The following is an introduction to the
types of
records that are available.
- Removals & Settlement
- Disownment &
Reinstatement
- Sufferings & Tithes
- Births & Burials
- Marriages
- Ministry
Primary sources
- Minute Books
- Membership Lists
- Digests of Birth, Marriage
& Burials
- Post 1837 Records of Birth,
Marriage & Burials
- Finding Local Records
Quaker
Organisation
Who are the
Quakers
- Removals &
Settlement
On moving from one Monthly Meeting to another it was
customary for Friends to take a certificate to the
Monthly Meeting in the area to which they are moving .
Although certificates had been in existence since the
late 1650s it was not until the mid eighteenth century
that the recording of these certificates became more
commonplace.
The conduct of the removing Friend was investigated by
the issuing Monthly Meeting. If they were a 'minister' or
an elder that was noted, as were a man's wife and any
children under 16 years of age. Certificates were not to
be issued to :
- insolvents,
- those in receipt of poor relief within the last
three months or
- anyone who had been dissolved.
The certificate was signed by three Friends and the
clerk. On receipt an acknowledgement was to be sent to
the issuing Monthly Meeting and several Friends were
appointed to visit them. Records of certificates issued
and received are mostly recorded in the Monthly Meeting
minute books. In many cases certificates were kept on
file and not minuted. Certificates would be issued
following reinstatement if the individual had moved since
disownment.
-
Disownment &
Reinstatement
Disownable offences included:
- habitually absenting oneself from meeting for
worship
- drinking to excess
- commercial dishonesty, including bankruptcy
- having an illegitimate child or child conceived
out of wedlock
- paying tithes
- being concerned in war (i.e. having armed vessels,
joining the army or hiring a substitute for the
Militia)
- marriage before a priest, or being present at such
a marriage
Usually the Preparative Meeting normally reported the
matter to the Monthly Meeting. The procedure which was
usually protracted, was to interview the 'offender', seek
repentance and if not forthcoming, disown the individual.
Continued attendance at meetings for worship was still
possible and those who continued to attend were usually
reinstated after a decent period.
Reinstatement was to be
undertaken by the Monthly Meeting responsible for
disownment. If the individual had moved to a new area
enquiries would need to be made of the new Monthly
Meeting. In such cases a certificate of removal may be
issued following reinstatement, the date of this
certificate would not reflect the actual date of removal
-
Sufferings &
Tithes
Quakers refusal to pay tithes led to them being
subject to fines, distraint and imprisonment. They were
anxious to record these hardships and persecutions.
Locally these were copied into books of sufferings,
which were kept by Monthly Meetings or Quarterly
Meetings. These would be forwarded to London Yearly
Meeting and recorded in the "great book of sufferings".
Friends House Library have a partial index up to 1791.
The Meeting of Sufferings operated from London through a
series of county correspondents, Friends House Library
have a 'working index' to 1857.
- Primary Sources: local records of
sufferings & distraints
-
- Meeting of Sufferings & Books of Suffering
at Friends House Library
-
-
- See also: Joseph Besse's Collection of the
Sufferings of the people called Quakers (1753);
- local records of the Quarter Sessions
-
-
Births &
Burials
Locally registers were kept from the late 1650s for
births, marriages and burials. Responsibility rested with
the Monthly Meeting who received 'birth notes' from the
Preparative Meetings, once registered one copy was sent
to the Quarterly Meeting. Following the 1776 Yearly
Meeting printed books were provided.
In some cases adult members recorded their own dates
of birth, so that some registers contain retrospective
entries.
From very early days Quakers maintained there own
burial grounds, these often preceded the building of a
Meeting House. 'Burial notes' were sent from the
Preparative Meeting to the Monthly Meeting where they
were recorded in the registers. If they were resident in
another Monthly Meeting a note would be sent. An order
was also sent to the gravedigger. Again once registered
the notes were to be sent to the Quarterly Meeting.
Quaker births and burials will not appear in the
(Anglican) Parish Registers or the modern
indexes/transcripts produced from them.
- Primary Sources:
Register Books (deposited at
The National Archives, Kew)
- Digests of Births &
Burial
- Post 1837 records of
Birth, Marriage & Burial
-
-
Marriages
In England & Wales between 1754 and 1837, Quakers
and Jews were the only groups allowed to solemnise
legally valid marriages outside the (Anglican) Parish
Church. Unlike other nonconformists, therefore, the
Quaker marriage registers continued throughout this
period. Quaker marriages do not appear in Parish
Registers (or in modern indexes/transcripts based upon
them).
It should be borne in mind that that this exemption
applied only if both partners were Quakers. Those wishing
to 'marry out' had only two choices:
- to persuade their partner to convert, or;
- to marry before a priest, which would lead to
'disownment'
Following the 1753 Yearly Meeting, the procedure was
standardised. Each party had to declare their intention to
marry at their respective local meetings, parental
consent to the marriage would be obtained, any prior
engagements and financial circumstances would also be
examined. Following approval at the Monthly Meeting(s) a
date would be set for the parties to take one another
before witnesses (usually the mid-week meeting for
worship). The form of their particular declaration was
laid down and all the witnesses signed the certificate. A
full copy of the certificate (including witness names)
was usually kept with the registers.
- Primary Sources:
Register Books (deposited at
The National Archives, Kew)
- Digests of Marriage
- Post 1837 records of
Birth, Marriage & Burial
-
Ministry
The Society of Friends has never supported a paid
ministry, this has enabled it to form many small local
Meetings. Vocal ministry may be given by any one of the
worshipers present. However it was recognised that some
were more moved to do so and these men and women became
known as 'publick' Friends. Since the 18th century such
individuals have recognised by the Monthly Meeting as
'acknowledged' or 'recorded' ministers. Following the
Yearly Meeting of 1924 this practice was stopped.
A Friend wishing to travel 'in the ministry' was
required to seek a certificate of liberation from their
own Monthly Meeting. If they wished to travel abroad the
Quarterly Meeting and Yearly Meeting or Second Day
Meeting. Such certificates should be recorded in the
relevant Minute books
- Primary Sources:
local Monthly &
Quarterly Meeting Minute
books
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-
Primary Sources
-
Minute Books
Each Quaker Meeting produced large volumes of writings
in the form of minutes, decisions and queries. It should
be remembered that these records are not infallible. Some
books may no longer exist and of course the amount of
detail they contain is reliant upon the clerk.
The Minute books of the Monthly Meetings will be the
most helpful, these will contain details of:
- those appointed to attend the Quarterly Meeting
- disownment procedure
- marriage procedure
- recording of sufferings
- testimonies
-
Membership
Lists
Official lists of members are in general use from
1837, with the introduction of printed record books. Many
Meetings started keeping regular lists after 1812. If
extant they will be found with the Meeting records.
-
Registers of Birth,
Marriage & Burials
Registers of Births, Marriages and Burials were kept
by Quaker Meetings from the late 1650s. Normally, they
were also kept by the Monthly Meeting, but Registers kept
by Preparative and Quarterly Meetings also exist.
There is evidence that not all the early registers
contained all the births, marriages and burials they
should have. The registers finally ceased to be used on
30 June 1837, with the introduction of Civil
Registration.
Like other nonconformists, Quakers were required to
surrender their pre 1837 registers to the Registrar
General in 1840-42. These original registers - about 1445
of them - are now at The National Archives, Kew (Class
RG 6).
-
Digests of Birth,
Marriage & Burials
The Society of Friends, however made Digests of
the entries contained in the Registers. One Digest was
made for all the Births, Marriages and Burials for each
of the Quarterly Meetings (as they existed in 1842). They
contain all the important information from the original
registers (but not the names of witnesses to marriages)
and are arranged alphabetically and chronologically
according the initial letter of the surname. A further
group of 121 registers that subsequently came to light
were surrendered to the Registrar General in 1857.
Supplemental Digests were made in the same way.
The Digests are extremely easy to use, and it is
advisable to search them before inspecting the original
registers. Two copies of each Digest was made.
- Post 1837 Records of
Birth, Marriage & Burials
From 1 July 1837 the existing system of birth notes
and burial notes was formalised to serve the same purpose
as the original registers. The Marriage Registers
continued. All these records will be found with the
Meeting Records.
In addition, a return was made to London Yearly
Meeting, from which national Digests of Birth, Marriage
& Deaths were compiled. These can only be seen at
Friends House Library. Only the Marriage Digests
continues, those for Births and Burials ceased in 1959
and 1961 respectively.
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