The Beggars Benison Society (1732) was an Scottish Enlightenment club along the lines of the English "Hellfire" drinking and sex clubs of the same period, although almost exclusively mastubatory, which grew from roots in Anstruther, Fife (Scotland), and spread with branches in Edinburgh, Glasgow and as far afield as St Petersburg in Russia. The Prince of Wales (later George IV) became a member. It was disbanded in 1844.
Museum bequeathed a Beggar's Benison bowl by John Henry Seager of Christchurch in 1932 (as part of a large collection of ceramics and other decorative arts objects). It appears that he had it in his possession in 1912-13 - see his reference to inspecting the toddy glass, diploma, seals and pewter platter at the Kelvingrove Museum on 16 September 1913. Unfortunately he never recorded where or when he acquired any of his collection. The record in his catalogue simply states:
"No.279 "Beggars Benison" Toddy Bowl, about 1740. Manufactured in China to the order of, and with the name of the Society and its Insignia, a Convivial Society founded in 1732 at Anstruther in Fife, Scotland. Society disbanded in 1844. MEMO: Box with impression of Seals of Society accompanies the bowl - The originals of these Seals are in the Kelvinside Museum, Glasgow."
His notes on a piece of paper glued to the base of the bowl give a more extended version of the above, and end with a date May 1912 - unfortunately the paper is frail and has been torn at the edges. Possibly this was his date of acquisition. A newspaper cutting from the Christchurch "Star" , 26 May 1917 gives a "history" of the Beggar's Benison Society, and describes both the bowl and Seager's endeavours to find out its history:
"The bowl came into the possession of the present owner a few years since, and he immediately set himself the task of discovering its history, and the meaning of the unique decoration [On going to Scotland, Seager met someone who recognised the motif as being similar to that on some items shown in the "antiquarian section of the last Glasgow Exhibition"; he discovered Archibald Campbell's 'Notes by the way: a descriptive account of Fife and Kinross', as well as the version in 'The Life and Times of Henry Erskine, Lord Advocate of Scotland' by Lt-Col. Alexander Fergusson (1882); the relics had been given by Dr Gordon to the Kelvingrove Museum which he visited in September 1913]....The question will naturally be asked, how did the bowl find its way to the Antipodes, and why has it remained so long in oblivion? It is not now possible to give a definite answer to the first of these questions, but it is surmised that the bowl at the termination of the society [sic - presumed to be 1844 at this time], was brought from Scotland to Cambridge by a student attending one of the University Colleges (or a son, perhaps, of one of the old members), to show to his fellow students, and that there it passed into other hands and at length into the possession of the late owner (now dead) [sic - by this the writer does not mean Seager] who, coming from Cambridge brought it to New Zealand over fifty years ago [i.e. about 1867]. The late owner not being a "collector" he failed to appreciate the historical interest of the bowl, and used no endeavour to solve its meaning."
Seager emigrated to NZ in 1870, at the age of 32. He retired from his position as Secretary of the Christchurch Building and Land Society in 1894, but was appointed a director of the society in 1900, and became chairman 1928-31. Rumour has it that he acquired many pieces when visiting prospective "hard up but genteel" clients - loans were facilitated in exchange for a choice piece of china.