Scope and Content
4to vol., 176 pp., orig. binding; stitched in at front printed queries & advices (1791 ed.)
General: the whole kept by Sus. Heley, clerk; in conventional Friends' language, but readable and not mechanical, and seems to reflect her personality; Names of reps. attending are usually given, but place simply Hogsty End or Sherington, "together with other Friends"; but Sherington frequently omits the form of nomination (though Sherington Friends there); meetings held at either place and also at Leighton.
Routine business as usual, except that disownment hardly occurs, and the emphasis is on outreach.
Marriage: it seems (e.g. p.105) that a young couple appeared before the women's meeting, and a woman Friend was apptg. to accompany them into the men's meeting; (p.105: Wm. Camps. of Horsleydown brought his cert., Eliz. How, Woburn; the latter's mother Sar. present; Eliz. Wiffen accomp. them to the men's meeting, 1797;) also after a marriage it is usually reported that it conducted in an orderly manner.
Organisation:
YM, QM & overseas:
Epistles etc. as usual; also epistle from America.
pp.6, 24 new meeting ho. in London; collections have "come up short in this county"
p. 100 Dav. Sands from America present at QM, 1797
p. 115 QM at Buckingham "large & favoured with the overshadowing wing of divine love", 1798 (QM held at Wycombe, Aylesbury, Hogsty End also)
MM, ministers, elders etc.
pp. 4, 9 appointment of elders; men's suggestions to be considered; those nom. have "deep sense of their own weakness 53 reps. for mtg. of ministers & elders
p. 53 ref. to Eliz. Smith, Olney, "approved minister", 1793 Membership:
p. 19 some young attenders to be visited, 1791
p. 35 new members: Eliz. Peele, Eliz. Ward, 1792
p. 55, 59, 69, 79 visits to attenders, 1794 etc.
p. 110 Mat. Ridgway, w. & 3 chn. members: "a good degree of that precious covering which nearly (= closely) united our spirits", 1798
p. 122 Ann Burley recommended: "her life & conversation in a good degree consistent & orderly," 1798
p. 130 a visit reported, 1799
Discipline:
p. 47 disownment of Sar. Marshall, N. Crawley (marriage out of soc.)
Visiting families:
p. 29 Jn. Grant: written advices from YM have elicited a sense of many deficiencies, propose to visit remote families; such women as drawn to accompany would be acceptable, 1792 (Sus. Heley, p.30, also Cath. Peele)
pp. 44-6 believe to some degree of satisfaction, 1793
Travelling Friends
p. 4 valuable Friends, Esther & Eliz. Tuke, Eliz. Hoilend) "whose valuable labour of love amongst us was truly acceptable", 1790
p. 12 much esteemed Friend Tabitha Middleton, Wellingbor', 1791
p. 46 Martha Routh, Manchester, 1793
p. 120 Sar. Smith, London, 1798
p. 137 Sar. Sambly, Warwicks., & Ann Ashby, Oxford, 1800
p. 154 Sar. Elger, Foxton, 1801
Poor
p. 14 Tho. Bramshaw or Bradshaw & family: 15 bush. coal, 1791
p. 28 Jos. Hall of Hogsty End: firing, 1792
Chief beneficiary Eliz. Woodin of Aspley; 1791-1802
p. 13 clothing; p.30 shoes; p.95 gown & coat; p.144 linen; pp.156,176, clothes, pp. 55, 104, etc. rent; pp. 61, 130, sheets; p. 54 18d. weekly, 1794; p,87 inoculated, 1796
(In 1797 the women's stock was v. low and they had to apply to the men)
Finance
Regular collection listed;
p. 167 men's & women's collections to be united, 1802
Miscellaneous (bad weather)
p. 63 only 1 Friend present on account of heavy rain 5/11/1794
p. 66 no meeting...inclemency of weather -/2/1795
p. 75 roads bad 4/11/1795
p. 163 inclement weather 6/1/1802
Individuals noted: Eliz. Wiffen frequent, also Ann Bassett, Hannah Grant, Eliz. Cuthbertson