(Intermediate level.)
For a considerable time, the Cadbury family were prominent both in the life of the city of Birmingham, England, and in the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). They tried to put Quaker beliefs into practice, such as that of human equality before God.
Even the choice of chocolate as a line of business related to their Quaker beliefs. John Cadbury, the founder of the Cadbury chocolate business, was active all his life in the temperance society. He felt alcohol was a major cause of poverty and other ills among working people. He saw cocoa and chocolate as an alternative to alcohol.
The Cadburys were involved in social reforms far beyond those directly impacting their own business. John Cadbury led a campaign to ban the use of climbing boys to sweep chimneys. He was also a leader in the struggle against animal cruelty, forming the Animals Friend Society, a forerunner of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Members of the Cadbury family, particularly George Cadbury, were actively involved as teachers in the adult school movement to provide education to the working classes.
George Cadbury’s home was Northfield Manor and he had a new building constructed in the grounds to hold 700 people. Every year in the summer months, in this building, he provided entertainment and food for deprived children from all areas of Birmingham . Disillusioned with the government for its involvement and behaviour during the First World War, he switched his financial support to the anti-war Independent Labour Party. George Cadbury then joined with critics of the government’s foreign policy to form the Union of Democratic Control (UDC). The UDC became the leading anti-war organisation in Britain . George Cadbury died at his home, Northfield Manor, on 24th October 1922 .
Questions for reflection and discussion
Why do you think that alcohol was such a social problem in the nineteenth century?
Questions for understanding
- What was/is a temperance society?
- Why did boys have to climb chimneys?
- What type of cruelty against animals do you think they tried to stop?
- Why do you think the adult school movement tried to achieve?
- Why was there an anti-war movement at that time?
Writing task
Remove the articles and ask the students to replace them working individually, and then comparing in pairs. The gaps will be replaced by either a, an, the or — (no article).
For a considerable time, ……… Cadbury family were prominent both in ……… life of the city of Birmingham, England, and in ……… Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). They tried to put ……… Quaker beliefs into practice, such as that of ……… human equality before God.
Even ……… choice of chocolate as ……… line of business related to their Quaker beliefs. John Cadbury, ……… founder of the Cadbury chocolate business, was active all his life in ……… temperance society. He felt alcohol was ……… major cause of poverty and other ills among working people. He saw ……… cocoa and ……… chocolate as ……… alternative to alcohol.
The Cadburys were involved in ……… social reforms far beyond those directly impacting their own business. John Cadbury led ……… campaign to ban ……… use of climbing boys to sweep chimneys. He was also ……… leader in the struggle against animal cruelty, forming ……… Animals Friend Society, ……… forerunner of the Royal Society for ……… Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Members of ……… Cadbury family, particularly George Cadbury, were actively involved as teachers in ……… adult school movement to provide education to ……… working classes.
George Cadbury’s home was Northfield Manor and he had ……… new building constructed in ……… grounds to hold 700 people. Every year in ……… summer months, in this building, he provided ……… entertainment and ……… food for deprived children from all areas of Birmingham. Disillusioned with ……… government for its involvement and behaviour during ……… First World War, he switched his financial support to ……… anti-war Independent Labour Party. George Cadbury then joined with critics of ……… government’s foreign policy to form ………. Union of Democratic Control (UDC). The UDC became ………. leading anti-war organisation in Britain. George Cadbury died at his home, Northfield Manor, on 24th October 1922.
Further research
Search the Internet for information and write report on “The Cadburys and the Slave Trade”.