Village C lii/'S and Associations. 11 



already mentioned, which had a central deposit branch, the 

 Hampshire Friendly Society, and the Surrey Deposit Friendly 

 Societ5^ The principle of these clubs was that the limits of 

 benefits were fixed by the sum accumulated by the contributions 

 of each individual member. It has truly been said of these 

 that they are savings banks rather than friendly societies, and 

 primarly individual, not social. They received a good deal of 

 support from the country clergy, and in some cases they did 

 much good work ; but generally speaking their econom.ic 

 and social value was much lower than that of the better class of 

 village sick clubs or the county sick clubs. One village dividing 

 society is worthy of honourable mention, namely, Abbots Ann 

 (Dorset) Provident Society, which was " a savings bank, a 

 friendly society, and a medical club all in one." 



The great building societies have confined their activities 

 almost exclusively to industrial areas ; but a few small 

 societies have been established, and have done good work in 

 large villages in purely agricultural districts. These societies 

 collect subscriptions from members, and after a certain sum 

 has been accumulated it is returned to them, accompanied 

 sometimes by an additional loan, which must be invested in 

 real estate, generally, as the name implies, in building a house 

 for the member's family. The society takes a mortgage of the 

 site and the prospective building. By means of further sub- 

 scriptions the mortgage debt is repaid, and the member possesses 

 sole interest in the property. For these purposes a society 

 sometimes buys lancl and develops it for building purposes. 

 Types of most building societies may be found in several 

 counties, and one or two examples may be given. In Berkshire 

 the Ascot and District (838th Starr-Bowkett) Society has 262 

 members. The record of its business for one year is as 

 follows :• — 



£ 



Total received 1,899 



Amount tiUowed on mortgasfe . . . 927 



Liabihtifis : 



To shareholders 7,914 



Depositoi's and other creditors ... 18 



Undiviilwl profit 1,334 



A.isetx : 



Bahmce due on mortgage securities . . 8,332 

 Other assets 984 



This society has had a fairly long lease of life, having been 

 incorporated in 1<S87. 



A Warwickshire society, the Southam Permanent Benefit, 

 founded forty-two years ago and incorporated in 1900, has 194 

 members. The amount of its business is similar to that of the 

 foregoing society : — 



