Yorkshire Quarterly Meeting (Quakers in Yorkshire)
Details
Type of record: Archive
Title: Yorkshire Quarterly Meeting (Quakers in Yorkshire)
Classmark: MS/DEP/1981/2/YOR/1
Creator(s): Society of Friends. Yorkshire Quarterly Meeting
Date(s): 17th century - 21st century
Language: English
Persistent link: https://explore.library.leeds.ac.uk/special-collections-explore/7730
Collection group(s): Quaker Collection
Biography or history
There is strong evidence for a Quarterly Meeting being held in Yorkshire in December 1665; however the first full series of Quarterly Meetings took place in March, June, September and December 1666. This pattern continued unbroken to October 1966, after which it was re-named Yorkshire General Meeting. Over the centuries, the following Monthly Meetings have existed within the Quarterly Meeting boundaries: Balby (1669-); Brighouse (1669-); East Riding (1665-1669); Elloughton, later Cave (1669-1784); Guisborough (1669-); Kelk, later Bridlington (1669-1773); Kirkbymoorside (1665-1669); Knaresborough (1669-1853); Leeds (1924-); Malton (1669-1788); Owstwick (1669-1784); Owstwick and Cave, later Hull (1784-1858); Pickering (1788-1858); Pickering and Hull (1859-); Pontefract (1665-); Richmond (1665-); Scarborough (1669-1788); Skipton, later Settle (1665-); Thirsk (1669-1827); York (1669-). Major boundary changes of its constituent Monthly Meetings occurred in 1669, 1773, 1784, 1788, 1853, 1858
and 1923. The evidence for the first Women's Quarterly Meeting dates it to September 1677, but it was not until 1778 that it was established on a regular basis. It continued to meet until late 1906, when separate women's meetings were abolished. The main business of Quarterly Meetings concerned the Quaker testimony against tithes; the Women's Quarterly Meeting was also heavily involved in the distribution of poor funds. Quarterly Meeting offered a wide range of assistance to members. In relation to Quaker sufferings, it could intercede with the authorities, offer legal advice and support, reimburse fines, pay prisoners' rent and supply them with money, food and fuel, arrange employment for prisoners, and care for prisoners' families. Its other activities included poor relief, provision of loans, guardianship of orphans, arrangement of apprenticeships, provision of marriage portion funds for poor Friends, care of the elderly and the sick, provision of burial grounds, and pastoral care
through overseers. Quarterly Meeting was also active in the field of Quaker education.
System of arrangement
The records are numbered and arranged according to the system used when the archives were in Clifford Street Meeting House
Access and usage
Access
This collection has not been listed in detail and access to parts of it may be protected under the Data Protection Act and other relevant legislation. If you would like to request access to any part of this collection, please contact Special Collections. Upon receipt of your request, a member of the team will discuss your requirements with you and review relevant material accordingly