_Railway Guards' Friendly Fund_ was originated in this town in 1848. It has nearly 2,200 members; the yearly disbursements being about £6,000, and the payments £40 at death, with life pensions of 10s. and upwards per week to members disabled on the line. More than £85,000 has been thus distributed since the commencement.
_Roman Catholic_.--A local Friendly Society was founded in 1794, and a Midland Association in 1824.
_Shepherds_.--The Order of Shepherds dates from 1834, but we cannot get at the number of members, &c. August 9, 1883 (according to _Daily Post_), the High Sanctuary meeting of the Order of Shepherds was held in our Town Hall, when the auditor's report showed total assets of the general fund, £921 15s. 4d., and liabilities £12 6s. 9-1/2d. The relief fund stood at £292 18s. 8d., being an increase of £66 0s. 11d. on the year; and there was a balance of £6 13s. 9-1/2d. to the credit of the sick and funeral fund.
_St. David's Society_.--The members held their first meeting March 1, 1824.
_St. Patrick's Benefit Society_, dating from 1865 as an offshoot of the Liverpool Society, had at end of 1882, 3,144 members, the expenditure of the year was £857 (£531 for funerals), and the total value of the society £2,030.
_Unitarian Brotherly Society_, registered in 1825, has about 500 members, and a capital of £8,500.
_United Brothers_.--There are nearly 100 lodges and 10,000 members of societies under this name in Birmingham and neighbourhood, some of the lodges being well provided for capital, No. 4 having £8,286 to 186 members.
_United Family_ Life Assurance and Sick Benefit Society claims to have some 8,500 members, 750 of whom reside in Birmingham.
_United Legal_ Burial Society, registered in 1846, like the above, is a branch only.
_Union Provident Sick Society_.--Founded 1802, enrolled in 1826 and certified in 1871, had then 3,519 members and a reserve fund of £8,269. At end of 1883 the reserve fund stood at £15,310 16s. 9d., there having been paid during the year £4,768 17s. 2d. for sick pay and funerals, besides 15s. dividend to each member.
There are 15,379 Friendly Societies or branches in the kingdom, numbering 4,593,175 members, and their funds amounted to (by last return) £12,148,602.