• We regret that we are unable to carry out family (or other) research, nor do we permit access to researchers.
There will have been millions of members of the Sons of Temperance Friendly Society over the past one hundred and fifty years. Records of most would in any case have been limited. Over time the records of many local branches (divisions) have been disposed of or lost. However, some such historical matter has been deposited in archives or record offices. Try searching Access to Archives (A2A) or the National Register of Archives (NRA) to find these.
Some material can also be found in local museums, for example Beamish Open-air Museum, in County Durham, or Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, amongst others.
Ephemera & newspapers
Items of ephemera (membership certificates, pledge cards, badges, medals, etc) may have been retained within family papers. Such items may well turn up in second-hand shops, at postcard fairs, or on online auction sites.
Local newspapers frequently reported on the meetings and activities of Sons of Temperance Divisions. The British Library Newspaper Collections at Colindale, North London, has extensive holdings of national and local newspapers. Reference libraries or archives usually have historic local newspapers on microfilm.
The Federation of Family History Societies (Publications) Ltd has published An introduction to Friendly Society Records by Roger Logan. (2000, ISBN: 1 86006 115 X)
Some other bodies that may be of interest are:
• Friendly Societies Research Group
•
Alcohol & Drugs History Society (formerly Alcohol & Temperance History Group)
• The Livesey Collection
New to family history? Take a look at these webpages:
• Getting started in genealogy and family history
• First steps in family history