Minutes & accounts

FR3/1/1/1

Minutes & accounts

1703-1724

Folio vol., orig. binding, 176 pp.

At end: pp. 2-4, 13: accounts, 1703-19, 1719-20

5 abstracts of YM epistles, 1692,1695,1706

General: beautifully kept; replies to queries given; sufferings entered from p.54; marriage entries full & repetitive.

Front cover: constituent meetings:

Flaunden & Watford Chorley Wood & Rickmansworth

Hempstead & Wood End Albans

Minute 7/9/1716: those not inuunity with this MM to withdraw.

p.1 statement as to the beginning of this MM:

Watford, Hempstead & Albans have for several years had a concern to have an MM for west Herts, and to join Herts. QM "to which they did formerly belong"; but the QMs did not concur; the matter was referred to YM, which established it by YM minute;

MM to be first 6th day in every month, beginning at Watford, 11th hour. (names of 23 Friends).

Hempstead. 4/4/1703

Routine business:

Appointment of reps.

YM epistle

Queries (answers given, e.g. 44,49,59,63,66 etc)

Removal

Marriage

Indications as to organisation:

QM reps. vary from 4 in 1703 (p.5) to 11 in 1718 (p.11)

41 each MM to report at QM state of "truth", 1709

46 any Friend prevented from going to get substitute

47 2 Hemel, 2 Watford, 2 Albans sufficient 1710

60 QM finds inconvenience from persons frequenting it that are not in unity with the MMs to which they belong - no such to be admitted 1712

(see also MM p.94)

103, 145 v. small 1717,1722

111 large & peaceable

153-4,157,159,161 proposal to hold twice a year at Albans; 1723

Difficulty in attending, esp. in the short days, by reason of the length of the way; eventual decision against - "unwilling" 1724

28 MM Jos. Stirredge retires from being joint clerk, replaced by Jn. Owen (other Jos. Skidmore); 1706

57 Jn.Owen sole clerk 1712

161 registrar: Jn.Owen in place of Jos.Skidmore (see pp. 4-5 for keeping of registers, p.51: form of marr. cert.) 1724

School:

10 proposed in or near Hempstead 1704

11 7 apptd. to meet Friends of Markyate MM to discuss

12 schoolmaster Jn. Owen "may come & settle his school as soon as he pleases... to teach all Friends' children within the two MMs. all the learning he is capable of (except merchants' accounts); for 30s. p.a.; in Hempstead mtgho. till another place found; if his income does not reach £20 p.a. the 2 MMs will make it up.

27 schoolmaster marries. (note p.28 he is clerk) 1706

33-4 ref. to Zach. Wallis, lately schoolmaster at Rickmansworth, now High Wycombe 1708

Travelling Friends:

78 Mich. Tirpin: south of nation 1714

98-9 Jn. Thornton (statement on):

b. 12/6/1656 Newport Pag. of Friend parents;

1678 reluctantly called to bear public testimony, "gt. cross";

-83 laboured in ministry, visiting meetings;

1683-8 Aylesbury gaol (not paying tithes)

1696 moved to Hempstead; visited Essex, Suffolk, Hunts., Beds., Surrey, Warwicks., Leics., Northants., Ox., Glos., Bucks., Wales, Hants., I.O.W., Berks.; illness & sore affliction;

1716 (17 Jan.) d. at Hemel, bur. Wood End

Miscellaneous:

3. Jos. Skydmore of Rickmansworth goes for brief visit to Ireland 1703

13 memories of early Friends to be collected: cttee. of Phil. 1704-5

Tompson, Jn. Edmonds sr., Mich. Turpin sr., Wm. Loddington, Jos. Meade, Jn. Edmonds jr.

18 "they cannot find anything material but what is already in print"

27-8 referees apptd. in disagreement between 2 Friends over legacy settle the matter 1706

46 affirmation: Friends apptd. to be available 1709

58 Jn. Thornton jr., Hempstead, goes to America 1712

84 meetings smaller than heretofore (divers Friends removed by d.) 1715

89 in some places visible decrease 1716

Finance:

2 collection to be established qtrly. for a general stock 1703

3 treasurer apptd.

32-3 good balance in hand: reduce the several mtgs.' contributions 1708

102 collection asked for by QM for YM 1717

125-6 treasurer Jn. Weedon v. weak; succ. by Wm. Tomson 1719

Individual Friends:

Tho. Brown of "Welling" (?Welwyn), s. of Dan. of Podington, husbn. dcd. marries (he is a baker).

Beds.

Barton (p.39)

Discipline:

29-30 Nat. Nash of Hempstead, maltster (apparently attender) has been taken defrauding excise; but did not disown him, as he himself handed in at histrial a paper to clear Friends 1707

35-6 Hen. Stephens of Albans to explain his financial actions - he does so in sorrow 1708

38-40 marriage out of society: Wm. Humble, Albans, acknowledges Friends' love & desires their prayers 1709

63, 66 bankruptcy: Jn. Edmonds, Albans; he acknowledges 1712-13

77, 79-82 scandal: Wm. Prior (disown) 1714

90, 92-3 marriage by priest: Sar. Mitchell; she is sorry; but statement to be drawn up 1716

105-112 Mary Spring, Redbourn: in danger of going to priest for husband: eventually disowned 1717/8

107-12 Anne West al. Walsh, Hempstead, married by priest; she declared she was v. well satisfied & easy in her mind; dis. 1717/8

108 Jos. Weedon of Rickmansworth repents of mar. by priest 1718

112-4 marriage out of society feared: Mary Bedford 1718

(Takes place 1722 - p. 146)

117-9 Moses West (s. of Moses West of Hempstead, dcd.) hath of late run out into divers evil practices (drinking, swearing) to be visited (details continue) 1718/9

135-9 insolvency of Tho. Packer: family to be maintained (see poor) 1721

146 Tho. Hill, Hempstead, ungodly & immoral - he repents 1722

Poor:

100 widow's son apprenticed (wid. Brittain, Watford) £5 from MM stock. £4 Watford Friends 1717

135-9. children of Tho. Packer: adjudged as bel. to Albans mtg.; charge £3.5.0 a quarter; Hempstead & Watford each bring £1.19.4; Albans refuses, but Hen. Stevens of Albans brings 18s. of his own & 2s. from neighbours, and Hempstead & Watford make up the difference; eventually a cttee. visits Albans to try to make up the disagreement; MM agrees "for peace sake" to accept Albans' money for the future & remit what is unpaid (they do this partly because Albans may have to fit up a women's room if QM held there) 1721

Books:

3-5 arrangements to be made 1703

8 Fox

23, 32 Jn. Neale to receive books from QM; one for each MM; sell rest 1705

34 mistake in number brought - care to be taken 1708

55 Jos. Mead brings in 1711

57-8 enquiry as to whether Wm. Loddington d. left MSS to print? no. 1711

77 life of Tho. Ellwood 1714

91 Jn. Thornton relinquishes book service from infirmity: Zach. Wallis instead 1716

97 Robt. Barclay 1716/7

129 Wm. Sewell's history of Quakers 1720

131 enquiry as to MSS. left by ancient Friend, Alice Hayes, Waltham Abbey, dcd. 1720

MM

41-3 does not approve proposal at QM to have at Hertford each summer an annual mmeting for worship (but carried) (10 after mids. QM) 1709

64 visitation of families 1712

94 persons at MM not in unity to withdraw 1716

102 divers Friends come in very late...earnestly desired all keep exactly to time - 11th hour 1717

104-5 membership: Ste. Humble of Albans used to think Friends' marriage arrangements wrong; now agrees; "it is. v. acceptable to hear of such good desires raised in him" 1717

130 Albans wants MM held sometimes at Albans (this minute continued, but decision not found) 1720

135-9, 155-7 difference with Albans originally arising over the care of the children of Tho. Packer, bankrupt (see poor); 1721

There has been for some time "a visible difference"; 1723

3 Friends visit Albans in endeavour to make it up; agreement reached over the children; "nevertheless it is our sense & judgement that for any particular meeting to come to any resolution amongst themselves contrary to MM, the same is disorderly & tends to separation & division" 1724

PMs (see also meetinghouses)

34-5 each particular meeting to have a meeting for all (men, women, servants, young) to hear YM epistle (because of difficulty of communication to Friends that do not frequent our usual meetings of business); this meeting to be every six-months at the weekly meeting (called preparative) before MM; 1708

- it appears (p.52-3) these six-monthly meetings were held only at Hemel & Watford; and (p.55) particular meetings were left their liberty on the matter 1711

Marriage:-

These entries are v. full & regular, the particulars being repeated at each appearance;

4 Jos. Cooke of Albans expresses regret for disregarding Friends' rules in 1691 1703

(see also Ste. Humble above, p.104-5)

It is also usually noted that affairs were "prudently" or "decently" managed at the house afterwards (e.g. p.102, 109)

Sufferings:-

7 Friends apptd. in each PM to keep each other up to the mark and to list 1703/4

8 lists to be regulated

37 Phil. Tomson, one of Friends responsible, "neglect in not coming to MM" to be visited (he dies p.38); 1709

Flaunden shows "some shortness" in paying tithes

54 to be entered in book (this is done henceforward) 1711

60 Edm. Neale's wrong behaviour in redeeming his tithes, Redborn; visited; he cannot see but they are lawful - alienated from 1712

75 ecclesiastical use to civil; but MM declares disunity from such practices 1713

96-7 statement on tithes 1716

Meetinghouses & meetings:-

9-10, 18 Wood End: trustees mostly now dcd.; new deed; writings (listed but without dates) to be kept 1704-5

19 by Edm. Neale; burial ground inconvenient

35-6 Bishop's Stortford: need help in building mtgho. - present place inconvenient; £6 1708

40-1 Flaunden's discontinuance discussed; 1709

At first mention, not many here of those most concerned - Watford & Rickmansworth; decided to have a monthly meeting for worship on last 6th day each month, instead of 1st day;

51, 60-1 very remiss - to be visited; 6th day mtg. monthly cont. 1711

70, 73 very low, but still continue 1713

105 visited 1717

124 talked to member about tithes 1719

69 Flamstead End: this MM contributes £1.4.1 1713

119, 124, 129 support continued 1718/9

130 no further contribution: Friends there seem v. cool & indifferent 1720

113 Hempstead: purchase of gd. for burial; build a new mtgho. there (finding themselves under several difficulties & inconveniences with present mtgho.); meetings asked to help, also help & approval of QM. (This minute is continued & no one is ready). 1718

116 at QM: "no meeting prepared to say what they had or would do, save only Cottered MM, and they collected nothing.".

121 contributions: Hertford & Ware £10 1719

Hitchin 3.10.0

Bishop's Stortford 7.10.0

Albans 7.8.0

Women's meeting:-

16 YM epistle about not letting children observe idle times & so called holy days referred to women's mtg.

24, 26 their collection by some considered needless, but resolved to be made & used for poor only 1705-6

25-6 women's QM proposed & agreed 1706

30 "ancient public Friend" Eliz. Stirredge d. aged 72

48-9 women's QM suggested to be for business as well as worship, but this MM thinks not needed 1710

68 women hold up certificate 1713

162 no suitable place at Watford: women Friends have long had difficulties & inconveniences; suggest Albans, 1724

162 but Rickmansworth & Watford v. unwilling to comply; can Watford make better accommodation? 1724/5

English