A SOCIETY FOR EVERYTHING

[Tizer]

There's even a society that will let you say what you wish about smoking
`The Society of Cogers' LINK
Founded in the City of London in 1755 as a coffee bar debating society, the Society of Cogers can claim to be the oldest “free speech” forum in the world – and quite possibly the oldest debating society in the world also. Historians believe that the name of the society derives from the maxim of the French philosopher, Rene Descartes - "Cogito Ergo Sum" - "I think therefore I am". Its founder members were friends of John Wilkes, a leader of popular agitation against the ministers of George the Third in the cause of freedom of the press.

[Stanley]

Book me in as a guest speaker......

[Tizer]

`The Cloud Appreciation Society' LINK
We love clouds. Read our manifesto and see how we are fighting the banality of ‘blue-sky thinking’. If you agree with what we stand for, then join the society to get your very own membership certificate, badge, Cloud Selector and to start receiving your ‘Cloud a Day’.

We believe that clouds are unjustly maligned and that life would be immeasurably poorer without them.
We think that they are Nature’s poetry, and the most egalitarian of her displays, since everyone can have a fantastic view of them.
We pledge to fight ‘blue-sky thinking’ wherever we find it. Life would be dull if we had to look up at cloudless monotony day after day.
We seek to remind people that clouds are expressions of the atmosphere’s moods, and can be read like those of a person’s countenance.
We believe that clouds are for dreamers and their contemplation benefits the soul. Indeed, all who consider the shapes they see in them will save money on psychoanalysis bills.
And so we say to all who’ll listen: Look up, marvel at the ephemeral beauty, and always remember to live life with your head in the clouds!

[Stanley]

I'm always reading clouds...... If you work outside you soon learn that if you do it can save you a lot of grief!



Here's an example at Glenfinnan about 20 years ago. Pretty clear message! We were lucky, it was moving off towards the East.

[Tizer]

I can just make out the secondary bow in the photo.

`The Vintage Motor Cycle Club' LINK
On 28th April 1946, a band of 38 enthusiasts assembled at the Lounge Cafe, Hog's Back, Guildford, Surrey, with the object of forming a Motor Cycle Club for owners of machines manufactured prior to December 1930. Since then the Vintage Motor Cycle Club, with over 14,000 Members, united by a common appreciation of the engineering skills and vision of those who built the pioneer machines, has ensured that such machines are not preserved as lifeless exhibits in a museum. Instead they are brought to life on frequent occasions in order that a new generation can marvel at the handiwork of the pioneers, and an older generation can once again view with nostalgia the machines they rode in days gone by. With 86 VMCC Sections around the UK putting on over 1,200 events per year you are never far away from all the benefits that attending your local Section meeting can bring.

[plaques]

I own a 1930 350 cc New Imperial. An El cheapo machine that came to me in a box with loads of parts missing or simply rusted away. When I first contacted the Vintage Motorcycle Club and asked if there was anyone who knew anything about New Imps the answer was " Nay Lad, anyone who knew anything about those is dead". then put me onto a chap in Wales. From a ride over to his place he handed over a fist full of impossible to get parts "use what you need and bring the rest back" no money mentioned but finally when it was it was peanuts. His final comment was. "You have got the No 6 known machine in the country but don't get too excited they were that crappy everyone threw them away." Later contacting an expert at the VMC headquarters the expert turned out to be a young lady who really did know her stuff. With her help I finally got all the parts I needed and eventually got it running. Do I ride it on the road? Not a cat in Hell chance, far too dangerous.

[Stanley]

"anyone who knew anything about those is dead"
I must qualify for that at times........

[Stanley]

A very common form of private society used to be the ones run by motor manufacturer's as a way of advertising. At one time I was a 'member' of the Bedford Drivers club and we had a badge to put on the radiator grill.
There is a modern version of the old club, see THIS. As the marque is now extinct this will be for classic and vintage vehicles.



The badge of the old club.....

[Tizer]

`The Royal Forestry Society' LINK
`Trees and woodland play an incalculable role in the landscape, culture and economy of our country. The RFS is the largest and longest established education charity promoting the wise management of woods in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Our mission is to inspire passion and excellence in woodland management. We do this through education and knowledge-sharing, which have been at the heart of the RFS ethos since its foundation in 1882. Woods which produce sustainable timber, wood fuel and other products will be preserved. This is better for nature conservation, better for public health, and better for the economy. But to achieve it, they need to be wisely managed. This is our vision: that all woodlands are actively managed, and valued by all, for their social, economic and environmental benefits.'

[Stanley]

The Royal Society. (LINK)
I once entered the hallowed portals of this establishment as the researcher for a project on watermills in the Lake District and the bloke who had done the slides. (Never got a mention of course.....)
It was a bastion of old England. Obsequious blokes hovered around who bowed if you spoke to them. Peter White (Her Majesty's Inspector of Ancient Monuments for North West England) was giving the lecture supported by my late friend John Robinson from the Science Museum. To give you an idea, one of the flunkeys approached John and addressed him as Lieutenant Commander, I knew he was in the Wavy Navy but didn't know his rank.
I ran the slide projector and all went well. I never even got a cup of tea!

[Tizer]

I gave a geochemistry lecture at the Royal Society in Carlton House Terrace back in the 1970s - my boss, the prof, was meant to give it but he hadn't got back from an overseas trip. A bit daunting for a young bloke like me! I'd have been more at home in...
`The Lunar Society of Birmingham' LINK
The Lunar Society of Birmingham was a dinner club and informal learned society of prominent figures in the Midlands Enlightenment, including industrialists, natural philosophers and intellectuals, who met regularly between 1765 and 1813 in Birmingham, England. At first called the Lunar Circle, "Lunar Society" became the formal name by 1775. The name arose because the society would meet during the full moon, as the extra light made the journey home easier and safer in the absence of street lighting. The members cheerfully referred to themselves as "lunaticks", a pun on lunatics. Venues included Erasmus Darwin's home in Lichfield, Matthew Boulton's home, Soho House, Bowbridge House in Derbyshire, and Great Barr Hall.

[Stanley]

I first came across the Lunar Society when reading Smiles' 'Lives of the engineers'. What a hotbed of progress that proved to be! Later, when I was doing the LTP I found that full moon travelling was common especially when the Parish Church for Earby was at Thornton in Craven...... Political meetings and am dram shows were often timed to coincide with the full moon......

[Tizer]

`The Royal Pigeon Racing Association' LINK
On the 28th March 1896 there was a meeting of ‘pigeon keepers’ at the White Swan, Call Lane, Leeds for the purpose of forming a Homing Union and this led to the formation of what was then called the National Homing Union. Although this meeting took place in 1896, the first Annual General Meeting of the Union was held on 27th February 1897 at The Spread Eagle Hotel, Manchester. The title ‘Royal’ was not added until much later but, even in the early days of the Union, there was a close affinity with the Royal family.

Both the Prince of Wales and Duke of York maintained teams of racing pigeons at Sandringham and raced them successfully in both local and national events and this continued when the Duke of York became King. The family tradition is maintained by our present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Lofts are now well established at Sandringham under the supervision of a loft manager, where a number of respectable racing performances have been recorded.

More RPRA history here: LINK

[Stanley]

Somehow I can't quite visualise Brenda scraping shit off the dropping boards and scrubbing them......

[Tizer]

Anything that promotes ethics is desperately needed today...
`Conway Hall Ethical Society' LINK
Conway Hall is owned and operated by Conway Hall Ethical Society, a membership organisation and educational charity with a history spanning two centuries. The Hall hosts a wide variety of lectures, classes, performances, community and social events. It is renowned as a hub for free speech and independent thought. Hosting suffragettes, political radicals, scientists, philosophers, artists, performers; campaign, charities and other non-profit organisations. Our Library holds the Ethical Society’s collection, which is the largest and most comprehensive Humanist and ethics related research resource of its kind in the United Kingdom. The society first opened in 1929. The name was chosen in honour of Moncure Daniel Conway (1832 – 1907), anti-slavery advocate, out-spoken supporter of free thought and biographer of Thomas Paine.

[Stanley]

You're spot on about ethics Tiz!
THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE Was founded in the 18th century and still survives as a publisher. Like all missionary societies they sometimes became controversial but on the whole did good work. (LINK)

[Stanley]

See THIS for an account of the Durham University Assassins Society. Undergraduates get up to some very strange things.....

[Stanley]

How about the Hide and Seek Society? (LINK)

[Tizer]

As I type this two plumbers, god bless `em, are smashing the old tiles off our bathroom wall and taking out the old fittings...
`The Worshipful Company of Plumbers' LINK
The Worshipful Company of Plumbers is one of the most ancient of the Livery Companies of the City of London having served the City and the craft of plumbing continuously for over 650 years. The origins of the Fellowship of Plumbers are uncertain, but as early as 1365 the Fellowship was in a sufficiently strong position to prepare Ordinances which were presented to the Aldermen for their approval. The Ordinances indicated that it was the desire of the craftsmen that their work should be well done. The First Article provided that the plumber should submit himself to examination by the best and most skilful men in the trade in order that he might be certified so that “the trade might not be scandalised, or the commonalty damaged and deceived by folk who do not know their trade”. The Company is proud to be one of the oldest Liveries, placed at number 31, with over 650 years of continuous service to the City of London and the craft of plumbing.

[Stanley]

And at one point the leader of the society was a lady plumber I think.

[Stanley]

Have a look at THIS account of The Worshipful Company of Founders and then look at the list of City Livery Companies.....

[Tizer]

That reminds me of an old postcard I've seen showing the front of a shop that specialises in selling spurs and belt buckles. You don't see many of those shops these days!

`The Society for Clay Pipe Research' LINK
The Society for Clay Pipe Research was founded in 1983 and is based in England but with a worldwide membership. One of the principal aims of the Society is to bring together pipe collectors, researchers and other interested individuals so that they can exchange ideas and information and further their common research interests.

Clay pipes have been used in this country from the late sixteenth century onwards and were made and exported all around the World in huge numbers. They had a short life expectancy and, once broken, were of no further use and discarded. Pipe fragments survive well in the ground and they can be accurately dated from their form and decoration. Furthermore, many pipes are marked, which allows them to be traced back to their individual manufacturers. Most pipes were produced locally in small, family run workshops using regional styles and different shapes and qualities were produced for different markets. These factors make pipes one of the most common and useful artefacts to be found on archaeological sites. Pipe fragments not only produce accurate dating material but also valuable information about trade and social status. Many pipes were also ornately decorated making them interesting objects to collect in their own right. These characteristics make pipes a fascinating field of study, with a wealth of avenues to explore.

[plaques]

A collection of broken pipes from the old Earby Lead Mining Museum.

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[Stanley]

A collection of pipes from the East Hill Museum......

[Tizer]

Thank you, gentlemen, for your most relevant contributions!

There are lots of university tea societies but here is the official European professional one...
`The European Tea Society' LINK
Welcome to the European Tea Society.

For the past 15 years we have seen an exciting increase of interest around the world in 'good tea'. European Tea Society is reaching out to everyone in the tea world who would like to become a part of this growing community of dedicated tea lovers. The possibilities of ETS are limitless and just as the coffee industry has impressed the world with its system of training, quality standards, knowledge and education, so ETS is poised to take Europe - and possibly the world – by storm and help ensure that bad tea becomes a thing of the past and good quality, speciality tea takes over and becomes the norm in tearooms, cafes, restaurants, hotels and at home.