Girls Friendly Society founded 1875

[Ponytail]

Girls Friendly Society founded 1875.

Further to my post about twin sisters Agnes & Clara Badger under the heading Oakdale House Case Book Names, I was wondering if this certificate had any link to Oakdale House or something similar. Originally going to post it under Oakdale but after some research thought the organisation deserved its own heading. 

Mary slotted it into the Scrapbook she'd prepared for my father to be given to him after her death. Family didn't know anything about it and was always dismissed as some club she'd belonged to. 

Having seen the posting about Oakdale House and finding her sisters on the list, made me think again about it.

1901 census Mary was employed as a domestic servant in Bury and was still there at the time of Queen Victoria's funeral attending a Memorial Service. Before her marriage to Joe she was in service in Chapeltown to "Lady Habershon" as she referred to her. She must have been there a while as Joe was allowed to "come courting" at the house and Miss Habershon presented them with a monogrammed canteen of cutlery as a wedding present. 

Mary isn't on the Oakdale House listing, wondered if they became part of The Girls Friendly Society or there were other similar organisation in the area. 

Then via the Internet discovered more information.

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/9e3bee7a-6881-43ef-91e9-1ff7116b4f4a

 

https://girlsfriendlysociety.org.uk/about-gfs/our-history/

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girls'_Friendly_Society

 

https://historicengland.org.uk/research/inclusive-heritage/womens-history/buildings-that-celebrate-working-women/former-london-diocesan-girls-friendly-society-hostel/

https://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/girls-friendly-society-hostel

 

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/BIOG91350

 

Whites Directory 1905. 

Girls Friendly Society Club, 14 Norfolk Street, hon. branch sec., Miss F del Strother. 

Girls Friendly Society Lodge, Miss del Strother, hon. sec. & treas. Miss Alice Webb, hon. lady supt., 33 Havelock Street. 

Street Listing, it appears to have been at the intersection of Havelock Street & Havelock Square. 

This makes me smile, next door:

No. 31, University House Young Working Men's Home & College. 

No. 27, Rescue & Evangelization Mission, Mrs. Elizabeth Corbridge, superintendent. 

Seems it was an area for lodgings, at No. 25 Beal, Mrs Lydia, apartments. 

 

A members card from another region

 

Marian Fawcett Wightman (1848-1902) took an active role at the Girls Friendly Society Lodge, Havelock Street. 

Picture Sheffield arc02494 dated about 1890. 

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc02492&pos=2&action=zoom&id=128167

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc02493&pos=3&action=zoom&id=128168

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc02490&pos=1&action=zoom&id=128165

It's made me rethink about Mary's service at Chapeltown where I thought she was a "live in servant"  it's possible she could have lived at a Girls Friendly Society establishment and travelled to work; or there again perhaps she was a member and didn't live at the Lodge.  

Her address on the marriage certificate is 8 Goulder Place, her mother and stepfathers abode. 

 

Does anybody know anymore about the Sheffield Branch of the Society? 

 

Present day Girls Friendly Society

https://www.instagram.com/girlsfriendlysociety/?hl=en

 

https://www.charityjob.co.uk/recruiter/girls-friendly-society/1914

 

https://www.gfsworld.org/

 

https://www.girlsfriendlysociety.ie/shop/