Members of the Andreas Benevolent Society have celebrated their ‘club day’ in a tradition that stretches back more than 200 years.

On Ascension Thursday ever since 1812 the members of the society have met for the annual event.

This year was no different but in 2020 and 2021 no meeting was held due to Covid.

From 1791 a series of friendly societies or benevolent societies were set up in the island at a time when there were no state benefits or nationalised health service.

Members paid in a monthly subscription of a few pence and then if out of work through illness could claim a sickness benefit.

Equally, if the member died there was a contribution towards the funeral and then regular payments to the widow.

There was a society in every parish on the island as well as in the towns.

Each had a set club day such as Easter Monday, Whit Monday, Christmas Day and several societies met on Ascension Thursday.

The format was the same in each case.

A meeting of members early in the morning to elect the officials for the forthcoming year and also to set the subscription, sickness and funeral rate.

Next members would march to the parish church wearing their sashes and in some cases carrying staves and even club flags.

In most cases they were preceded by a band.

Some societies had their own band, Andreas never did and over the years the music was provided by bands from Ramsey, Foxdale, Crosby, Rushen and immediately after the Second World War by the pipes and drums band from RAF Jurby.

After the church service the members would march around the parish calling at the large houses in the district.

Then there would be a meal in a hall or even outside with roast oxen and beer.

In Andreas, however, probably due to the influence of the Archdeacon, there wasn’t any beer or spirits, just tea or coffee with the meal.

In 1824 the Andreas Benevolent Society bought cups, saucers, large plates and small plates sufficient for 100 place settings. These were emblazoned with the Three Legs of Man and the name of the society.

The same crockery is still in use today almost 200 years later and is used only for the annual club meal.

In 1872 the Andreas event also included bicycle and running races and these continued up until the 1960s.

There was a change in 1958 when the meetings were moved to the evening and marching around the houses was dropped with members just heading back to the location of the annual meeting for their cooked meat meal.

In May 1906 the society had as a guest, Lord Raglan, the Lieutenant Governor and they were all photographed with him in front of Ballaradcliffe.

This year the Lieutenant Governor Lieutenant General Sir John Lorimer was due to attend but he was called to London just days before.

However Lady Lorimer, together with her mother, Cilla Owens, joined the members in the parish church for the service conducted by Rev Ian Skidmore, and then in the parish hall for the meal.

Onchan Silver Band played for the parade, during the service and also during the meal.

Following the meal the retiring president Peter Kelly thanked all who had been involved, particularly the women of the parish who had prepared and served the meal.

He then gave an outline of the history of the society.

The Andreas Benevolent Society is the last of the local societies to still be running and this year celebrated 210 years of existence.