With Carlos Guarita
An important piece of living history was captured by Bridport-based photographer Carlos in July when he attended the annual Stoke Abbott Sick Club Parade.
Stoke Abbott Sick Club
Founded in 1860, and long before the dawning of social security, this Sick Club or ‘friendly society’ allowed working-class men and women to pool their pennies as insurance against sickness.
Once common throughout West Dorset, Stoke Abbott Sick Club is the last surviving example of these types of organisations.
These clubs were never charities, but run by groups of working people who applied principles of participatory democracy to meet the needs of its members – a kind of do-it-yourself welfare system run by men.
Litton Cheney Friendly Society
The Litton Cheney Friendly Society rulebook states: “This Society is established to provide by voluntary subscriptions of the members, with the aid of donations, for the relief or maintenance of the members, during sickness or other infirmity except lunacy.
“For the assistance by contributions towards the funeral expenses of a member or of the deceased wife of a member; for providing medical attendance to members during sickness.”
Most of these societies were dissolved after the founding of the welfare system.
Records at Dorset History Centre stated: “In July 1948, the National Health Insurance had come into effect, and members decided to dissolve the Litton Cheney Friendly Society, and its affairs were wound up.”