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Re: Quakers Records


 

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There is a death on 12 August 1854 which might be hers:

GRO index: Hannah Farrar, 82, September Quarter 1854, Bradford and North Bierley RD 9b 60.

Despite the age discrepancy, this must be the same person as the following entry in the Annual Monitor (see below) 1855, page 47:
"Hannah Farrar, Bradford, [age] 86, [date of death] 8mo 12 1854, Widow of John Farrar".

To summarise the availability of Quaker (Society of Friends) records in England and Wales:

Almost all Quaker registers of births, marriages and burials up to 1837 (which are mostly very well kept and informative, though there are gaps in some meetings) were surrendered to the Registrar General in 1841, and a few more in 1857, like other non-conformist registers. The originals are now in the National Archives, but digital images are available and can be searched on Ancestry, FindMyPast and TheGenealogist websites.

Before they surrendered them, Quakers made a "Digest", essentially a detailed tabular summary, of the entries. Before the originals were put on line earlier this century, these digests were the usual way of accessing the registers, but they are now largely superceded.? What you found listed in West Yorkshire Archives is, I think, a copy of the Digest relating to the area of Pontefract Monthly Meeting, or possibly the whole of Yorkshire. It is very unlikely to tell you anything that you will not find on one of the 3 websites mentioned.

After the introduction of civil registration in 1837, Quakers continued to keep birth marriage and burial records. For marriages, they continued, as before 1837, to be able to legally celebrate marriages in their meetings, but their registers were now part of civil registration system - the Meeting's registrar made quarterly returns to the local Superintendent registrar, so the marriages will be in the GRO indexes. They regarded the civil system as fulfilling their requirement to register births and deaths. However, they continued to keep birth and burial "notes" for the purpose of keeping their membership records up to date, but ceased to do this in the mid 20th century, except for the purpose of recording burials in their burial grounds.? These post 1837 records are held with monthly meeting records, usually in a relevant county record office, though those for most of Yorkshire (including Bradford) are in the Brotherton Library at the University of Leeds. Very few of these records are online. There is also a national digest of post 1837 births marriages and burials held at Friends House Library in London - this is not online.

For Quaker deaths 1813 to 1920 there is a wonderful publication called the "Annual Monitor", recording deaths of Friends in the previous year. It is pretty much comprehensive from about 1840 onwards, but only records those who were in formal membership of the Society of Friends when they died. You can search it online on FindMyPast in a collection called "Quaker Deaths 1810-1918".

The marriage of John and Hannah took place in Ilkley Parish Church. If Hannah was a Quaker at the time, she will have been "disowned", that is, deprived of her formal membership of the Society of Friends, as aresult. There would be a record of this in the Minutes of the Monthly Meeting to which she belonged, which would have been Knaresborough MM, in the months after the marriage. These minutes are also in the Brotherton Library in the University of Leeds. Being dosowned did not prevent her continuing to attend Quaker meetings for worship, if she wanted to. This is what probably happened, as the births of the children were registered by Brighouse MM (which included Bradford). The birth note for the eldest (Ann) indeed says "Parents not in Membership" - I have not checked the others. You could also check whether the burial note of John states that he? was not a member. It is possible that Hannah was subsequently readmitted to membership if it is her death that is recorded in the Annual Membership. The record of this will be in the Minutes of Brighouse MM but the quickest way to find out when would be to look at the List of Members of Brighouse MM for 1839-54. Also in Leeds University library - the (possibly out of date) reference I have for the list is CH M 2.

Hope this helps

Chris Pitt Lewis
On 23/08/2024 05:30, Maureen Farrer wrote:

Yes unfortunately no death for her. Have written off to Leeds University Library to see what they could do.

On 23 Aug 2024, at 5:04?AM, Lin Duke via groups.io <dml5481@...> wrote:

Hannah's birth in 1771:
?
John and Hannah's marriage - All Saints, Ilkley 1798 (v faint image)
?
Transcript of Marriage Licence
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Bishop's Transcript image of marriage entry
?
Lin
?
On Wed, Aug 21, 2024 at 08:19 PM, Maureen Farrer wrote:
Hi listers,
?
I live in Australia and would like to search the??registers for births (1641-1837), marriages (1650-1836), and deaths (1656-1837). for
the Brighouse Quakers, but as they are held in West Yorkshire archives, makes it impossible for me to search.
I am interested in finding a Hannah HOLMES born in 1771 to Joseph and Magdalene. ?She married John FARRER in 1798 in Ilkley but
not sure where it took place. I have all their children and her husband death being registered in Bradford Quakers.

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