Drinking with the Froth Blowers

Compiled for the Peterborough Pub Archive

During the 1920’s a curious phenomena caught the imagination of the people of Britain that was to raise many thousands of pounds for charity.

This gigantic social phenomenon was created for the sole intent of generating much needed funds for the `wee waifs of London's East End`, although in later years local charities were included.

In their handbook they described themselves as:-

`A sociable and law abiding fraternity of absorbitive Britons who sedately consume and quietly enjoy with commendable regularity and frequention the truly British malted beverage as did their forbears and as Brittons ever will, and be damned to all pussyfoot hornswogglers from overseas and including low brows, teetotalers and MP`s and not excluding nosey parkers, mock religious busy bodies and suburban fool hens all of which are structurally solid bone from the chin up`

The meetings that took place must have been lively affairs taking the form of "General business, gargling and mutual recriminations followed by singing, fights and diversions generally". To supplement their funds, fines were levied for such misdemeanours as `late attendance, moaning at the bar, early retirement, breaking furniture and chucking bread, corks or pianos at the senior Blower`.

In 1926 Peterborough decided to join in the fun and games by forming their own Branch or Vat at the Campbell Hotel in Narrow Bridge Street. Local newspaper stories repeatedly refer to the dances and gatherings held by the Peterborough Vat at the Angel Hotel, also in Bridge Street. As to why they chose the Angel in preference to the Campbell is not made clear to us. Their first dance was held in February 1927 and was attended by over 150 Blowers, Blasters and Fairy Belles. These curious terms refered to the position or rank within the order, a Blower being another name for a member, and a Blaster denoted someone who had recruited 25 other Blowers. If you were a Fairy Belle posh frocks were compulsory. The position held within the Order depended solely upon the ability to recruit new members into the fold. The hierarchy went as follows:-

To recruit 25 members is to be a Blaster

100 members	Tornado
500 members	Monsoon
1000 members	Grand Typhoon
2000 members	Cloud Burst

By the demise of the Order in the late 1920`s they had raised many thousands of pounds for charities nationally.

The raising of funds for good causes, you would think would be a fairly innocuous activity, but the Order was not without it`s opponents. The very mention of drink is guaranteed to raise the hackles of any upstanding member of the temperance movement, the very nature of the Froth Blowers made it an obvious target. The Temperance Movement had considerable influence on society during the inter-war years, probably bolstered by the instigation of Prohibition in the United States (1920-33). The AOFB not to be intimidated adopted the motto

St George and the Flagon for Merry England

The Eagle and the water wagon for the USA

The reporting in the local press of a debate in Bradford between the two sides gives us a hint of the feeling at the time.

The controversy that has been proceeding in Bradford concerning the AOFB reached it`s climax on Friday, when a public debate upon the aims of the organisation took place between "Monsoon" J Dracup and the Rev Sam Rowley, Pastor of the Central Hall Mission, Bradford. An audience of 1,250 attended with Froth supporters in the minority.

Monsoon Dracup who opened the debate, said the main object of the AOFB was charity.

"I stand before you" he said "representing not a lot of drunkards, but the world`s greatest temperance organisation" (applause, laughter, and cries of "nonsense"). "The Froth Blowers have only two enemies - Communists and Prohibitionists "(laughter). Referring to the accounts - Monsoon Dracup said that when the membership reached 500,000 a cheque for £52,500 was handed to Sir Alfred Fripp, Chairman of the order. The Reverend commented that he viewed the AOFB as a subtle method of beer propaganda (applause and laughter). "Their membership book says the object of the order was to aid `our wee waif`s charities` but does it not state that the `golloping` of beer was the first condition of membership?". He continued "The book of about 60 pages, bore the hall-mark of beer on every page except the blank ones - (laughter) - and there is a picture of a man blowing froth off beer in a pint pot, and a little kiddie with hands upstretched ready to catch the froth (cries of "shame, shame")". Rev Rowley criticised the fines and penalties inflicted by the AOFB and said a man had had to pay 18s 9d the other day because he could not show his AOFB cufflinks!. That was not for the wee waifs, but for drink. The emblems and working tools of the order were beer tankards or mugs; the `Vats` or headquarters were invariably opened on licensed premises and not on premises such as those of the YMCA (A voice - "you can`t get a beer there").

Sir Alfred Fripp said the other day at Sheffield that it would be better for the country and the empire if we could get Britain back to those things upon which Britain was reared - roast beef, beer and baccy (applause and cries of shame, shame). "A beery oration for wee waifs donation", commented the Rev Rowley. "Britons reared on beer will always produce wee waifs" (applause). With all the joking and talking about the froth on beer there was a more ethical aspect to the question. Why should they attempt to run the clear waters of charity through the beer pipe?. If the froth Blowers wanted to help the kiddies and the wee waifs, they should not do it by means of taking the fathers pound and then throwing the kiddies the coppers. The AOFB had provided two cots in Bradford hospital. If they would save their daily drink bill in Bradford and give the money to the hospital they could provide 28 babies cots. The Reverend returned to Monsoon Dracup the AOFB booklet and cuff links and proffered to his opponent a temperance pledge card.

Despite the huge membership and the very considerable funds raised, the Ancient Order of Froth Blowers vanished virtually without trace. A few newspaper reports, an article in a magazine from the early 1980`s and a membership booklet I picked up in a second hand bookshop appear to be the last remnants of this curious force. Is it time to resurrect this ancient order?.

Is there anyone out there willing to form a group for the purpose of raising cash for charities and of course the `golloping` of beer?.

Steve Williams

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