Help Needed

[nlhatcher]

Hello,

Only a tenuous Birmingham link here, I'm afraid:

I recently acquired this silver watch fob, made in 1903 by Vaughton & Sons of Birmingham.

I'm very curious to find out what organisation P.S.A is/was. My searches so far have turned up nothing definite, although I have found pictures of a couple of other similar fobs.

So, does PSA or the motto 'A Helping Hand' ring any bells for anyone out there? I'd be very grateful for any suggestions.

Thanks.

Nick

 

[pjmburns]

Does the hallmark - if it is silver - give us a date?

 

[nlhatcher]

Hi Janice,
Yes, it's silver and hallmarked V&S, Birmingham, 1903
Nick

 

[pjmburns]

Found this article (have posted first couple of paragraphs only) in the Birmingham Daily Gazette September 1905 (but there seem to be countrywide reports of the P.S.A.

 

[pjmburns]

Article in the Birmingham Daily Gazette Octovber 1909 - I am only posting one bit.

 

[nlhatcher]

Fantastic!
Thanks Janice, I think you solved it.
A quick search on 'Pleasant Sunday Afternoon' turned up this - with the helping hand image included

 

[nlhatcher]

And if anyone (apart from me) is still interested, here's a short history of the PSA;

PLEASANT SUNDAY AFTERNOON movement (non-Conformist Church) - silver membership badge (c.1905)​

The Pleasant Sunday Afternoon (PSA) movement was a non-Conformist Church national organisation whose basic aim was to win over working-class men to Nonconformist churches. The movement was started in 1875 by Mr. John Blackham, a liner draper from West Bromwich and a deacon of the Ebenezer Congregational church, Hilltop, West Bromwich.

PSA meetings were generally held on Sunday afternoons, revolved around bible study and prayers. Meetings were meant to be relatively brief (up to 45 minutes), interesting, not over-educational nor boring and friendly - the three B's - Brief, Bright and Brotherly. The PSA meetings were not connected with the churches but did pay rent for the use of their premises. The churches were in agreement with the PSA and also gave their material support to help defray PSA expenses through the loan of bibles and seating. There were no regular subscriptions but members could make anonymous donations towards the high running costs the PSA. Members of the PSA were known as "Brothers".

The PSA motto All ye are brethren was derived from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 23 vs. 8 – “But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren” (old version King James Bible).​