| Description | A preamble to the Rules states that the object of the Society is to maintain mutual friendship among refugees from Normandy and to help those who might fall into need through accident or sickness.The Rules relate chiefly to the amounts of subscriptions, benefits and fines, and to the conduct of meetings, at which beer and tobacco were permitted but not swearing or gaming. A Secretary and a Receiver (Treasurer) were to be elected, and replaced every six months. Benefits were to include funeral expenses. Rules 33 to 37 were added at various dates between 1742 and 1762. By a resolution of 1753 the membership was limited to forty-five.
Between Rules 29 and 30 there is a list of 37 Secretaries, apparently from the start, but not dated. Between Rules 34 and 35 and after the last rule, there is a register of signatures of members, with dates of admittance, 1703 to 1762. Many are marked 'dead'.
Facing page 1 of the Rules is a memorandum that the Society was founded on 11 January 1703. Pasted on the inside front cover is a printed advertisement of James Adams, stationer, at the Adam & Eve near the Vine Inn in Bishopsgate, with a list of his wares. |