SOCIETIES, FRIENDLY ETC

An Act of 33 Geo. III, c.54 (1792-1793), to encourage the formation of Friendly Societies, provided that their rules and amendments were to be confirmed at Quarter Sessions, a duplicate being retained by the clerk of the peace. In 1819 (59 Geo. III, c.128), justices were empowered to publish rules for the formation of societies. 10 Geo. IV, c.56 (1829) provided that rules were to be certified by a barrister before confirmation and enrolment. Under the same Act (s.34), tables of sickness and mortality were to be transmitted to the clerk of the peace at 5 yearly intervals and forwarded to the Secretary of State with lists of societies enrolled in that period. In 1846 (9 & 10 Vict; c.27) the certifying barrister was appointed Registrar of Friendly Societies, and all rules enrolled by the clerk of the peace were transferred to his custody. The provisions of the Acts of 1829 and 1834 as to confirmation and enrolment were extended to Loan Societies in 1835 (5 & 6 Wm. IV, c.23) and to Benefit Building Societies in 1836 (6 & 7 Wm. IV, c.32). This function was not transferred to the Registrar of Friendly Societies until 1896 and 1874 respectively.