The Verwood Temperance Banner
(The Heritage Centre project for 2015)

The Verwood Temperance banner at the Heritage Centre is an unusual survivor is more than a century old. It had to be taken down from the wall in the Heritage Centre in 2007, partly because the silk from which it is made was slowly perishing and also because it occupied a position where the new projector screen was required to go. Since then it has been kept boxed up in the loft of the Heritage Centre.

As part of a VHHC project the banner was carefully unrolled and hung so that your webmaster could take a high definition picture in order that it could be printed on material and put back on display. The picture below shows the original banner.

Silver Star Tent No 2066 I.O.R Verwood.
(Circa 1891)

I.O.R. stands for the Independent Order of Rechabites and the Rechabites were inspired by Rechab in the Old Testament who commanded his followers not to drink wine and to live in tents. The name was adopted by those who joined the Temperance Movement in the nineteenth century.

In late Victorian times when many people lived in poverty, drink was a serious problem and was responsible for damaging many peoples lives. The Methodist Church played a prominent part in the way that the Rechabite Movement developed.

The motto 'Peace and Plenty - The Rewards of Temperance' is echoed by the images on the banner shield. The sun and moon is a reminder that temperence was a twenty-four obligation and the beehives are a reminder of diligence.

The Replica copy of the banner can be seen on display in the Heritage Centre.