Royal Hearts of Oak Society - membership medal (1900’s - 1910’s)
This medal may relate to the Australian Hearts of Oak society, but if anyone can confirm this I’d be grateful to hear from you.
Here’s a brief account of the parent society in England and the Australian branch would have provided similar services. The Hearts of Oak Benefit Society (UK) was established in 1842 to provide a means for persons to save into a mutual fund that could draw upon and provide financial protection in times of sickness. Criteria for membership were strict, for example around 1900 the Society expected all applicants to be of “good character” and earning a minimum weekly wage of 24 shilling (£1-4s-0d) which excluded the lower paid such as labourers, lower skilled artisans and unskilled workers. Membership therefore tended to comprise of the higher artisans, skilled mechanics, small shopkeepers and those who had newly risen into the growing ranks of the ‘middle classes’.
The Society was named in honour of Britain’s navy whose wooden ships of oak had become renowned for saving the country from invasion. With the passing of the Friendly Societies Act in 1850, the range of services and activities of Benefit societies increased and included maternity (lying-in benefits) and death benefit schemes. Following the 1911 Health Insurance Act, the Hearts of Oak Benefit Society were among the first to provide insurance and financial schemes.
In 1992 the Society was renamed the Hearts of Oak Friendly Society Ltd and in 1997 relocated their office from Euston Road to Leicester. The Society was taken over by the Reliance & Mutual Insurance Society in 2007.
Other auxiliary organisations of the Hearts of Oak Benefit Society were;
* Juvenile Benefit Society (later renamed the Juvenile Section).
* Acorn Club.
* Humane Perseverance Sick & Benefit Society.
* Sincere Sick & Benefit Society (formerly the Sincerity Society).
* Hearts of Oak Collecting Society.
* Aberdeen & Northern Collecting Society.
.
References:
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=094-2322... (National Archives site with historical notes about the Hearts of Oak Benefit Society).
www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results.asp?image=10243045&am... (An elaborately printed Hearts of Oak Benefit Society membership certificate c.1869. Notice the allusions to ships and building that would have been made of oak wood.)
.
Enamels: 3 (red, blue & white).
Finish: Gilt.
Material: Brass.
Fixer: Bale & suspension loop.
Size: 1 ¼” x 1 5/8” including the bale (about 32mm x 40mm).
Process: Die stamped.
Imprint: H SLINGSBY & SON, NUNEATON. There is also a design registration number 381471 (1901/1902).
.
Thank you for reading.
Stuart.
Royal Hearts of Oak Society - membership medal (1900’s - 1910’s)
This medal may relate to the Australian Hearts of Oak society, but if anyone can confirm this I’d be grateful to hear from you.
Here’s a brief account of the parent society in England and the Australian branch would have provided similar services. The Hearts of Oak Benefit Society (UK) was established in 1842 to provide a means for persons to save into a mutual fund that could draw upon and provide financial protection in times of sickness. Criteria for membership were strict, for example around 1900 the Society expected all applicants to be of “good character” and earning a minimum weekly wage of 24 shilling (£1-4s-0d) which excluded the lower paid such as labourers, lower skilled artisans and unskilled workers. Membership therefore tended to comprise of the higher artisans, skilled mechanics, small shopkeepers and those who had newly risen into the growing ranks of the ‘middle classes’.
The Society was named in honour of Britain’s navy whose wooden ships of oak had become renowned for saving the country from invasion. With the passing of the Friendly Societies Act in 1850, the range of services and activities of Benefit societies increased and included maternity (lying-in benefits) and death benefit schemes. Following the 1911 Health Insurance Act, the Hearts of Oak Benefit Society were among the first to provide insurance and financial schemes.
In 1992 the Society was renamed the Hearts of Oak Friendly Society Ltd and in 1997 relocated their office from Euston Road to Leicester. The Society was taken over by the Reliance & Mutual Insurance Society in 2007.
Other auxiliary organisations of the Hearts of Oak Benefit Society were;
* Juvenile Benefit Society (later renamed the Juvenile Section).
* Acorn Club.
* Humane Perseverance Sick & Benefit Society.
* Sincere Sick & Benefit Society (formerly the Sincerity Society).
* Hearts of Oak Collecting Society.
* Aberdeen & Northern Collecting Society.
.
References:
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=094-2322... (National Archives site with historical notes about the Hearts of Oak Benefit Society).
www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results.asp?image=10243045&am... (An elaborately printed Hearts of Oak Benefit Society membership certificate c.1869. Notice the allusions to ships and building that would have been made of oak wood.)
.
Enamels: 3 (red, blue & white).
Finish: Gilt.
Material: Brass.
Fixer: Bale & suspension loop.
Size: 1 ¼” x 1 5/8” including the bale (about 32mm x 40mm).
Process: Die stamped.
Imprint: H SLINGSBY & SON, NUNEATON. There is also a design registration number 381471 (1901/1902).
.
Thank you for reading.
Stuart.