A Friend in Deed

The Early Days and Founders of the Refuge Assurance Company Limited

(An article originally published in The Manchester Genealogist Volume 61, Issue 1)

Many readers will know the magnificent Grade II* listed building and clocktower on Oxford Road, Manchester opposite Oxford Road Station.  The building is now the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, but you might have known it until 1987 as the HQ of the Refuge Assurance Company Limited, the life assurance and pensions company, now subsumed into the Royal London and based in Wilmslow.  At various stages in its history the Refuge would employ nearly 1000 staff in Manchester and 4-6,000 agents as field staff: two of the Manchester HQ staff were my grandfather, W V Baines, who, excluding army service from 1915-18 in France, worked for the Refuge from 1910-1957 and my late father, R V Baines who, excluding service in the Royal Navy from 1943-46, worked there from 1940-1985.  My father left to me, among much other Refuge material, “Friend in Deed” by Cyril Clegg, which was the Centenary History of the Refuge from 1858-1958.

Photograph provided by Manchester Archives

My aim is to write a couple of short articles about the early days of the Refuge.  I have started with information I have to date about the Society’s origins and founders.  A short biography appears against a number of them, but their colleagues seemed to disappear from the scene.  It may be MLFHS members know of them, especially those who know about tallow chandlers, quite a few of whom are among the founders, and can email me on the above address.

With the original Minute Book missing, it is not known what specifically caused a handful of individuals to meet in 1858 to create a new Society.  However, in the summer of that year and based in Dukinfield, they founded “The Refuge Friend in Deed Life Assurance and Sick Fund Friendly Society” and put together the Rules which were approved by the Registrar of Friendly Societies on December 20th, 1858.  The objects were to insure a sum not exceeding £200 to be paid on the death of a Member, to provide endowments and to create a Sick Fund whereby a weekly sum to both male and female members would be paid in the event of illness or accident.  These were brave aims, particularly for men with little or no experience in these areas.  So, who were they?

These are the trustees and other officers named in the Refuge’s 1958 Centenary Book.[1]

The Trustees

Thomas Ward, Astley Street, Dukinfield.  The position is complicated by the fact that the 1851 Census shows two Thomas Wards, father and son, living at Astley Street.  The older man was a 54 year old cotton weaver, born in 1797 at Woodley.  His son was 21, a cotton sliverer, born at Hatherton, Cheshire.  Apart from an initial  subscription of £1 5s for 10 shares in October 1858, the records show little further involvement in the Refuge by a Thomas Ward, perhaps explained by a report in the Ashton Standard[2] dated 27 August 1859, that Thomas Ward of Astley Street, collector for the Refuge, having been committed from Manchester on a charge of obtaining the sum of £11 14s by false pretences, was found guilty of the charge and sentenced to 3 years penal servitude.  Whether father or son, more likely the father, but some Trustee!

John Jones, Chapel Lane, Wigan.  He could have been one of 20-30 John Jones’s in the Wigan area in 1861, albeit one lived on Chapel Lane in 1851(but not 1861).  However, that man’s trade, gas fitter, does not seem to be from the same sort of trade/business background as the others. 

Thomas Fletcher, New Town, Pemberton, Lancashire. From this brief mention of him in the Centenary Book, the only Thomas Fletcher of Pemberton I can trace was born in Clitheroe in 1817, and in the 1861 Census is a widower, a tallow chandler, living at Ormskirk Road, Pemberton with two sons, John and Joshua, both born in Bolton.

Treasurer

Joseph “Joe” Robins (1831? - 1862), born in the Glossop area.  A grocer and corn dealer. For the Society’s first four years, an immaculate keeper of the books and accounts. He advanced money  to the Society “to keep things going”.  The Society placed a Memorial on his grave, following his tragic death aged 31.

Committee of Management

John Haselden, 126 Chapel Lane, Wigan.  He was involved in a heavily reported legal case (The Wigan Observer and District Advertiser dated 26/27 November 1858)[3] which related to his agency for The Friend in Need Society, established in the 1830s, and conflict with his role with the similarly-named Refuge Friend in Deed.  Having been the first agent to pay in a premium, he had the dubious role in February 1859 to present the first three death claims for £9 0s 2d, £1 13s 10d and £2 respectively! 

William Bradburn, 59 Astley Street, Dukinfield, whose premises would become the Society’s office in 1859, was a great enthusiast and dynamic personality.  He was elected Chairman of the Committee in 1862, and to a new Committee of six in 1863, and subsequently became General Manager.  However, he fell foul of his colleagues’ opinion such that by 1866, he was judged to have brought trouble and disrespect to the Society, and having resigned, was never again employed by the Refuge, although he was allowed a gratuity “for the purpose of obtaining medical and other assistance (he now being out of health)”.  He was also believed to have an address at 3 Pickford Lane, Dukinfield.

Thomas Sinclair, St Andrew’s Terrace, Newtown, Wigan. In the 1861 Census he was also recorded as a tallow chandler from Lancaster living at 13 St Andrews Terrace with his wife, Ellen, children Robert and Alice and his father, Robert, a retired dyer, from Scotland.

James Proctor (1820-1888), originally from Preston.  He was a travelling salesman/journey man tailor who moved in 1863 to 45 Livesey Street, Manchester, and history views him as a main founding figure in the creation and history of the Society, becoming General Manager and Managing Director.  He died at The Elms, Wardle Road, Sale, and such had been the impact over 30 years of this enterprising, but modest man, that the then Board wrote to his widow about a man “to whom we have been able to look up to for counsel and guidance, and especially as he was the last survivor of its promoters who has stood by the Company in all its trials and witnessed its unparalleled prosperity”.  

The Proctor family would become a major force in the affairs of the Refuge well into the 20th Century

James Woodcock (1814?-1884) of Fletcher Street, Oldham, a tailor and draper.  While the 1841 and 1851 censuses show him living at Crown Street, Manchester and 1 Wilmot Street, Manchester, the 1861 census records him as born at Wheelock, Cheshire, with wife and daughter both called Alice.  He was a main player in the Society’s early years, being an excellent administrator remaining in office until his death in 1884.

George Robins (?-1870), 15 Hart Street, Manchester, a grocer and corn dealer, whose house was used as the first office in 1858/9.  The brother of Joe Robins.  He became one of the committees of six in 1863 and Secretary in 1864.  As Secretary he was the Defendant in a case brought by Robert Collier and Others as reported in the Ashton and Stalybridge Reporter[4] on July 9th, 1864. The case involved the last payment on the life policy of the deceased collier which, when tendered to J H Ferrand (collector), was refused, the amount in dispute being 18 guineas.  There were many allegations made in the case, which attracted much interest.

Like his brother Joe, he advanced money to the Society, until one day, as Cyril Clegg records in the Centenary Book at page 10, the Committee resolved “that George Robins be allowed the sum of Twelve Shillings and Sixpence for Interest for monies advanced, and that he be allowed to charge the Society Interest or loss that he may be at through advancing money to the Society”.

Joseph Smith, Stockport, one of over 100 recorded in the Stockport area in 1861, of whom over 20 could easily be the man.  Also on the Committee were the infamous Trustee, Thomas Ward and the Secretary, Joe Robins

Auditors

Joshua France, Lord Street, Oldham.  In the 1861 Census, the name of a schoolmaster from Chadderton living at Perth Street, Oldham.

John Slack, Oldham - nothing known so far

J H Ferrand (1810?-1873), of High Street, Glossop and also of Dinting: an oil and tallow agent.  Also, a schoolmaster and grocer according to the 1861 Census.  Involved in the reported case in 1864 brought by Robert Collier and Others - see George Robins above.  He was on the first Finance Committee.

Research to come?

I now turn to the route that research may take to fill out the story of these founders and of those who followed, but increasingly how the business fared, which included geographical expansion through the use of agency offices.  Readers will have noted the lack of a female name.  That brings the story round to the first female name in the Centenary Book, Selina Leader of Staveley, probably Cumbria.  The search is on for her and her colleagues, such as Henry Adams, Thomas Shutt, Henry Thornton, Robert Moss and others. 

Photograph provided by Manchester Archives
 

It is hoped a future article will also expand this story and include the Refuge’s growth and ultimately its occupation of the Oxford Road site in the building in the photograph. It was designed by both the famous architect, Alfred Waterhouse, who, of course, designed Manchester Town Hall and many other structures in the country, and later, by his son, Paul Waterhouse.

How you can help

The Society is interested in receiving information about the Refuge and the people who worked there from 1858 to 1958. Particularly of interest would be articles or documents relating to the Company’s earlier years, and any personal or family stories which you may wish to reach a wider public- these can be biographical or perhaps be about later generations, e.g. the Refuge during the World Wars or the introduction of new technology. For the time being the information should relate to Head Office or the interaction of those in the field to HQ, as the Society’s activities cover Greater Manchester & Lancashire. If you have something to contribute, please Email MLFHS marking your message for my attention.

Ed Baines (19122)

[1] Refuge’s 1958 Centenary Book - “ Friend in Deed” by Cyril Clegg, Fellow of the institute of Actuaries, produced and published by Stone and Cox Limited,44 Fleet Street, London EC 4 for the Refuge Assurance Company Limited (1958)
[2] Ashton Standard dated 27 August 1859 – British Newspaper Archives via Findmypast.co.uk
[3] The Wigan Observer and District Advertiser dated 26/27 November 1858 - British Newspaper Archives via Findmypast.co.uk
[4] Ashton and Stalybridge Reporter dated July 9th, 1864 - British Newspaper Archives via Findmypast.co.uk