Leicestershire Mercury 30 May 1863
Mountsorrel. —A great temperance demonstration was made at Mountsorrel, on Monday, to which no fewer than 2,700 went by special train from Leicester, and intermediate places. The Mountsorrel granite hills assumed a very lively appearance by such a vast concourse of visitors, and the depressed state of our commerce seemed for the time, at least, entirely forgotten. The immense masses were supplied with tea on the premises of Mr Cuffling, who has always taken a great interest in the temperance movement
The temperance movement appeared in the UK and America in the 1830’s.The Independent Order of Good Templars was a temperance movement that began in New York in 1850. It was originally called the Knights of Jericho. Like other temperance movements at the time it was structured on the Freemasonry model.
In Mountsorrel the Temperance Hall was built to hold meetings and the order was known as the Granite Lodge Rock, run by the Independent Order of Good Templars. A Temperance Sunday was held every year when there was a service, a parade and a gathering on the hill in the afternoon.The town band led the parade and on one occasion a piano was taken onto the hill. One innkeeper is said to have remarked that he sold more beer on Temperance Sunday than on any other day of the year.
The postcard below was posted in 1909. The photograph was taken a few Sundays before the card was posted. It was a special service held by one of the chapels. The red cross is above Mrs Wilmore.
The postcard message reads
Sarah-mind the step
We are feeling all over alike in
Patches at Grimley
V Baum