Group    From 1875 

Band of Mercy

Categories: Community / Clubs, Animals

Locally led organisations aimed at teaching young people about kindness to animals. They also worked to prevent cruelty to animals. Founded by Catherine Smithies as a furtherance of the temperance movement.

From be kind: "The history of the Band of Mercy movement dates back to 1875, when Catherine Smithies formed the first one in Britain. In 1879 the Band of Mercy Advocate began as a periodical publication in Britain. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) took over the organization of both the Bands of Mercy and its related publication in 1882." And from Wikipedia “… in 1824 {elsewhere we have read 1875}, Catherine Smithies, an anti-slavery activist, set up an SPCA youth wing called the Bands of Mercy. It was a children's club modelled on the Temperance Society's Bands of Hope, which were intended to encourage children to campaign against drinking and gambling. The Bands of Mercy were similarly meant to encourage a love of animals.”

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

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This section lists the memorials created by the subject on this page:
Band of Mercy

Creations i

Limehouse Station drinking fountain

The inscription which is on marble is barely legible, so we are grateful Wiki...

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Other Subjects

Mrs Catherine Smithies

Mrs Catherine Smithies

Born as Catherine Bywater. Founded the Band of Mercy movement in Britain. She also campaigned against slavery but we can find no details. Her home, Earlham Grove House, built c.1865, has also been...

Person, Animals, Philanthropy, Race Issues, Social Welfare

1 memorial
Pebbles

Pebbles

Barbican Station's cat.

Animal, Animals

1 memorial
Gizmo

Gizmo

Local personality and Shihtzu. We are not certain that the Gizmo in our picture is the Golden Heart Gizmo since, despite what his plaque says, 'Gizmo' seems to be a common name for Shihtzus. Are we...

Animal, Animals

1 memorial
British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection / Cruelty Free International

British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection / Cruelty Free International

Founded in Bristol by Frances Power Cobbe, who had earlier founded the NAVS. 2012 it joined another organisation and rebranded as Cruelty Free International. For completeness we should mention the...

Group, Animals

1 memorial
Jim

Jim

Died aged almost 16, faithful dog of Sir Henry Cole, buried in the V&A garden. First mentioned in Cole’s diary entry for 11 December 1863: "Walked out with Tishy & Jimmy". And on 30 Januar...

Animal, Animals

1 memorial