Manchester Unity, Independent Order of Oddfellows, Badge, Newman
Summary
Henry Newman was born in 1825 in Riga, at the time part of Russia and now the capital of Latvia. In the early 1850s he moved to Victoria, as a result of the gold rush, and set up a jewellery business.
There are a number of items that associate Newman with the City of Melbourne, including an enamelled badge he made for issue to members of the Manchester Unity Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF). The Manchester Unity IOOF is a non-political, non-sectarian fraternal order founded in Manchester England in 1810. Its main objective is to protect and care for its members and the communities in which they live. This was an attractive proposition in Britain of the early 1800s, especially to non-specialised workers without the protection of a governing association at a time when there was no welfare state. This model spread to Victoria, with Melbourne's branch founded on 7 December 1840.
Any Melburnian will be familiar with IOOF through the outstanding art deco Manchester Unity Building, opposite the Town Hall, on the corner of Swanston and Collins Streets. It acted as headquarters for the organisation, but the building project was primarily designed to provide employment during the Depression of the 1930s.
The badge in the collection features a shield quartered by a red cross, in which there are five stars. In the top left of the shield is an hourglass, representing mortality; in the top right is crossed keys, signifying guardianship; in the bottom left is a beehive, indicating efficient industry; and in the bottom right is a lamb with a banner, denoting faith. At the top is the word 'Victoria', and beneath it 'Manchester Unity' highlighted in blue enamel; at the bottom, 'IOOF' is also in blue enamel. On the reverse the maker's name, 'Newman', is stamped. There is also a loop from which to hang the badge if so desired.
This text is excerpted from Darren Burgess' essay 'City of Melbourne Numismatic Collection', available in full through the 'Explore' tab above.
