_Union Provident Sick Society_.--Founded 1802, enrolled in 1826 and
certified in 1871, had then 3,519 members and a reserve fund of £8,269.
At end of 1883 the reserve fund stood at £15,310 16s. 9d., there having
been paid during the year £4,768 17s. 2d. for sick pay and funerals,
besides 15s. dividend to each member.

There are 15,379 Friendly Societies or branches in the kingdom,
numbering 4,593,175 members, and their funds amounted to (by last
return) £12,148,602.

~Friends (The Society of).~--Quakerism was publicly professed here in
1654, George Fox visiting the town the following year and in 1657. The
triends held their first "meetings" in Monmouth Street in 1659. The
meeting-house in Bull Street was built in 1703, and was enlarged several
times prior to 1856, when it was replaced by the present edifice which
will seat about 800 persons. The re-opening took place January 25, 1857.
The burial-ground in Monmouth Street, where the Arcade is now, was taken
by the Great Western Railway Co. in 1851, the remains of over 300
departed Friends being removed to the yard of the meeting-house in Bull
Street.

~Froggery.~--Before the New Street Railway Station was built, a fair
slice of old Birmingham had to be cleared away, and fortunately it
happened to be one of the unsavoury portions, including the spot known
as "The Froggery." As there was a Duck Lane close by, the place most
likely was originally so christened from its lowlying and watery
position, the connection between ducks and frogs being self-apparent.

~Frosts.~--Writing on Jan. 27, 1881, the late Mr. Plant said that in 88