Our Heritage
Founding in the US
Between 1840 and 1842 there existed in the United States of America a Temperance Movement, which had its origin in Baltimore, known as the ‘Washington Movement’. During these two years many thousands signed the pledge. However the Washington Movement did not encourage legislative action to control the liquor traffic, many broke their pledge, and the lapses multiplied.
In New York a few determined workers resolved on the formation of an organization where the pledge could and should be taken in a solemn manner and honoured, and where a new and higher association for mutual benefit, would take the place of the Saloon. A meeting of some sixteen men was held at Teetotalers Hall, 71 Division Street, New York and the Order of the Sons of Temperance came into being by the formation of New York Division No. 1 on 29th September 1842.
Its objects were to shield its members from the evils of intemperance, to afford mutual assistance in times of sickness, provide a sum of money at the death of a member, to elevate character, to enlist workers in an earnest and noble endeavour to reclaim those who fell under the influence of strong drink, to save the young from the terrible power of the drink habit, and to assist in every way the suppression of the drink traffic. The personal pledge adopted at the formation of the organization was: ‘I will neither make, buy, sell nor use as a beverage, any spiritous or malt liquors, wine or cider.’
The name ‘Division’ was given to all subsequent branches to perpetuate the fact that the first meeting was held in Division Street.
Other divisions quickly followed and the Grand Division of New York was formed on 10th December 1842. The course had been set, and the Order advanced rapidly. Grand Divisions were formed in New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Massachusetts, and on 17th June 1844, the National Division of the Sons of Temperance of the United States was instituted.
In the records of this National Division are names of many men who helped to shape the United States and Canada, not least of which are such names as Abraham Lincoln, General S F Cary, and the Hon. Neal Dow. Presidents Rutherford B Hayes and Ulysses S Grant were also members of the Sons of Temperance.
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Abraham Lincoln
Sixteenth President of the United States of America from 1860 to 1865, and a total abstainer all his life, Abraham Lincoln took an active part in speaking for the Washington movement. He became a member of the Sons of Temperance in the Sangamon Division of Springfield, Illinois in 1854. The Sons of Temperance was the only Order he ever joined. In 1863, when President, he received and welcomed a delegation from the Order on the occasion of its twenty-first anniversary, and gave much assistance to their field agents in their work among the soldiers during the Civil War.
Lincoln was assassinated in 1865 when at the theatre. His killer, John Wilkes Booth, had just come out of a saloon after drinking two glasses of brandy.
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Introduction to the UK
The first information about the Sons of Temperance which came to England was from a temperance newspaper published in St John, New Brunswick and which fell into the hands of one J Thomas given him by an American seaman visiting Mr Thomas’s business in Liverpool. The work of the Order and its influence in the Temperance Movement became a matter of mutual interest; and the suggestion being made that there would be no difficulty in obtaining a Charter to institute a Division, this became their goal.
Many members of the Order in America, sailing between there and Liverpool, would be glad of a suitable place to spend their evenings in port. After consulting with some temperance friends a meeting was convened in the Temperance Hall, Bond Street, Liverpool. Thus from the docks of Liverpool in the drink sodden district of ‘Old Gory’, so named from the frequent fights of the sailormen, was formed on 17th November 1849 the Queens No 1 Division. Early in the following year were instituted several more Divisions in Liverpool and in Manchester.
Grand Divisions having subsequently been formed in Liverpool and Manchester, the National Division of Great Britain and Ireland was organized on 6th April 1855 amidst great happiness, harmony and good feeling among the representatives from all Divisions. The Charter issued by the Order of the Sons of Temperance National Division of North America reads as follows:
Love, Purity and Fidelity
National Division of Sons of Temperance of North America
To all whom these shall come, Greeting:
Know Ye, That we, the National Division of North America, have granted, and do grant, unto Brothers P.G.W.P., Thomas Jones, P.G.W.P., James Vickers, P.G.W.P., Robert Harvey, G.W.P., Edward Mundy, P.G.W.A., John Holmes, and G.W.A., John Lonsdale, this Charter, fully constituting them a National Division of the Order of Sons of Temperance for the Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, with plenary power to grant Charters for Grand and Subordinate Divisions within said Kingdom and its dependencies, and to perform all the offices, and to enjoy all the prerogatives appertaining to a National Division of the Order; provided, that said power shall not extend to the country of North America, or to the original issue of the Passwords of the Order or of Visiting and Withdrawal Cards, or to any alteration of the Pledge of the Sons of Temperance as at present published in the Ritual of the Order of the Sons of Temperance of North America.
In witness whereof, we have caused this to be signed by our Most Worthy Patriarch and Most Worthy Scribe, and the Seal of the National Division to be affixed thereto in the city of Fredericton in the Province of New Brunswick, this first day of January, one thousand, eight hundred and fifty-five.
Samuel L Tilley, M.W.Patriarch
Frederick A Fickardt, M.W.Scribe
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Notable British Members
National Division officers during the first 100 years
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Cadets of Temperance
The Cadets were first introduced in Liverpool as early as 1850. It was Joseph Thomas who first recognized the value of children to the Sons of Temperance. In his report as Most Worthy Patriarch in 1860 he said: “A very important auxillary to our Order are the Cadets of Temperance, nevertheless, there is very little attention given to it. The Order is destined to accomplish great good, if the Sons of Temperance prove true to the trust reposed in them. Every Subordinate Division should try to institute a section of Cadets, and take them under their control, encourage them by their presence, and in course of time the boys will help to build up your Divisions.”
In 1889 it was resolved that the National Division Executive appoint an officer, known as the Most Worthy Patron, to be responsible for the oversight of working Cadet Sections in conjunction with the Band of Hope. From then on the Cadet movement never looked back. The chief concern over the years has been the welfare of the Cadets in good citizenship and temperance education through the meeting Sections, competitions, and activities.
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Family History Research
• 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 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 the Access to Archives website to find these. Some material can also be found in museums, for example Beamish Open-air Museum, in County Durham, or Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, amongst others.
Items of ephemera (membership certificates, 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. Reference libraries or archives usually have historic local newspapers on microfilm – though rarely are these indexed. The British Library Newspaper Collections at Colindale, North London, has extensive holdings of national and local newspapers.
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
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Alcohol & Drugs History Society (formerly Alcohol & Temperance History Group)
• The Livesey Collection
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