Category Archives: temperance

L is for Never Surrender Lodge No. 187 I. O. G. T. Lamplough

13 Thursday Apr 2017

Posted by in A to Z 2017, Fish, Lamplough, temperance, Young

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The International Order of Good Templars is a temperance organisation, founded in the United States in 1851.

IOGT (International Organisation of Good Templars) Certificate of Membership from 1868. Published by Lyman T. Moore, Lawton, Michigan. Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1868, by Lyman T. Moore in the Clerks Office of the District Court for the Western District of Michigan. Image from Wikipedia. (Click to enlarge)
 Vignette (top): The parable of the Good Samaritan. Vignettes (clockwise from bottom): First drink – social. Second drink at a bar. Drinking & gambling. Goes home drunk to young wife. Pawns his clothes. Poverty & delirium. Recovery – signs the pledge. Prosperity & happy home. Certificate of Membership: This is to Certify, that — is a worthy Member in good standing of — Lodge N° — held at — State of —. In Witness Whereof, we have hereunto affixed the Seal of our Lodge this — day of — A.D. 18 —. Secretary. W.C.

In 1875 the Order established a branch, the ‘Never Surrender’ Lodge in the small mining settlement of Lamplough, in central Victoria. My husband’s 3rd great grandfather, George Young (1826-1890), and George’s son John (1856-1928), both gold miners, became officers of the Lodge. George’s daughter Alice (1859 – 1935) , aged 17, was also a member, holding the office of Worthy Treasurer. George was Worthy Financial Secretary and John was Worthy Marshall.

FRIDAY EVENING. FEBRUARY 5, 1875. (1875, February 5). Avoca Mail (Vic. : 1863 – 1900; 1915 – 1918), p. 2. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article202697423
No title (1875, November 12). Avoca Mail (Vic. : 1863 – 1900; 1915 – 1918), p. 2. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article202698128
LAMPLOUGH. (1876, January 14). Avoca Mail (Vic. : 1863 – 1900; 1915 – 1918), p. 3. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article204038187

In 1876 the Avoca Mail reported that at a concert put on by the Lodge, Mr Young—presumably either George or his son John—‘did good [unreadable]’. From the context it appears that his performance was either a song or two or perhaps a few jokes. It is a little frustrating not to be able to read the badly scanned text.

The International Order of Good Templars still exists, but I have found no more newspaper mentions of the Lamplough Lodge after this one in 1876; I don’t know when it dissolved.

Initials

IOGT = Independent Order of Good Templars
GWCT = Grand Worthy Chief Templar
WCT = Worthy Chief Templar
PWCT = Past Worthy Chief Templar
WVT = Worthy Vice Templar
WS = Worthy Secretary
WC = Worthy Chaplain
WIG = Worthy Inside Guard
WOG = Worthy Outside Guard
WAS = Worthy Assistant Secretary
WT = Worthy Treasurer
WFS = Worthy Financial Secretary
WDM = Worthy Deputy Marshall
WRHS = Worthy Right Hand Supporter
WLHS = Worthy Left Hand Supporter

Further reading