Airton Band of Hope

The Band of Hope was a temperance organisation for working-class children founded in Leeds in 1847, in an era when alcohol was generally viewed as a necessity of life.
Along with other temperance organisations, The Band of Hope fought to counteract the influence pubs and brewers had on family life, with the specific aim of rescuing 'unfortunates' whose lives had been blighted by drink and teaching complete abstinence.
In 1855, a national organisation was formed, with meetings held in chapels and churches throughout the country. Members were enrolled from the age of six, taking a pledge of total abstinence and were taught the "evils of drink".
Local "Bands" met regulary to listen to lectures, which included Christian teaching, and to participate in activities such as singing. Music played an important role in the organisation and competitions were held between different Band of Hope choirs.

Certificates or members cards were usually issued on signing the pledge.

The Airton Band of Hope was set up in 1873 by members of the Wesleyan Methodists, based in their original Chapel at Scosthrop.

At a committee meeting of the Airton Band of Hope held October 2nd 1873 the following resolutions were passed:

1. That Arthur Waterfall be appointed President, Mary Cartwright Vice President.
2. That Robert Kidd Richardson be appointed Secretary.
3. That Henry Banks be Treasurer.
4. That the Band of Hope meeting be held the first Tuesday in every month. The first Meeting to be October 7th.
5. That one of the Committee attend every meeting beside the President.
6. That 3 Doz. Hoyle's Melodies be ordered.

The Committee consists of Arthur Waterfall, Solomon Harker, Thos. W. Waterhouse, John Wood, Hanah Slater, Mary Cartwright, Ellen Parkinson, Susannah Shackleton.

The Band of Hope Records at Airton Chapel only cover the years 1873-6 and it isn't clear how long the group was active in Malhamdale, but the information shown on this page is a distillation of the available information.

Airton Band of Hope roll 1873
Margaret	Anderson		Ann	Kirkley
Mary	Banks		Sarah	Kirkley
Mary	Burton		Richard	Metcalfe
Alice	Cardus		Elizabeth Ann	Moorby
Jane	Cardus		Margaret	Moorby
Elizabeth	Clark		Ann	Morphet
Mary Alice	Clark		Ellen	Morphet
John	Fitchett		Elizabeth	Parker
Elizabeth	Gill		Elizabeth	Redfern
Elizabeth	Halstead		Alice	Sidgwick
Reb	Hawkins		Rachel	Standige
Arthur Adison	Henley		Ada	Uttley
Edith Mary	Henley		Annie	Uttley
Isable	Henley		Harry	Uttley
Maria Ann	Henley		Rebecca	Warden
Margaret	Hyde		Hagar	Wood

Report on the first year:

According to the above Resolutions the Meetings have been held Regularly during the past year, and were all well attended during the Winter months; in Summer the attendance was not so good which may be accounted for by the length and fineness of the evenings. On Saturday January 31st a Tea was provided for the Members, which they thoroughly enjoyed.

After the tea a Meeting was held, when a short addresses were given by some of the Senior Members, also recitations by some of the Junior Members, at the close of the Meeting John Clark was presented with a New Book by Mr T. W. Waterhouse as a Reward for having found the most texts of Scripture in support of Temperence principles. Each Junior member having been presented with an Orange, the Meeting broke up, all been well pleased with the Evenings enjoyment.

The Drunkards Progress. Image from Wikimedia Commons

The Wesleyan Methodist Young Abstainers League seems to have appeared briefly in 1921, though the record book shows only eight youngsters enrolled:

Temperance wasn't only the province of the Malhamdale Methodists, as the parish church also had its own group which ran around the same period as the Airton Band of Hope.
The Malham Church of England Temperance Society and Band of Hope appears to have started in 1875 with 62 members in the "Abstinence Section", 8 in the "General section and a committee of eleven members plus the vicar, the Rev TC Henley as President.
The last appearance in the Parish accounts shows it running up to May 31st 1888 and although it doesn't say it has ceased, the vicar notes "The Pledge Book is for the present kept at the Vicarage, where several new names have been recently inscribed." which seems to indicate that it was inactive

The Band of Hope still exists today in the form of Hope UK a national Christian charity dedicated to educating children and young people about the perils of drug and alcohol abuse.