THE fierce independent spirit of the dalesmen is well known and has been put to the test many times. In the remote areas of the dales local people have always sought to help themselves.

In the past the provision of self-help in the form of a friendly society or insurance club was vitally important in order to remove the threat of becoming a pauper. Even today benefits from the society form a welcome addition to state care for members who are ill.

One such club - the Askrigg, Equitable, Benevolent and Friendly Society - was formed in upper Wensleydale in 1809.

The Askrigg society is an almost unique friendly society as it has remained independent and it still serves the community of upper Wensleydale today.

The two central meeting places of most villages are the church and the pub. So not surprisingly the Friendly Society meeting room was in the local pub, the King's Arms in Askrigg.

There had been an earlier Wensleydale Society which had started in 1774 but this was defunct by the beginning of the nineteenth century. As poverty was increasing in the area, men from Askrigg and other parts of Wensleydale decided to start a new society.

The AEBFS was established in March 1809 and at the inaugural meeting 25 men joined. Since that day to the present 953 local men have been members of the society. They came from all walks of life but had to be living within 15 miles of Askrigg when they joined.

Most joined as ordinary members but some local large landowners and professional men registered as honorary members. This meant that although they gave an annual donation they were not entitled to receive benefits, however, they could attend social occasions.

Initial subscriptions for ordinary members were 3s 6d (17 p) per quarter and for that men received 7s per week for a limited period if they were ill and in bed.

A major fear of poor people was that they would be buried in a pauper grave. However, the Askrigg society removed this fear by providing benefit to ensure that members and their wives would have a decent funeral.

Membership grew very quickly and the management committee invested the money carefully. Initially, investments were in the form of loans to local farmers and professional people, then in 1861 the society decided to invest £1,400 in the North Eastern Railway Company.

Later in the century Askrigg members decided to support the local economy and to invest in land. They bought a farm in a remote area of upper Wensleydale. But, they did not enjoy the experience of being a landlord as there were always problems with the tenant and farm maintenance.

Further, due to the late nineteenth century depression, the value of the land was declining so in 1904 the AEBFS sold up and invested in stocks and bonds. As with all insurance, many members never drew on the society for sickness benefits while some were very much net gainers.

For example, Christopher Heslop, a joiner from Redmire, who died in 1869, paid £4 12s 6d in membership subscriptions but received £22 8s in benefits while Samuel Halton, a labourer, who died in 1879 paid in £5 17s 6d but received £67 5s in benefits.

Members of the Askrigg society had the security of knowing they would receive support even if they left the area so long as they kept up their subscriptions and they did not emigrate.

It is clear from the applications for help, that many men and their families moved away from the area in search of work and settled in Burnley and other places in Lancashire, or in Durham and the North-East, or in Leeds and the West Riding.

The society not only gave help in the form of ill-health insurance but also provided a social focal point which brought together men who usually worked in very lonely jobs on isolated hill farms. The annual Feast was, and still is, very important. Members with their white (honorary) and blue (ordinary) members' rosettes march through the village street following the society's Colour before attending a special church service. In the past a local band led the procession.

In the 1920s the society helped the community by organising the children's sports, whist drives and dances in the village hall. For a time in the 1960s, before car ownership became widespread in the dales, the society organised coach outings for its members.

There were several occasions where the society was in severe difficulties either due to a decline in membership, or poor returns on investment, or to financial problems caused by too many claims on the funds. It is, however, a testimony to the determination of dalespeople that the society survived the crises.

Today local members mingle with incomers and membership stands at 185 men. Ordinary members still claim support when sick and all members enjoy the social events. New members are welcome.

In Sickness and in Health, the Askrigg, Equitable, Benevolent and Friendly Society 1809-2000, shows what can be done for the welfare of a whole community when there is a common purpose and a strong will to succeed. The Askrigg Friendly Society has published the book (price £6.50) through Sessions of York. It is available from bookshops or from W Thwaite (01969) 650670.

l Dr Christine Hallas lives in Wensleydale and is Dean of Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Trinity and All Saints, University of Leeds.