CAN you guess where this week’s Mystery Photograph was taken?

Each week, the Journal invites readers to identify a historic location from days gone by.

Although we didn’t receive many guesses into the office, we did have a whole host to shift through on the Facebook post.

Simon Chard commented: “Paulton, down by the cemetery,” while Obi Holbrook said: “That’s where Mike Gregory’s Mum lived in the houses by Coop.”

Michelle SC guessed Huddox Hill in Peasedown St John, saying: “My mum was born right there at the brow of the hill in 1938.”

Karen James, Shelly Cainey and Lloyd Protheroe all agreed it is Peasedown St John and Steve Bodely agreed it was Huddox Hill.

Joanne Elizabeth Williams commented: “It’s Peasedown St John. I can see the Coop roof.” Rachel Gregory agreed: “Peasedown for sure, opposite the chapel, I’d bet.”

Can you guess the location and extra points if you can guess who is leading the procession.
Leading through Peasedown St John, the parade was of the Independent Order of Good Templars. (Radstock Museum)

Regular guesser Jeff Parsons was stumped this week: “Sad to say the group could not definitely identify the place. A number of alternatives were put forward, including Old Frome Road Radstock. Regarding the leaders of the procession this appears to be Lodge 3551 of the International Order of Good Templars. However that Lodge appears to have had its base in Bristol as the Midsomerset Lodge Never Die, but with local groups such as Radstock linked in, as noted in the 1902 Coronation Programme Order of Procession.”

John Mellon had a good guess too at the purpose of the parade: “Certainly interesting, Never Die Lodge No. 61” with “established June…”, I thought foresters as there is a banner in Radstock Museum but they apparently they met in courts so, the strongest match for “Lodge, collars and numbering system likely the Independent Order of Oddfellows (Manchester Unity) or a closely related Odd Fellows branch. Odd Fellows lodges were extremely widespread so what do we think?”

Well John, according to our information, the photograph was indeed taken in Peasedown St John but it shows the parade of the Independent Order of Good Templars - an affiliated temperance friendly society.

Officially the International Order of Good Templars (IOGT), the Good Templars, were a major 19th century fraternal temperance organisation founded in the 1850s in New York.

It was open to men and women alike and promoted total abstinence from alcohol, and it grew to become a global order influencing social reform with a focus on family and community well-being, closely linked to the Methodist Church.

Today’s Movendi International has it roots in the fraternal IOGT temperance movement.

Thanks again to Radstock Museum for this week’s photograph.

Drop us a line with your guesses to: [email protected].