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Trade Organisations. —The following are the principal trade organisations, with their objects and terms of subscription, according to official returns furnished, at the Editor’s request, by their respective secretaries. The Societies omitted are those from which his request for information has failed to elicit any reply.  
AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERS’ASSOCIATION, 7, Westminster-chambers, Victoria-street—This is an Association formed for the furtherance of the interests of Agricultural Implement Makers.  
AMALGAMATED SOCIETY OF ENGINEERS, MACHINISTS, MILLWRIGHTS, SMITHS AND PATTERN MAKERS, 90, Blackfriars-road. —Terms of Membership: Entrance fee according to age. Contributions, 1s. per week. Houses of Call for the Trade in London: “Nag’s Head,” Wandsworth-road; “Queen Victoria,” Blue Anchor-road; “Eagle” Tavern, East India-road, Poplar; “Duke of Cambridge,” Devon’s-road, Bromley; “White Hart,” Cheyne-walk, Chelsea Lord Palmerston, Henry-street, Deptford; “Guilford Arms,” Guilford-road; “Prince of Wales,” Dalling-road, Hammersmith;  “Rothbury Arms,” Matilda street Islington; “Waterman’s Arms,” Paris-street, Lambeth; “Peacock” Tavern, Francis-street, Westminster-bridge-road; “Queen’s Head” York-square, Commercial-road “Crown,” Rhodeswell-road, Limehouse, E.; “Windsor Castle” City-road, EC.; “Prince of Prussia,” Great Prescott-street, Whitechapel; “Ship” Tavern Vauxhall-bridge-road; “Royal Standard,” Frederick – street, Hampstead-road; “Anchor and Hope,” West Ferry-road; “Chippenham Hotel,” Chippenham-road; “Mitre,” Broadwall, New Cut, “Britannia” Tavern, Southwark Bridge-road “Yorkshire Grey” High-street, Stratford; “Silver Tavern,” Burdett-road, Limehouse; “Stag Inn,” Wandsworth road; “Ordnance Arms,” Barking - road; “Edinbro’ Castle” Samuel-street “Sussex Arms” Plumstead-road; “Lord Raglan” Burrage-road, Plumstead. The object of this society is to raise from time to time, by contributions among the members thereof, funds for the assistance of its members when out of work; for the purpose of mutual support in case of sickness, accident, superannuation, emigration, and for the burial of members and their wives. AMALGAMATED SOCIETY OF RAILWAYSERVANTSOI’ ENGLAN IRELAND, SCOTLAND AND WALES, Head Offices, 306, City-road Terms of Membership: Trade-union entrance fee, 2s. ; contributions, 3d. to 4d. per week, which includes superannuation of 5s. per week to old and disabled members; optional sick and burial fund contribution, from 3 ½ d. to 8d. per week, according to class and age. There are 23 branches held London and suburbs, but the association does not desire the places of meeting published. All formation can be obtained from the head offices as above. Object: ‘To improve the condition of all classes of railway servants; to provide temporary assistance to members thrown out of employment; to provide legal assistance when necessary in matters pertaining to the employment of members; to provide superannuation for old and disabled members; to secure compensation to railway servants killed or injured by accidents occurring during the ordinary course of their employment, and to which they do not by their own neglect materially contribute; to use every effort to provide for the safety of railway-work and of railway travelling; to provide a fund for the relief of members in sickness or temporary disablement and for the respectable interment of diseased members; and also to provide for the orphans of members who have been killed.  
BRASS AND COPPER TRADES’ PENSION INSTITUTE, 32, Frederick-street, Gray’s-inn-road, WC. —Subscription: Minimum per annum, 5s.; minimum life, £2 2s. Object: To grant pensions to aged and infirm members of the trade, male or female, and to the widows of such as have been subscribers.  
BRITISH IRON TRADE ASSOCIATION, 7, Westminster-chambers.— This is an association formed for the purpose of furthering the commercial interests of the iron trade.  
BUSINESS PURCHASERS’ PROTECTION ASSOCIATION, 1, Blooms-bury-ct, High Holborn— Terms of Membership: £1 1s. for three months. Formed for the purpose of assisting its subscribers in selecting and purchasing hotels, taverns, beer and coffee houses, cigar, fancy, and other businesses, and to protect them from imposition and unjust practices.  
CENTRAL ASSOCIATION OF MASTER BUILDERS, 27, King-street Covent garden—Terms of membership: - Must be proposed and seconded by members of the association, after application to secretary in writing.  
CREDITORS MERCANTILE ASSOCIATION, 1, Gresham-buildings, Basinghall-street. —Subscription: £2 2s. per annum. Object: To protect the interests of trade creditors.  
CREDIT PROTECTION ASSOCIATION FOR THE LEATHER TRADES, 10, Old Jewry-chambers.  
CREDIT PROTECTION ASSOCIATION LIM. (LEATHER TRADES), 11, Old Jewry-chambers.--- Subscription: £3 3s. per annum.  
ENGLISH AND FOREIGN SHIP OWNERS’ PROTECTION ASSOCIATION, 18, John-street, Minories.  
GENERAL COURIERS’ SOCIETY (established 1851), 12, Bury-street, St. James’s.—Subscription: Members, who must be couriers, are elected by ballot, and pay an entrance fee and an annual contribution. Object: The maintenance of a home, and for assisting members to employment; and also to furnish travellers with competent and trustworthy couriers and travelling servants.  
GENERAL SHIP OWNERS’ SOCIETY, 12, St. Michael’s-alley.— Subscription:Voluntary. Object. To watch over the interests of British ship owners.  
HAVANA CIGAR BRANDS ASSOCIATION, 15, Old Jewry-chambers.—Subscription: Manufacturers £10 10s.; importers, £3 3s.; retailers, £1 1s. Object: To protect the brands of Havana cigars from colourable and spurious imitation.  
LINEN AND WOOLLEN DRAPERS, SILK MERCERS, LACE MEN, HABERDASHERS, AND HOSIERS’ INSTITUTION, 43, Finsbury-square. — Subscription: Annual, £1 1s. to £3 10s.; life, £10 10s to £36 10s. (according to member’s age at joining). Object: To afford pecuniary assistance to sick or necessitous members, to widow and orphan children of members funeral expenses, and medical and surgical advice and attendance for members when required.  
LONDON MERCANTILE ASSOCIAITION, 156 Cheapside.— Subscription: £5 5s. per annum Object:  For protection of traders and prosecution of persons guilt of criminal offences  
LONDON SOCIETY OF COMPOSITORS, 3, Racquet-court, Fleet-street. — Subscription: 7d. per week. Object: To maintain the scale for compositors’ work mutually agreed upon by masters and men. The society also gives assistance to its unemployed members, and has funeral emigration and superannuation funds, and affords assistance to travelling printers. It has also a well-selected library of over 7,000 volumes for the use of the members and their families at their own homes.  
LONDON WHOLESALE TRADE ASSOCIATION, 446, West Strand (Meetings are held in Mincing-lane Sale Rooms). Terms of Membership:  £2 2s. per annum. Object: The maintenance of a standing committee, who at empowered to call public meetings of the trade when deemed necessary, and to take such action as the protection of the interests of the trade may from time to time require.  
MASTER BOOT AND SHOE MAKERS’ PROVIDENT AND BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION, Mansion House Chambers, 11, Queen Victoria-street. — Subscription: From 10s. 6d. upwards. Object: For the purpose of providing an asylum for aged and decayed master boot and shoe makers and their widows, and for granting relief to such persons by way of annuity.
MERCANTILE ASSOCIATION, 54, Moorgate-street. — Subscription: £10 10s., £15 15s., and £21. Object: For obtaining information tending to avoid bad debts. For relieving the members from the great loss of time and expense occasioned by bad debts. For recovering debts due to the members, &c.
METROPOLITAN BEER AND WINE TRADE ASYLUM AND BENEVOLENT FUND, 9, King-street, Finsbury-square—Terms of membership: 10s. per annum; life subscription, £5 5s., or by paying seven annual sums of £1 1s. The asylum is situate at Nunhead-green, Peckham.
METROPOLITAN BEER AND WINE TRADE PROTECTION SOCIETY, 9, King-street, Finsbury-square.— Subscription: 10s. per annum: life subscription, £5 5s. Object: To protect the trade when its interests are affected by any proceedings in parliament, to collect useful information, available to subscribers, on points connected with the law affecting the trade, &c.
METROPOLITAN DAIRYMEN’S BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION, 446, West Strand.—Terms of membership: Subscribers of 10s. 6d. are entitled to one vote, and one additional vote for each 10s. 6d. subscribed. Donors of £5 5s., one vote for life, and one additional vote for each additional donation of £5 5s. A life vote is offered to every member who obtains £21 by his own personal exertions. Collecting cards for this purpose can be had upon application to the secretary. Founded December 4, 1874. Object: For the relief of aged and infirm members of the trade and their widows by pension or otherwise: supported by voluntary contributions. Funded property, £1,300. Six pensioners, at £13 per annum.
METROPOLITAN DAIRYMEN’S SOCIETY, 446, West Strand.— Terms of membership: 10s. 6d. per annum. Object: The advancement of the interests of the milk trades especially by taking every possible means to prevent the adulteration of milk. The formation of a benevolent fund for deserving aged or infirm members of the milk trade. The doing all such other lawful things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above objects. Incorporated according to Act of Parliament, October 24th, 1876.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH AND IRISH MILLERS, 69, Mark-lane. — Subscription: £1 1s. per annum. Object: The promotion and protection of the interests of the milling trade.
NATIONAL CHAMBER OF TRADE, 446, West Strand —Terms of individual membership: Subscribers of £2 2s. per annum and upwards are eligible for the general committee. Subscribers of £1 1s. per annum and upwards are eligible for trade committees. Life donation, £10 10s. Any other donation optional in amount. Terms of affiliation for branch associations and local committees: A subscription of 1s per member. The minimum subscription, 20s. per annum for associations of less than twenty members. Object: To watch over and secure the interests of traders, whether imperilled by social combinations or legislative measures, and to promote, by Parliamentary influence, such amendments in the law affecting commercial interests as from time to time may seem desirable.
NURSERY AND SEED TRADE ASSOCIATION, 14, Henrietta-street, Covent-garden.—Object: To protect and promote the trade and business of nurserymen, florists, and seedsmen in the United Kingdom and abroad; to collect and disseminate information calculated to protect the members of the association (as nurserymen, florists, seedsmen, and others interested in horticulture) from fraud ; to arrange for the speedy and economical collection of debts due to members; the establishment of unity amongst those interests in the welfare of the nurse and seed trade; the encouragement of the interchange of opinions on questions of importance relating to such trade. For the individual protection of members there are the three following departments: A department for the collection of debts; a department for making trade inquiries and for the dissemination of information generally useful to members; a department for investigating matters in bankruptcy liquidation. Amounts collected by the Society are paid to the creditors on Tuesday in each week. The subscription, which is £1 1s. per annum, dates from the 1st January in each year, and is payable in advance.
PHONETIC SHORTHAND WRITERS’ ASSOCIATION, 160a, Aldersgate-street.—Terms of membership: Entrance fee, 1s. ; subscription, 3s. per quarter. Candidates examined at the rate of 50 words per minute.
PRINTERS’ PENSION, ALMSHOUSE, AND ORPHAN ASYLUM CORPORATION, Gray’s-inn-chambers, 20, High Holborn. Subscription: Annual, 5s. and upward life, £2 2s. and upwards—these sums each conferring one vote. Object: Providing pensions and free residence for aged and infirm printers and widows, also for aged daughters of printers, and the maintenance and education of orphan children of printers.
ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND, 12, Hanover square. — Subscription: Annual —The subscription of a governor is £5, and that of a member £1, due in advance on the 1st of January of each year, and becoming in arrear if unpaid by the 1st of June. For life - Governors may compound for their subscription for future years by paying at once the sum of £50 and members by paying £10. Governors and members who have paid their annual subscription for twenty years or upwards, and whose subscriptions are not in arrear, may compound for future annual subscriptions, that of the current year inclusive, by a single payment of  £25 for a governor and £5 for a member. No governor or member can be allowed to enter into composition for life until all subscriptions due at the time shall have been paid. Governors or members not resident in the United Kingdom will be required on election to pay the life composition, in each case for annual subscriptions. Object To embody such information contained in agricultural publications, and in other scientific works, as have been proved by practical experience to be useful to the cultivators of the soil. To correspond with agricultural, horticultural, and other scientific societies, both at home and abroad and to select from such correspondence all information which according to the opinion of the society, may be likely to lead to practical benefit in the cultivation of the soil. To pay to any occupier of land, or other person who shall undertake, at the request of the society, to ascertain by any experiment how far such information leads to useful results in practice, a remuneration for any loss that he may incur by doing. To encourage men of science in their attention to the improvement of agricultural implements, the construction of farm buildings and cottages, the application of chemistry to the general purposes of agriculture, the destruction of insects injurious to vegetable life, and the eradication of weeds. To promote the discovery of new varieties of grain and other vegetables useful to man, or for the food of domestic animals. To collect information with regard to the management of woods, plantations, and fences, and on every other subject connected with rural improvement. To take measures for the improvement of the education of those who depend upon the cultivation of the soil for their support. To take measures for improving the veterinary art, as applied to cattle, sheep, and pigs. At the meetings of the society in the country, by the distribution of prizes, and by other means, to encourage the best mode of farm cultivation and the breed of live stock. To promote the comfort and welfare of labourers, and to encourage the improved management of their cottages and gardens.
SHIPMASTRRS’ SOCIETY, Jeffrey’s-square, St. Mary-axe-— Subscription: Entrance fee and annual subscription (amount not stated) from members of the mercantile marine, who must be British-born subjects. Object: The mutual protection and advancement of the general interests of its members (but without power to entertain any question in dispute between a shipmaster and his owners), and for the following purposes: To defray such legal expenses as the Committee of management may think it advisable to incur in the interests of its members, subject to the rules, whether in watching any legal proceedings which may, in the opinion of the committee of management, involve the interests of one or more of its members, or in affording legal assistance to such of its members as may have to appear in any court of law, or in appointing or paying agents at any port to represent this society. To defray the whole or part of any expenses of or incidental to any effort made by the committee of management, or by any person or persons at the request of the committee of management, or by their authority to watch over and represent the interests of its members on any proposed alteration of the law or further enactment, or upon the making or sanctioning of any rules or bye-laws in pursuance of any statute. To provide either by building or renting, upon lease or otherwise, suitable premises in which the members of the society may daily meet together for the interchange of nautical experience and for the purpose of discussing matters affecting the general interests of its members, either in co-operation with other similar societies or alone. To provide such furniture, books, periodicals, publications, and other things as the committee of management may deem to be necessary for the use of its members.
SILVER TRADE PENSION SOCIETY, 52, Frederick-st, Gray’s. inn-road, W.C. — Subscription: Minimum per annum, 5s.; minimum life, £2 2s. Object: To grant pensions to aged and infirm members of the trade, male or female, and to the widows of such as have been subscribers.
TEA DEALERS AND GROCERS’ ASSOCIATION, 446, West Strand.— Terms of membership: £1 1s. per annum. Object: The defence and promotion of trade interests. A register for assistants is kept at the office.
THE MERCANTILE ASSOCIATION, 54, Moorgate-street. Subscription: Annual. Object: For avoiding and recovering bad debts.
VELLUM (ACCOUNT-BOOK) BINDERS’ SOCIETY, 17, Devonshire-square, Bishopsgate-street.— Subscription: 6 ½ d. per week and fines. Object: To find employment for members; to assist them when out of employment; to give pensions to aged members; and to pay a sum of money (according to membership) to the widow, nearest of kin, or nominee, at death.
WEST END MASTER BOOT-MAKERS ASSOCIATION, 446, Strand.—Terms of membership 10s. 6d. per annum. Object: F or mutual protection against strikes and the promotion of trade interests.
WOOLLEN TRADES’ ASSOCIATI0N, 11, Old Jewry-chambers.— Subscription: £3 3s. per annum. 

Charles Dickens (Jr.), Dickens's Dictionary of London, 1879