Northern Ladies Annuity Society

Charity Details
Full Name: Northern Ladies Annuity Society  
Founded: 1868
Type: Independent
Where Operates: Northern England
Headquarters: Newcastle, NE1 8XS
Charity No: 1097222

History and Activities

The Northern Ladies Annuity Society was established by Sir John Fife (1795–1871) in 1868. It was originally known as the “Northern Counties Society for Granting Annuities for Governesses and other ladies in Reduced Circumstances”. The broad aim of the society was to offer assistance to ladies who found themselves without an income. The initial endowment was £268 (£33,356 in today’s money) collected via subscription and invested in the stock market.

The criteria for qualification were straightforward and remain very similar to the present day. The lady must be single or a widow, must be born or reside in the northern counties and have an income of no more than £20 per annum (nowadays £9,500). The procedure for acceptance originally involved a ballot of the benefactors of the society, with more votes given to ladies that had donated more. Once accepted, the annuitant was supported for life. Initially, it was a way of wealthy ladies supporting ladies of high social status who had fallen on hard times. Until recently, you had to be invited to apply from a member of the society who would recommend you as worthy.

The way in which annuities are paid to the annuitants has changed over the years. Formerly, the society would have a list of beneficiaries, each were assigned their own fund or annuity that would correlate with a specific benefactor and a specific amount of money that would be paid. When one of the ladies on the list passed away, all the ladies would move up one place on the list, with a new annuitant replacing the deceased lady. This meant that ladies received varying amounts of money, depending on the size of each annuity. The system was scrapped at an early date and replaced with a flat amount for all annuitants.

In 2016, the society owned £4.29m of shares and £1.34m worth of property. Although the society does let out some property commercially, the majority is rented on a subsidised basis to women who fulfil the society’s criteria. There are currently 110 recipients of the full annuity of £1,300 pounds per annum, and 9 others who receive half that amount, normally as a result of their income being slightly above the threshold for acceptance. The society is proud to say that it has never turned away anyone fulfilling its criteria and in genuine need of assistance. In addition to providing annuities, the society has two discretionary funds to provide additional support. One is a holiday grant (established in 1990), which allows women to apply for £250 per annum towards the cost of a holiday. In 2016, 59 ladies received grants. The other is a general fund for exceptional purchases such as replacement cookers, sofa and fridges. Each year approximately 30 of these grants are made of varying amounts. Ladies also receive a Christmas hamper each year in a tradition dating back to the early days of the society.

The society’s archives reference many of the “great and good” of northern society, including members of the illustrious Armstrong, Bartram, Bell, Cochrane, Doxford, Handyside, Hedley, Henderson, Joicey, Knott, Laing, Oliver, Richardson, Ridley, Stephenson and Sutherland families. Tribute is paid to them by inclusion in regularly updated list donations and legacies; some large, for instance, the 6 flats and 5 terraced houses bequeathed by Nora Hogg in 1987, but most relatively modest. Northern Ladies is in effect long-lived subscription philanthropy, with many providers of annuities from among the wealthier members of society, 211 in all between 1868 and 2017. These generous donors made gifts that expressed solidarity with women of their own class who had fallen on hard times, perhaps reflecting the old sentiment: “there but for the grace of God go I.”

Vital Statistics (year to 31/03/2017)

Contact Details
Email: Secretary - jean.ferry@nlas.org.uk  
Telephone: 0191 232 1518

References