_Musical_.--The Birmingham Musical Society consists almost solely of
members of the Choral Society, whose fines, with small subscriptions
from honorary members, furnishes a fund to cover rehearsal, and sundry
choir expenses as well as 10s in cases of sickness.
_New Meeting Provident Institution_ was founded in 1836, but is now
connected with the Church of the Messiah. A little over a thousand
members, one-third of whom are females.
_Oddfellows_.--The National Independent Order of Oddfellows, Birmingham
Branch, was started about 1850. At the end of 1879 there were 1,019
members, with about L4,500 accumulated funds.
The Birmingham District of the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows in
January, 1882, consisted of 43 lodges, comprising 4,297 members, the
combined capital of sick and funeral funds being L42,210. Tho oldest
Lodge in the District is the "Briton's Pride," which was opened in 1827.
The first Oddfellows' Hall was in King Street, but was removed when New
Street Station was built. The new Oddfellows' Hall in Upper Temple
Street was built in 1849, by Branson and Gwyther, from the designs of
Coe and Goodwin (Lewisham, Kent), at a cost of L3,000.
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