Scope and Content
Folio vol., original parchment binding, 358 pp.; (lacks 1754-5) in general well kept, but at intervals less good; the period 1699-1702 has been copied from an earlier "disorderly" book and "methodised" - see n. p.2; for 1754-5, see 82 pp. 3-8; minutes occupy 309 pp.; on cover (v. faint) "this book belongs to the MM of business held at Market St. for the --- Bedfordshire & --- Hertfordshire"; (addn.) "the MM now held at Luton" at end: accounts, 49pp.
Indications as to organisation:
YM & Sufferings: examples:-
p. 18 "public collection" recomm'd by YM: small
26 report of; p. 28 recording of sufferings;
47 epistle reported; some paragraphs to be "drawn out"; also consideration of "MS" from YM about young people
51 general collection as recommended in YM epistle (£4-3-6); other refs. (e.g. p. 83)
74 records to be put in order
128 calendar alteration: (Sufferings says 1st month will now be January) 1751
128 YM says MMs should choose 2 or more Friends to visit families "to stir up Friends to diligence in every part of our Christian testimony": 3 appointed;
139 YM espistles received "& dispersed to the several families; 145 YM epistle again urges visiting: Friends apptd. to do so at first opportunity;
153 YM epistles given to Friends (also p. 158);
169 YM appoints 8 Friends to visit QMs & MMs. 1761.
QM: examples:-
5 QM says speedy & liberal collection required in county, 1754
6 QM sends printed rules about marriage
24-5 meetingplace of QM: hitherto has rotated (Kempston Hardwick, p.5, Pulloxhill, p.6, Clifton p.19, Dunstable, p.24); desirable to settle in one place; to be at Pulloxhill every 3rd day before quarter-day; 140 to rotate again: (Easter, Luton; Midsummer, Pulloxhill; Michaelmas, Ampthill; winter, Pulloxhill), p.140; "the 4th day before quarter-day as usual" Attendance etc.: large & good, 1750 (p.124) 1751 (128) small but good, 1750 (p.125); sometimes "not large but hope good"; satisfactory, 1764 (p.193); comfortable (p.139);
134 approves transfer of Markyate to Dunstable, 1753
MM organisation:- The MM originally consisted of Market St. & Sewell, Hemel, Albans (note at front adds "in 1703 the Friends of Hempstead & Albans left us"); Dunstable added 1712 (p.40); Luton 1748 (p.119) There are occasional references to other MMs (e.g. "the MM at Kempston Hardwick" p.24) the meetingplace of this MM was suggested 1748 to Dunstable, p.117; finalised 1758, p.133 (perhaps better attendance - only 5 present); later to Luton; time (not quite clear - p.119 alter meeting for worship to 11th hour?; p.120, p.123 no change);
records: p.51 a note is to be made in the book that MM took place, even though no business requires a minute, as "many times" previously;
Uncertainty with Herts.: 1699-1703
4-5 QM "some years" since allowed an MM for Hempstead, Redborne, "Harding" & Albans; some "without the concurrence of the rest" got up an MM at Albans; QM referred to this MM; to be further considered; deputation to Albans;
8 Herts. QM writes about the "new erected" Albans MM, 1700 (no details);
5,11 Some Albans Friends continue to attend this MM;
13 Hempstead Friends report meeting of Herts. Friends to settle MM for Hempstead, "Harding", Redborn, Albans, Hertford, Rickmansworth, Flanden, "& to come and belong unto the QM at Hertford", 1701;
15 Herts. should not have asked for help in a Friend's loss by fire; 20 (reads as if MM only Market St. & Sewell);
23 two Hempstead Friends present; p.53 coll. for buryinggd. & mtgho., Hemel £13-9-0 (1719)
Meetingplace of MM: & mtgs.:
40 1712 in future: Dunstable 2 in summer, 1 winter Markyate 1 1 Sewell 1 The weekday meeting always at Dunstable
42 the weekday meeting to be at Sewell 1 in 3 weeks, summer (Friends being "uneasy")
44 1st day meetings to be at Dunstable, Markyate, Sewell: 1 in 3 weeks 1713 till Michaelmas;
46 1st day meeting to alternate between Dunstable & Markyate in winter, 1714
133 considered moving MM to Dunstable and 1st day to Luton; to be put to QM; approved by QM, 1753;
144 considered to have 1st day meeting begin at 11, but several Friends object - it would not suit;
148 "the meeting at Luton to begin at the 11th hour, so that they may have an afternoon meeting 3rd hour"
162-3 Luton desires to have "the weekday meeting" always at Luton, and begin at 10; also MM; referred to QM; QM leaves liberty; so both to be at Luton;
p.168 lasts overnight (27-28 Feb. 1761); next morning at 11;
169 the 8 Friends appointed by YM to visit QM & MM attended MM "much to our comfort and satisfaction"; (evidently they said attendance at MM should be recorded - this begins here - 9 men) 189 visiting of families (cf. YM epistle p. 139) the 3 appointed desired to do so before QM, 1763
199 Dunstable mtg. to be at 11th hour, 1765
260 visiting of families 1773
302 5 Friends (? from YM) attend "on the general visitation" 1776
Constituent PMS.: (see also meetinghouses)
143 MM appoints 2 Friends "to have oversight of our Particular Meetings"; if anything amiss, discipline to be put in practice; (p.165 another Friend apptd. in place of dcd.)
Sewell: 59,77,94 removal from considered, 1721,1728,1737,
102 conference about burying-gd., 1741; new trust deed;
103 3 meetings in summer, 1742
103 Jn Chester buried there; (thenceforward every year the question arises: 2 meetings in summer, 1743, p.105; but usually 3, p.114, 120, 124, 127, 130, 132 etc.
221 metgho. much decayed, 1769; repaired, p.222;
308 2 meetings in summer, 1778;
Individual Friends noted:
106-7 Jn Gunnis goes to Ampthill, 1744 (Treasurer)
70 Jn Freeth comes to Luton from Hinckley, 1725
135 Jn Prior to Luton "from W. Hyde nr. Albans" 1753
7 Dan Brown, Luton, 1700; he m. Eliz Tomson, Baldock (p.35)
22 Jn Bunyon of London, 1702
Attendance at MM noted (i.e. after p.169)
Brown, Dan, Dan jr, Jn, Jos, Rich
Freeth, Jn, Jn jr, Wm
Humphry, Edm
Hill, Elias
Perrin, Jer
Pryor, Jn, Chris
Women's Meeting
83 "our number of Friends being small... agreed the women meet with the men in time of worship", 1730
169 establishment of a women's meeting agreed, 1761 (Dan Brown & Edm Humphry to assist)
170 (they did so)
Ministers & elders
150 to meet at Luton yearly, 4th hour, 3rd day before QM 1757
168 "as usual" 4 p.m. before QM, 1761
169 at next MM, elders to be chosen "agreeable to the directions of YM", 1761
General business passim:
delegates to QM & YM
queries (answers to QM twice a year, spring/autumn) sufferings (a good list p.248, 1772:
11 names, total £22-14-6½; most Joan Dean £5-8-0;
10 names, £92, p.283)
the general collection (local Friends receive, and hand to "those apptd. by YM")
inspection of accounts;
marriage;
removals;
Meetinghouses
Sewell:
p.7-8 writings to be perused, trustees apptd.;
p.102 new trust deed;
p.221-2 mtgho. repaired;
Market St.
p.25 surrender of arranged (i.e. trustees)
p.150 sold for £17-6-6, 1758
Dagnall:
new trust for burying-gd., 1771 (p.236)
Dunstable:
p. 39 several times considered; subscriptions to be got to buy gd. and build mtgho. 1711 ground bought; £77-7-0 in hand; 5 Friends apptd. to act;
p.40 finished; cost of (p.42); 1712
p.44 £15 collected for "deficiency";
p.55 forms altered p.195 to be re-floored, 1764;
p.203 new trust deed reqd.
p.297 few Friends resident, 1776; instead of fortnightly, to be second 1st day;
Luton:
p.101 laid before QM: meeting once a month, 1741
p.119 Dan Brown has fitted up mtgho. on his premises; rent to be paid; cost of gallery & forms, 1749
p.173 to be enlarged, 1761
Discipline
5 T. Lawrance to be disowned - he "slights their kindness & labour of love"; when this was read, however, he seemed concerned - so wait;
23-5 "wickedness & disownment
34 a Friend "run away in debt"
134 absence & disorderly conduct (the Friend sorry, p.135)
143 adultery (Totternhoe), of light esteem, now with child - disowned 152-67 Chas Barnes sr. & jr. of Ivinghoe Aston;
174 misconduct; mediation in disagreement between father & son, son still "disorderly"; visit put off; not agreeable (p.162), 1723; finally disowned: certificate of disownment: "Chas. Barnes of Ivinghoe Aston hath professed to be one of the people called Quakers, but for several years hath visibly to us declined from the holy truth, and his evil practices & vain conversation have been a burden to us... (tried to advise him as to circumspect walking... too apparent that admonitions ineffectual; lately married to person of infamous character... for the clearing of truth from scandal... now no longer a member... pray Almighty God for his sincere repentance), 1761." other certs. pp. 177, 202, 227, 250 (2), 259, 270, 275, 290. 298.
p.167 Jn Bean to be spoke to (walked disorderly)
168 Dan Brown spoke to Jn Bean of Dunstable, 1761 - "he took it kind"
213 Friend drinks (took remonstrance kindly); another p.227
228 absent from Meeting; visited; "not so agreeable as could be wished;
229 conduct gives uneasiness; visit not so satisfactory etc.
232 not inclinable
236,239,242,261 unsatisfactory visits
257 Wm Freeth (bro. of Jn) insolvent - gt. scandal; 260 sorrow for misconduct; 268 "not at all to satisfaction (etc.)"
Marriage
5,22,29,40,110-5,172,273 marriage by priest (p.40 found tender)
114 she has entirely left Friends & goes with her husband to the steeplehouse
115 Friends should have been told when she began to keep company outside the Society
177,201 marriage out of Society (e.g. 197: within Society: Friend to see orderly conducted)
Membership (new applications v. few)
194 not sufficiently convinced at present
230 to be visited
239-40 new member "good grounds to hope he is convinced"
269 new member
Charity
4 brief for Lancaster
6 "v. poor Friend"
12-3 regular subscription agreed on
15 loss by fire
28 poverty 50 smallpox (to have 20d. from public stock)
57 poor at Langford
69 Langford MM again in trouble, 1725
104 Wid. Coleman left £5 for poor, 1742
122 Rich Mims, Kensworth, £5, 1749
195 apprenticeship, 2 gns.
208 settling affairs of aged Friend, 1766; p.308 for America 1778
Books
p. 11 books
12 Barclay
14,20 division of (on partition of MM), Albans & Hempstead taking their share, 1703
26 Fox's "doctrinal books"
30-1 several books out in Friends' hands; value of all books £5
42 value £6-3-5½
79 books
138 3 copies of Ben Holmes' Life
165-6 three Friends in charge; to examine books "in chest"
167 J. Crook's books received from Sufferings & distrib.
168 books to be entered in book
246 what books are wanting among those not able to buy?
267 evidently a "correspondent" for Meeting for Sufferings.
School
25 proposed
Travelling Friends
45 concern of Margt Pain to visit "several counties" 1714
57 concern of Margt Pain to visit America, 1720
59 She returns; several certificates; "good & satis. account of her conversation there", 1721
66 She plans to go again; £10 from stock, 1723;
67 but doesn't go & returns it, 1725; (marries 1726, p.71)
97 Jn Gunnis visits Friends in West, 1739
165 Jn Freeth sr. wants to visit Essex, Suffolk,
167 Norfolk, 1760; "much to his satisfaction";
198 Edm Humphrey to visit London, 1765
204 Jn Freeth to visit London, 1766
Miscellaneous
3 horses of public Friends to be entertained at an inn
3 collection to aid 2 Berkhamsted Friends who have been robbed
5 emigration: Friend thinks of going to America (does not);
54-5 Friend thinks of going to America; first enquiry not satisfactory; later a certif. is sent to Philadelphia;
60 affirmation of testimonies (reading of epistle), 1722
128 calendar change (letter from Sufferings): 1st mth = Jan 1751
147 birth notes to be brought in for entry into register
308 collection for relief of Friends in America, 1778
Places noted (not all) Totternhoe (12), Toddington (19), Houghton Regis (22), Kensworth (22), Dunstable (23), Leighton (34), Langford (57), Ivinghoe Aston (58), Barton (67), Luton (70), Leagrave (74), Bedford (181), Stotfold (195), Sundon (213)
(Loose)
certificate of disownment for Thos Adcock, Leighton, weaver, in debt and has withdrawn himself, 12/6/1709 sd Thos Robins
letter from T. Cookfeild, Upton, to Thos Squire, 1757 schoolmaster, Hemel, respecting payment of 1 gn. annually to (Judith Meading?); desire none of the Meeting may know it; on dorse: draft letter ot E. Lofty, much corrected, referring to his daughter, in some difficulty - not clear; "a mother's fondness" occurs.
3pp. notes on pedigree (? Brown connections (Victorian hand))
Finance (some refs. in the minutes, e.g. to annual audit or checking; p.33 public stock v. low; also occasional accounts on pp. 137, 141, 143, 151, 156, 161. 306-7) the actual accounts are at the reverse end of the book: p.6-49 (these are 1699-1759: for the later ones see pp. above)
"Money collected for relief of the poor amongst us & other general services of truth, and account of the disposing:
(the accounts for 1704-10 could not be brought right - in future to be fairly stated)
court case:
p. 23 charges of the court at Bedford on Jn Horn's account
33 Joshua Wheeler for a poor woman in Bedford gaol
35 More to J.W. for widow Lucas
sufferings:
Jn Willie - jr. £6.6.0. towards the great charge in his suffering by the priest of Harlington for his not paying him his demands, 1726 (and see minutes passim for sufferings)
Friends' horses: passim
bier: "use of carriage" (e.g. 32), greasing the carriage (41,45) later called burial cart.
legacies: occasionally
books: p. 12 primers, also p.33
16 Robt Barclay
47 T. Story's Journal also p.35,38
miscellaneous: e.g. p.40 occasionally money received for use of sheep pen at Dunstable
loose:
1769 fragment of farm & personal accounts (heifer, chaise);
on dorse: "Mr. Squire, pleas to send by the barer 12 pd. of tenpeny nails 6pd of eightpeny nails, 6pd of fivepeny nails for yours Dan Child" (Squire seems to have been schoolmaster at Hemel)
Finance
treasurers noted: Jn Robbins, Jos Dodd, Jn Gunnis
p. 6 list of amounts collected (1700 10s. to 16s. monthly);
19 Mich Collman's collection written off for 20 months, "he not paying of it"
meetinghouses (some noted earlier in minutes):-
-place not always given, e.g. "tiling the meetinghouse", repairing the meetinghouse (p.13),
mending the chest lock (p.35)
Market St.:
7 renewing surrender (i.e. trust); fine,
p; 23,37,45 repairs;
33,35 glazing;
47 altering forms
Sewell:
regular rent for enlargement of burial ground
29 paling burial ground
16,33,41,43,45 mending meetinghouse
35 mending forms
39 writings for
Dunstable:
19 altering forms
22,32,37,45 repairs at
43,45,47 cleaning at (2/6 qtr.)
41 burial ground at
Luton:
47 fittings at
49 rent for
Charity
p. 10 bequest by Thos Matthews of Toddington divided betw. Pulloxhill & Market St. MMs.
35 wid. Gregg (has 5s. monthly till her d. 1745); various other widows, esp. p.39; p.15 gown for wid. Liberty.
37 Martha Coleman's rent
39 Jn Hall to buy wood
31 etc. Joan's rent, Joan's windows (?Joan Larrance)
33 down for his bed, bedstead & cord, bed tich, pr. sheets, tester & set of curtains, straw bed for J. Robins