Novelty Records

The Novelty was a women's social club founded in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania, in 1887. Most of its first members were Quakers and members of Lansdowne Monthly Meeting. The group was established for the promotion of sociability and good house and home-keeping, according to its by-laws. It remained a small group (limited to thirty until 1929 and subsequently, forty members) and met in members' homes.

Besides fellowship, the meetings for many years consisted of a time for reading and questions, usually on household matters. Although primarily social in mission, the group did address concerns in the community such as unwrapped bread and lack of trash cans, and in the twentieth century, it established a civic committee.

The Novelty's members were active in the establishment of other civic groups such as the Lansdowne Library, Needlework Guild, and the Associated Charities Association. The Club encouraged the founding in 1904 of a larger women's group, the Twentieth Century Club of Lansdowne, a federated women's club; the first president of Novelty, Lydia T. Hallowell, also served as the first president of the Twentieth Century Club.

By 1992, with changing times, membership had dwindled, and almost half of the active members were residing in homes for the aged in the Philadelphia area.