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The Editor
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© F.Coakley , 2026
[from A.M Harrision's Descriptive List of Insular Societies]
The members of this Friendly Society make only two appearances in the Isle of Man. They are listed, without any further comment, as one of the societies formally greeting Dr. Bowring in his visit to the Island in October 1844, after he had secured a change in the permit system.
The Mona's Herald of 13 August 1844 published an account of a social meeting of the order under the heading, 'Modern Druids' as following
'This flourishing order, which has only been lately introduced into this Island has already a considerable number of members in this town. On Wednesday evening last, the members and friends supped together in the old Assembly -room, Fort Street. The viands were furnished by Mrs. Crelley of the York Hotel. Dr. Donaldson, the medical adviser of the Society, presided and discharged his duties with much ability and suavity of manner. After the cloth was drawn and the usual loyal toasts had been disposed of in full bumpers, the chairman, in a few pertinent observations proposed 'the free ports of Mona, and may Dr. Bowring enjoy health and happiness, and live long to complete the good work he has so ably begun', which was drunk with enthusiasm, followed with three times three hearty cheers and one cheer more. The convivial proceedings were succeeded by a ball, and dancing was kept up to an early hour on the following morning.'
One of the smaller of the affiliated orders, the Druids, with a membership in 1874, from the Fourth Report of the Royal Commission of 1874, of 547,000, were based chiefly in Lancashire and Yorkshire. They were also noted for the large amount of money spent on drink at their meetings. Their sociable tendencies, as reported, on an Island with a strong Total Abstinence movement might have gone against their movement's further success on the Island.
They are not listed in the 1879 Medical Aid and Poor Relief Commission Report..
M.N.H.L. Mona's Herald, 13 August 1844 and Isle of Man newspapers passim.
Eric Hopkins, Working Class Self-Help, (London, 1995) p.32,33
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Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received
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