The Wiltshire Friendly Society was (and still is) a mutual assurance company. These days it is based in Trowbridge but from the time it was founded, in 1828, there were members from across Wiltshire including Market Lavington and Easterton.
Market Lavington Museum was recently given a medallion from the early days of the society.
Wiltshire Friendly Society Medallion at Market Lavington Museum
The Friendly Society logo on the other side of the medallion
We are not sure what this item was for, but the hole, to make it into a medallion looks like an afterthought and it was not well done.
The good thing about this organisation is that they kept records of quite a meticulous kind and, as many members of the society were born before National Registration began in 1837, the details about members can be very useful to family history researchers.
The Wiltshire Family History Society is the place to go for actual records. They hold the database and make it available to members and non-members of their society.
The table below is just a small part of what is a huge database. Wiltshire Family History Society has much more information than this.
| HISCOCK,Frederick George | Market Lavington |
1865 |
| HISCOCK,William Henry | Market Lavington |
1864 |
| HOBBS,Charles | Market Lavington |
1846 |
| HOBBS,Charles Benjamin | Market Lavington |
1867 |
| HOBBS,George William | Market Lavington |
1871 |
| HOBBS,James | Market Lavington |
1868 |
| HOBBS,William | Market Lavington |
1846 |
| HOLLEY,Charles | Market Lavington |
1850 |
| HOPKINS,James | Market Lavington |
1853 |
| HOPKINS,John | Market Lavington |
1846 |
| HOPKINS,Joseph | Market Lavington |
1859 |
Tags: Market Lavington, medallion, Museum, society
Market Lavington Museum 
January 4, 2015 at 6:01 pm |
I have a medal similar to the one depicted on your museum blog one side is exactly the same showing the words Wilts friendly society etc. it also has a hole in the same place
However the other side has a picture of a man (head and shoulders looking left) and some lettering around the top as follows;
T.H.S.SOTHE(then a space where the hole is) ON ESTCOURT
do you have any idea who this might be?
January 4, 2015 at 7:23 pm |
By good fortune, David, I can place him with no real knowledge at all. he is Thomas Henry Sutton Sotheron Estcourt and you can read something about him at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_H._Sotheron-Estcourt . With his name you’ll find lots of other sites with fuller biographical details.
I hope that helps
Rog
Curator
February 22, 2018 at 12:57 am |
I have found such a medallion whilst metal detecting near Chippenham. It is as you cam imagin in a poor state of preservation. I have cleaned and restored it the best I can. I am willing to hand it over to any Wiltshire Meauseum that might welcome it. My preference would be Devizes.Mr Peter Pearce ,Oxfordshire.
February 26, 2018 at 9:55 am |
Dear Mr Pearce,
I think the Wiltshire Friendly Society might be interested in taking your medallion. Could you be in touch with me?
James Heffer
February 28, 2018 at 8:12 pm |
James it will give me great pleasure to donate the medallion to the Wiltshire Friendly Society. As you can imagin it is in a delicate condition but none the lest a wonderful piece of history.
September 18, 2018 at 11:44 am
Dear Peter,
I am so sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. I would be delighted to receive on behalf of the Friendly Society this medallion. I am going to do some research on the early history of the Wiltshire Friendly society as the current organisation dates itself from 1887 but it clearly existed long before. Please let me know what you would like to receive for this medallion and cost of post and packing etc and I will undertake to pay that. My postal address is Dr J Heffer, 31 Ashley Road, Bradford on Avon BA15 1RU.
Best wishes, James
September 19, 2018 at 10:31 am |
Dear Dr Heffer, it is good to hear from you. I wish to recieve nothing for this medallion as I am more interested in it’s history and placing it in the right hands for people’s future pleasure in viewing it. I would love to make a personal presentation to you if you give me a time and date. Yours sincerely Peter.
September 20, 2018 at 4:35 pm |
Dear Peter,
I am working in Swindon next Monday, is that near you? If so perhaps I could call in in the early evening? It might be best for you to use my email address in future, jimheffer@hotmail.com. Best wishes, James.
September 22, 2018 at 9:18 am |
Dear Peter, second thoughts. Would you like to come to the Wilts Friendly Society offices? They are at Holloway House, Epsom Road, White Horse Trading Estate Trowbridge. I am the medical officer and am there on Wednesday afternoons usually. This Monday I am going to Swindon by train so can’t come on afterwards. Best wishes, James.