Royal Victoria Order of Druidesses

For International Women's Day I have previously written about individuals, or family groups - like Gertrude Mary Hutton, and Avery and Ida Woodward - but for IWD 2024, I'm writing about a Loughborough women's group from the mid-1800s! 

On 13th June 1842, the Loughborough Druidesses group was created. The event was reported in the ‘Leicestershire Mercury’ of 18th June 1842, and explains what the purpose of the group was:

“United Ancient Order of Druids. A Society of Druidesses was formed on Monday evening, at a private room at Mr Remington’s Mundy Arms [2], Loughborough, called the Victoria Lodge, under the superintendence of Lodge 116 of the above ancient order, when nearly 90 members enrolled, ‘with every prospect (says a correspondent) of becoming a very extensive and respectable lodge, whose study will be to promote the happiness, and better the condition of their fellow curates by strictly adhering to the principles of friendship and benevolence. The [women] were very much enamoured with those new and modernised system of social [interaction] and separated with full spirits in anticipation of ‘A feast of reason and flow of soul’ over a good dish of tea in their lodge room, to commemorate the opening of so laudable an institution.’”

The Mundy Arms, now Fat Sam's, was demolished and rebuilt in 1935. Pictured here in 2021

On 26th June 1843 the Royal Victoria Lodge of Druidesses, held their first anniversary meeting at Remington’s Mundy Arms. The ‘Nottingham Review’, of June 30th, 1843 had this to say:

“A goodly number of the fair members partook of tea together, after which, they tripped it on the light fantastic toe, and were highly entertained by the performances of the Loughborough band. The joyous hilarity of the evening was prolonged to a very late hour, and the company separated highly gratified. The lodge now consists of about 120 members.”

Sadly, by 3rd September 1843, Mary Brand, one of the members of the Druidesses, had died, and members of the lodge processed to her funeral, as reported in the ‘Nottingham Review’ of September 8th, 1843:

“… about forty members of the ‘Royal Victoria Order of Druidesses’ Lodge, which has recently been opened at Mrs Remington’s the Mundy Arms, Loughborough, attended the funeral of a deceased member, Mary Brand. The procession had a very solemn and imposing appearance, and was beheld by a large concourse of spectators.”

On 24th June 1844, 150 members of the Royal Victoria Lodge of Druidesses had a tea meeting at the house of host Remington’s Mundy Arms, where everything was of the best quality.

Although quoted as the fourth-anniversary meeting, the meeting which took place on 23rd June 1845, was actually the third-anniversary meeting. This is what the ‘Leicester Journal and Midland Counties General Advertiser’ of 27th June 1845 reported:

“LOUGHBOROUGH – On Monday evening last, the fourth anniversary [i.e. the third] meeting of the Loyal [Royal] Victoria Lodge of Druidesses was held at the lodge house, the Mundy Arms Inn, Loughborough, when, after the usual routine business was concluded, upwards of 70 sat down to tea. The lodge now numbers 153 members, and under the judicious management of the President, Mr E. Wilkinson, (Vice-President, Mr J. Goode, and Secretary, Mr A. W. Clarke [2]  the funds are rapidly increasing. The members, to testify their respect for, and a due appreciation of, that gentleman’s services, presented to him a handsome teapot, and massive but glass cream jug, and a similar present to Mr Goode in due form. This, the most interesting part of the ceremony of the evening, having been concluded, music and dancing lent their charms till chanticleer proclaimed the dawn of the day. The members, we understand, have voluntarily subscribed a sufficient sum, to make a similar present to those made to the President and Vice-President, to the Secretary.”

The anniversary meeting which took place on 23rd June 1846 was also held in the Mundy Arms, although the establishment is now run by Mr Kennington. The ‘Leicester Journal’ on June 26th, 1846, reported as follows:

“The members took tea together in the afternoon, and in the evening the annual business was transacted. The President, Vice-President, and Secretary, Messrs. Wilkinsons, Goode, and A. M. Clarke [3], continue to conduct the affairs of the lodge, in the most economical and creditable manner, and an increased number of members, and flourishing state of the funds is the result. The present number of members is 166. After the business was transacted, the younger members commenced dancing, and kept it up until a late hour.”

The lodge reached its 12th anniversary on 13th June 1854, but they have moved away from the Mundy Arms. Here’s the report from the ‘Leicester Journal’ of 16th June 1854:

“DRUIDESSES’ ANNIVERSARY The twelfth anniversary of the Royal Victoria Lodge of the Druidesses was held in a room in Moira Street, Loughborough … An excellent tea was provided on the occasion, to which upwards of ninety of the sisterhood sat down. After tea the younger members repaired to the Black Boy public house [4] where they ‘tripped it on the light fantastic toe’ for several hours. Before tea, several alterations were made in the rules, which it is hoped will prove beneficial to the lodge, which numbers 125 members, and which there is reason to believe has not been conducted so ably as it might have been, as the funds in hand do not amount to £70.”

The Black Boy pub was demolished and rebuilt in 1931. The Blacksmiths pictured in 2021

The Druidesses were still going strong another twelve years later, and it was reported in the ‘Leicester Journal’ of 16th June, 1865, that the Druidesses had celebrated their anniversary by taking tea together in the Odd Fellows’ Hall [5], at which there was a good attendance.

Of course, there was also a lodge of Druids, and members of the Hand and Heart Lodge, No. 116 of the United Ancient Order of Druids celebrated their anniversary at the Cross Keys Inn [6], run by Mr Woodward. The ‘Leicester Journal’ of 21st July 1871 reported thus:

“After the usual loyal and other toasts had been disposed of, the following were given and duly honoured: ‘Success to the Hand and Heart Lodge’, ‘The Ladies and Druidesses’” – and many more!

Not surprisingly, the Loughborough lodge was not the only one in the area, and there was a lodge formed around a similar time in Castle Donnington, which met at the Bricklayer’s Arms Inn, which in 1845 was run by Mr John Cresswell. There was also a lodge at Walton-on-the-Wolds, called the ‘Temple of Friendship’, which on its anniversary in 1857 had over 80 members. That anniversary was celebrated by the members taking tea together, and concluding with a merry dance that went off in a very satisfactory manner.

In 1859 in Barrow-on-Soar, the members of the Star of Friendship Lodge, 2,110, Manchester Unity [of Oddfellows] held an anniversary dinner at the Hammer and Pincers, run by Mr Swaines. The Loughborough Brass Band attended the event, and:

“The members attended by the band walked in procession to church, escorting the members of the Druidesses Lodge … after which they returned in the same order, and conducted the Druidesses to the Royal Oak Inn, where a substantial dinner was provided for them by host Barsby. This lodge bears the singular title of the ‘Royal Ichthyosaurus’ out of respect, it is supposed, to Mr Lee, whose geological museum is rich with fossil specimens of the amphibious animal [7]. The lodge, though small, is progressing favourably, numbering about 30 members, and is patrionised by some of the principal inhabitants. After dinner they beguiled an hour or two in the orchard at the back of the inn, and took tea together about six o’clock, being joined by a few … [men] … who had received special invitations. The day’s enjoyment was wound up by a merry dance.” – as reported to the ‘Leicester Journal’ 24th June 1859.

We also find that in 1881 there is a lodge of Druidesses in Sileby, which meets periodically in the Undenominational School, which is also where they held their anniversary dinner – a tea of beef and ham - in 1882.

Sadly, I have been unable to establish when the Druidesses ceased to exist, and in reality I have found little information about the group, other than the occasions of their annual meetings. More information about the pubs mentioned can be found in 'Loughborough Pubs'.  

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Notes

[1] The United Ancient Order of Druids was probably the biggest and most successful of the Druid orders in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It was formed in 1833 as a breakaway group from the Ancient Order of Druids, which had itself been formed in London, as early as 1781, and had a similar ethos to that of the Oddfellows - amongst other things, to take subscriptions from all members, which would be used to help members in times of hardship.

[2] Now Fat Sam's

[3] This is probably Augustus William Clarke (1802-1878), who was a grocer and angola hosiery warehouseman.

[4] Now The Blacksmiths 

[5] This was on Sparrow Hill, and is now an International Supermarket

[6] Now The Phantom

[7] Some information can be found on the Barrow local history website

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Posted by lynneaboutloughborough

With apologies for typos which are all mine!

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