end of 1883, amounting to over £48,000, with a yearly increment of about
£1,400; the number of members in the medical fund being 5,112.

_Grocers_.--These gentlemen organised a Benevolent Society, in 1872.

_Independent Order of Rechabites_.--Dwellers in tents, and drinkers of
no wine, were the original Rechabites, and there are about a score of
"tents" in this district, the oldest being pitched in this town in 1839,
and, as friendly societies, they appear to be doing, in their way, good
service, like their friends who meet in "courts" and "lodges," the
original "tent's" cashbox having £675 in hand for cases of sickness,
while the combined camp holds £1,600 wherewith to bury their dead.

_Jewellers' Benevolent Association_ dates from Oct. 25, 1867.

_Medical_.--A Midland Medical Benevolent Society has been in existence
since 1821. The annual report to end of 1883 showed invested funds
amounting to £10,937, there being 265 benefit members and 15 honorary.

_Musical_.--The Birmingham Musical Society consists almost solely of
members of the Choral Society, whose fines, with small subscriptions
from honorary members, furnishes a fund to cover rehearsal, and sundry
choir expenses as well as 10s in cases of sickness.

_New Meeting Provident Institution_ was founded in 1836, but is now
connected with the Church of the Messiah. A little over a thousand
members, one-third of whom are females.

_Oddfellows_.--The National Independent Order of Oddfellows, Birmingham
Branch, was started about 1850. At the end of 1879 there were 1,019