Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received The Editor HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2026
[from A.M Harrision's Descriptive List of Insular Societies]
'Being a day set apart by Wesleyan Methodists and others of Douglas for Public Thanksgiving to the Almighty for the merciful exemption of the town from cholera during that year. At a meeting held in the Wesleyan Chapel, at which several ladies were present, it was agreed: 'that a society be formed, which shall be denominated The Douglas Dorcas Society in allusion to the character of Dorcas recorded in Acts,ix,36" [always doing good, always helping the poor].
The object of the women's society, instituted at the Thomas Street Chapel, whose quoted origin is taken from their own published report, was like that of many other contemporary Dorcas societies in Britain and the Island itself named after that diligent and charitable woman, 'to administer relief to the poor and necessitous of plain and necessary articles of Clothing'. It was always essentially non-sectarian and was Said to look after 'the outer man' and woman! of all creeds. The thirteen ladies of the committee both subscribed to buy clothes and sewed for the society and organised the distribution system, also in their hands, to suitably needy applicants. It developed the usual hierarchy of specialised officers, always women, but in the mid-Victorian period accepted the informal help of their male relatives and friends to provide a free tea festival, for up to 600 people annually in the chapel schoolroom, in aid of the Dorcas Society and the Douglas[?] Benevolent Societies.
The Society survived in useful though contracting action until very recently, in part by its ability to change its operation to meet constant change in needs and expectation throughout a life of over 150 years, but also by the continuing presence in the town of the elderly 'deserving poor'
MNHL., MD 1202A, account books;
MD551, N.Wilson Account of the Dorcas Society of Douglas, (1970) ;
Reports of the Society, 1859 - General Registry, Douglas, Register of charities, Dorcas Society file
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Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received The Editor HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2026 |
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