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Huthwaite Quakers

The life of Leicestershire born George Fox founded his 1647 preachings that eventually led a Society of Friends. Promoting dissenting beliefs led to imprisonments, firstly at Nottingham, adding Derby in 1650 where Justice Bennet mockingly called the followers Quakers, commonly nicknaming all future Friends.

Monthly meetings alternating between Mansfield and Farnsfield centralised the more locally established Friends amongst whom resided at Huthwaite. Evidence survives at Skegby of one meeting house which achieved burial grounds and the first female Quaker preacher named Elizabeth Hooton. Similary jailed in Derby, York and Lincoln, she also suffered attacks during her aging travels after being severely beaten by the Vicar of Selston while passing through his parish. Nevertheless, interest at uncovering the Hucknall-under-Huthwaite followers is helpfully assisted by some detailed research provided by Paul Bradshaw.

Dating from 1608 there apparently exists Deed of feoffement for property and land siting a former farmstead straddling Little Lane. This photo kindly shared by Mr Des Taylor shows remnants of those farm buildings, lastly worked and owned while holding records of previous Quaker tenants. Location upon south side of Blackwell Road is covered by newer housing fronting entrance into Whitegates Way estate. Turning back centuries however, and under former ownership of Thomas Richardson from Sutton-in-Ashfield his lasting legacy dating from 1665 was to here provide support for future Hucknall-under-Huthwaite Quakers.

Journal entry by George Fox noted Thomas Richardson being ...above Sixty Years of Age, through want of firing and other Necessaries, and lodging upon straw in the Winter Season, was taken sick and died… It was when attending a Friends meeting in Cambridgeshire on 16th April 1663 Thomas was arrested and committed to Ely prison. Still refusing to take an Oath of Allegiance, he was sent to Wisbech jail where he died on 13th October 1665. During confinement he managed writing some visionary papers and letters, in which he directed his brother Richard into concerns over the Huthwaite estate. Richard dutifully appointed trustees including John Reckless, George Cockeram, Thomas Sampson & Thomas Hurst, who started following the written instructions quoted thus As to ye cottage to be for a meeting house for the people of God called Quakers. And the Land for the reliefe of the poore or necessitous people called Quakers.

Having acquired a Huthwaite meeting house and subsequent trustees, the lands were let out to self finance Quaker farmers. Their strict convictions professing to the corruption of all established church and state authorities did not however escape the attentions of clergy and law abiding folk, nor the wrath of local Justices when refusing payment of due taxes. Extracts from their 1676 Minutes Book retell frightening intrusion of blade brandishing bailiffs given warrant by Justice Robert Thornton to recover heavy fines.

Detailed costs frequently stripped them of any basic possessions to achieve quickest resale prices. Some of those named by abode faced multiple fines where, over following weeks they attended meetings likewise raided at Sutton and Mansfield houses.

Sutton historian Bill Clay Dove uncovers in his 1989 publication the Langford surname connections inside Huthwaite, before John lastly gains ever more frequent mention from year 1678. Firstly reported and again in 1683 when heavily penalised for not paying due taxes. His annual troubles reach at least 1708 while jointly adding larger payments taken off William Clay in the form of Hay, Corn, Wool and Lambs. John Langfords death still finds however he'd become a very wealthy blacksmith, leaving house and goods fully itemised and valued by John Chatwin and John Wright in 1717 at £41-4s-8d, plus Bonds and Bills owing to £350

Under a 1795 Act for Enclosure of the Commons the allocation of said lands received by Richard Leaver stated in trust for the Society called Quakers. Employing Surveyor J Guantley he drew plans dated 1802 covering their Huthwaite estate, holding house, barn, stable, garden and stackyard. Unfortunately I'm not in receipt of the actual mapping, although this research by Mr Bradshaw claims finding their lands stretched southward incorporated Little Pingle, Croft and a detached Timpsons Close. Unclear if latter addresses an exchanged land plot in their former possession sited Commonside. Deduced from a 1953 NCB letter being claimed sent to Quakers on possible subsidence damage to an Everest Crisp Factory, photoed 2003 containing JRS Roofing company it first sited a WW2 Italian Prisoner of War Camp.

Such late dating does question local longevity for the existing British Quakers. But as a religious society, they did not gain specific mention among our village gazetteers. A generally earlier and rapid fall in popularity thus cannot be realised in Huthwaite, where only a few clues indicate some residents kept lesser restrictive lifestyles. Private burial plots for Jeremiah Burrows finds his nonconformest beliefs, although against idealistic principles the family keep an ale house where one related quaker proposed outsider marriage to a notable Mabel Winifred Wright.

In 1856 fair consideration was given to demolishing their neglected Huthwaite meeting house, described then having fallen into decay. Decision was finally reached surprisingly later at a trustees meeting on 18th April 1882, leading Mr George Adlington of Kings Mill to send them his accounts for ..pulling down of the meeting house or cottages… Must admit thinking this list reads more like supplies for a new building, but is offered as proof of receipts totalling four Guineas submitted to Notts headquarters, ending our links.