My tram goes past the offices of “Grand United Order of Free Gardeners Friendly Society” in Elizabeth St, Melbourne and I often wonder who they are and what they do.
Can anyone enlighten me?
They appear to be an insurance company (or association).
They appear on this list published by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority.
You googled…
Just trying to help. . . .
Friendly Societies like “the Grand United Order of Free Gardeners Friendly Society” are basically primitive financial institutions or mutual associations somewhat akin to early temporary building societies. Originally they acted as a sort of private social security system - you paid money into the fund regularly so that you could draw back on it during hard times. They were called Friendly Socities because usually a social function was organised for the regular dues paying days.
These days they offer a range of services to their members, usually financial services but they can also be bulk buying clubs, chemists etc
Many of them were set up on regional or occupational bases. A lot of them had pretty grandioser names. The Grand United Order of Free Gardeners Friendly Society was set up for gardeners. It offers some financial services and a few other things but you have to be a member