Poor Friends

During the first few years of the Quaker movement there existed no sort of organisation among the Children of Light Ref.27 as they were called. Individual seekers after truth had already been gathering into small groups even before they were convinced by the message of George Fox and other preachers but they were not prompted to seek any other association until the first wave of persecution fell on them at which time individual meetings began to support each other in providing for the needs of those in prison and the families left behind. One meeting would identify the poor friends and the several meetings would furnish the help. The monthly and quarterly meetings were set up in the 1660’s at George Fox’s instigation to ensure the survival of the Society of Friends after the deaths of many of the first leaders.

Subsequently, of course, the emphasis changed. The printed epistle from Yearly Meeting of 1719 reads;

With regard to the poor amongst us, it ought to be considered, that the poor, both parents and children, are of our family, and ought not to be turned off to any others for their support or education; and although some may think the poor a burthen, yet it be remembered, when our poor are well-provided for, and walk orderly, they are an ornament to our society; and the rich should consider, it is more blessed to give than to receive, and that he who giveth to the poor, lendeth to the Lord, who will repay.  Ref.28

Already, in 1696, friends planning to leave money for the use of the poor had been enjoined to be careful that friends may not be deprived of their charity.

At the beginning of the eighteenth century a quarterly collection was being taken at the Rawdon meeting and given to the Monthly Meeting ‘for the relief of poor friends'. The disclaimer in the minutes of the Women’s Monthly Meeting (in 1761) that "Our poor are under the care of their Respective meetings" seems to have laid it on the individual meeting to identify such of its own as should be regarded as "proper objects of ye Charity" and make representations on their behalf. Preparative meeting also provided its own support for special cases and, in the earliest years of record, special collections were taken to help make good loss by fire (there was no suggestion in the Minute Books that the fires were other than accidental). In one instance a friend was helped with the fees for his sons to attend Rawdon Quaker School, in another a baker was given part of the cost of a horse. Coal and medicines also attracted relief.



A revealing entry records that :-
at our preparative meeting at Rawdon 23^rd of ye 4^th mo: 1703 Ffor as much as there was a piece of Black plain belonging to this Meeting for using at burials friends having Agreed to lay that Custom of Covering Coffins Aside it is Agreed that the said Black Cloth be converted into a Coat for Alice Crowther A poor friend: and what remains of ye said piece of Cloth After ye Coat is Made to be to such further use for ye said Alice Crowther as she has necessity. Note ye this meeting received ye value of ye said Cloth plain in money from the Mo: Meetting toward getting the said Alice a Coat. Ref.29 

Monthly Meeting was called on here to provide its usua1 support. This was generally recorded as a specific payment but there are references to something like a dole or pension (e.g. . .Wm. Brewer being in Necessity 15/- to be requested and the usual allowance) . Mary Pratt was helped with various amounts from 1716 until 1758 (including an unspecified amount for her laying-in in 1726) and a minute for 21:8:73 reads,
The necessity of widow Pratt represented to this meeting to be increased thro’ her growing infirmity & age so as that her present monthly allowance of 5/- is not sufficient to (?) the same and more be requested for her
Funeral expenses did not generally attract relief but one minute
Laid down an account of Joseph Copley Child funeral and for their Necessary Supply in the line of his wife Extraordinary Indisposition since last Mo: 10s.0d. is to be requested at the Mo: meeting and necessities for Joseph Copley Wife and their other Child...
A month earlier, the meeting had been considering what to do about the said Joseph Copley Wife who was said to be much more out of order than she hath been ( i.e. was poorly ).

From the middle of 19^th century, the quarterly collection for poor friends was augmented - more than doubled in fact - by the interest (£1.16.0 ) on a legacy from Hannah Hustler. A separate collection for the Society of Friends County Donegal Seed Fund in 1883 brought in £2.15. 6..but provision of support and the identification of "objects" had fallen off by this time and in 1900 the collection was discontinued and the Treasurer simply authorised to pay £1 a month to the Monthly Meeting poor fund until this was reduced, at the end of 1901, to 15/- a month for the eight months in which we are asked to contribute to the fund.
Thereafter the Monthly Meeting poor fund was to be incorporated into its general stock fund. Perhaps Friends throughout the area shared a relative affluence with those of the Rawdon meeting where a minute for 1908 reads,
We had before us the position of members with regard to the ‘Old Age Pension Scheme’. None of our members are in a "position to accept such relief.  Ref.30