of the children is to be of unsectarian character; the benefits are to be open to children of all bona fide railway servants and railway contractors' servants in needy circumstances; admission to be election determined on by the votes of subscribers; no children under six, or over ten, or who is diseased or infirm is eligible for admission to the institution; nor can more than two children of one family be allowed in at one period election."
Step by step the effort has expanded. From a temporary home the orphans, grown in number, have been removed to building and grounds bought at a cost of £7,000 from the funds raised. Already children in the Orphanage have passed into the busy paths of industry to earn their own bread, and battle for themselves in the turmoil of everyday life. The guardians of the Orphanage have created a machinery for raising a supply of money to keep the good work going, and to keep it increasing also. Sixty children at this moment are at home in the Derby Orphanage, and shortly there will be room for thirty more. The work begun by the Amalgamated Society, without very clear conceptions of its ultimate shape, and taken up with earnestness by a number of shrewd gentlemen of Derby and elsewhere, has prospered, accomplished great good, and conferred inestimable advantages on many little ones. We shall return to the Orphanage review it history and management, and perhaps to consider by what means the greatest number of orphans could be assisted by charitable gifts.