It was a time when many men drank to excess as it was commonly regarded by many, especially the labouring class, as a normal part of life a century and more ago.

This local temperance organisation was formed in the 1890s and the early 1900s when Bathurst and many of the villages had a large number of hotels.

Temperance members were expected to swear a pledge to undertake total abstinence from liquor.

The Band of Hope was the idea of a Baptist minister, the Reverend Jabez Tunnicliff, who at the time lived in Leeds in the United Kingdom.

In mid-1847, he witnessed a young man die due to his drinking problem. He soon became a promoter of total alcoholic abstinence. It was 1855 before the idea came to fruition and the national organisation known as the Band of Hope was initiated, though he had already started on a local level.

Many of the temperance organisations were part of the churches, such as the Methodist Church and the Church of England, who had formed committees to try to stem the problem that they felt was affecting the communities.

Where a church was not conveniently located, other alcohol-free locations for meetings were sought.

They targeted children as well by providing activities that would encourage the youngsters to steer clear of alcohol and its possible problems.

Members were enrolled from the age of six and met at least once a week to listen to lectures and undertake various activities, of which music played an important role. Competitions were usually held between different groups.

All band members were required to “sign the pledge” before they could play. A speaker would talk on avoiding coming under the spell of the “demon drink”.

Sometimes the Band of Hope would form a choir, these groups meeting to practise or give performances at both indoor and outdoor occasions, especially at meetings and even picnics.

The Bathurst Free Press noted, on June 16, 1897: “WATTLE FLAT - Band of Hope, - The Wattle Flat Band of Hope held their usual monthly meeting on Wednesday, 10th instant. There was a good attendance, and a large and varied programme was executed by the children in a very creditable manner.”

One local, Sarah Ann McCarthy, who was a member of the Band of Hope, was appointed a pupil-teacher on probation at the Wattle Flat Public School. Her appointment was notified on April 8, 1897.

Evenings were held to allow participants to take part in various activities rather than go out with parents to a hotel.

One concert was held later in the year in Jersey Hall. The idea of this concert was to raise funds to give local Wattle Flat and Sofala children a picnic. The evening proved a financial success.

The hall was crowded and the brass band and singing was appreciated, as was the performance of the children in the concluding drama.

Several ladies from Sofala contributed materially to the program as well as providing supper. Influenza had been prevalent several weeks before the concert, and many people had been laid up. It reduced numbers slightly.

One has to wonder what the local publicans thought of the organisation in 1903. Thomas Crawford was the licensee of the Star Hotel and the Royal Hotel (near the Court House in Wattle Flat), which was operated by Mary Morris.

At this time there were also six storekeepers in Wattle Flat, some of whom could sell bottled spirits and beer.

The shop owners were Mary J. Ireland, Frederick Thompson, William Foster, Catherine Bright, Jones Brothers and Walter Jones.