, a prominent Leeds temperance worker. The Band of Hope was first proposed by Rev.
Jabez Tunnicliff, who was a Baptist minister in
Leeds, following the death in June 1847 of a young man whose life was cut short by alcohol. While working in Leeds, Tunnicliff had become an advocate for
total abstinence from alcohol. In the autumn of 1847, with the help of other
temperance workers including
Anne Jane Carlile, the Band of Hope was founded. Its objective was to teach children the importance and principles of sobriety and
teetotalism. In 1855, a national organisation was formed amidst an explosion of Band of Hope work. Meetings were held in churches throughout the UK and included Christian teaching. Set up in an era when alcoholic drinks was generally viewed as a necessity of life, next only to food and water, the Band of Hope and other temperance organisations fought to counteract the influence of
pubs and
brewers, with the specific intention of rescuing 'unfortunates' whose lives had been blighted by drink and teach complete abstinence. Christians and
Temperance Societies saw this as a way of providing activities for children that encouraged them to avoid alcohol problems. Alcohol-free premises were established, rallies, marches and demonstrations were mounted to oppose the "evils" of hard liquor that were attended by thousands of supporters, and coffee taverns were established to keep teetotallers on the straight and narrow path. "Signing
the pledge" was one of the innovative features. The pledge was a promise not to drink alcohol and millions of people signed up. There were also
lectures that were illustrated by
magic lantern, and noted personalities were invited to speak at public meetings in support of the cause.
Guy Aldred was an active propagandist for the Band of Hope before focussing his activities on
anarcho-communist politics. ,
Leeds, in which the Band of Hope was founded in 1847 By 1897, its estimated membership was over 3 million. ==Training==