Rawden Meeting
This section contains a few items from Rawdon’s second minute book (B1) to
show some of the problems Friends had and how they dealt with them.
Most of the Minutes relate to the repeated collections for the poor and the
named Friends who were to go to the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings, however, we
do read some interesting variations.
Att our Preparative Meetting at Rawden
Ref.14
on ye: 27th of ye 8th mo: 1714
Whereas it is Comonly reported that Samuell Marshall Junior haith commited
fornication with Margaret Ellis therefore we Appoint Jonas Butterfield and John
Grimshaw ( and for them to desire Jereme Grimshaw to asist them) to speake to ye
said Samuel Marshall to see If they can be instrementall to bring him to atone
some of ye evill he haith done and for him to apeare at ye next preparative
Meetting .—
At our preparative Meetting at Rawden
This 22d of the 10th Month 1714
Be it remembered That Samuel Marshall Junior And Margaret his now wife have
given forth A paper of Acknowledgement and (Condemm crossed out)Containing
Condemnation of The Evills They have done and Samuel publickly read it in The
open Meetting ye first day Last and it is ordered to be Sent into this Month
Meetting and also for him to Appear There to Morrow.
The discipline laid on Friends by the Elders was severe so that the new sect
didn’t attract criticism. It would appear that Friends were helped to see the
folly of their ways, repent and be forgiven.
Rawden ye 9th of ye 7th mo: 1716
Collected for ye poor of ye monthly meeting
ye sum of-----00-09-0
Whereas I have given occasion of ofence to friends and
truth; in keeping on my hat some time in ye time of Publick
prayer I doo intend by ye Lords asistance to take away that
ocaision, for the time to come, wittness my hand
Jeremiah
Whalley
Refusing to doff hats marked Quakers out at a time when men’s hats were large
flamboyant affairs and were raised and flourished on meeting someone or as a
mark of respect to a "superior". Friends refused to take off their
hats to anyone except God !
This, again demonstrated their earliest Testimony of Equality. This equality did
not refer to status, ability or economic resources, but that of respect and the
consequent absence of all words and behaviour based on class, racial or social
distinctions. Ref.15
At our preparative Meeting at Rawden
this 7th of ye first Mth 1716
This day the queries was read over and seaverealy answered to;
nothing apearing but friends walks pretty orderly thereunto and a note thereof
sent to ye month meeting.
But eleven months later we read…..
At our preparative Meeting ye 29th of 12th month 1716
We having under our consideration ye greate disturbance that Josia Grimshaw
makes in oposing the testimony of truth when born amongst us to the greate
disatisfaction of our Meeting therefore this Meetting have signed a paper
signifie the same to the ,month Meetting and to desire the Month Meetting to
allow us liberty to disown the meetting from the Meetting house.
Friends from the 18th century appear as hardworking, serious,
caring folk, and it has been an honour to read these minutes.
Monthly Meeting
In the beginning Rawdon Preparative Meeting became part of Knaresborough
Monthly Meeting which at one time included Netherdale (Darley) Askwith, Keighley
and Farfield.
From 1798 Rawdon Meeting, whilst within Knaresborough Monthly Meeting, was
entitled Rawden and Otley Preparative meeting until at least 1822.
When Knaresborough Monthly Meeting was dissolved in 1853 Rawdon Preparative
meeting was incorporated into Brighouse Monthly Meeting.
Brighouse Monthly Meeting divided in 1923 and in 1924, Rawdon became part of
Leeds Monthly Meeting along with Carlton Hill, Adel, Roundhay, Gildersome and
Ilkley Meetings.
Rawdon Friend's School
Rawdon Friend's School, Ref.16 Low Green, Rawdon opened on April 2nd 1832; the land
having been purchased for £1600 by September 1831. Initially a boys school,
girls were admitted by 1835. There was a particular concern to educate offspring
of poor Friends and children of attenders not in membership.
From the start, with means testing, fees varied from £8 to £16. Over the next
fifty years several special appeals were made for extra funds from Friends.
Additional land and buildings were purchased in the late 1860's but in November
1876, a fire at the school destroyed about a third of the buildings. Children
with no connection with Friends were admitted from 1876.
In 1920, the pattern of continual financial shortfalls was addressed and in 1921
the decision was taken to close it, 43 pupils moving to Ayton school.
Most of the school buildings survive including one with a stone, inscribed
"Friends School".The buildings now house small industrial units.
It may be true to state that Rawdon school never enjoyed enough capital outlay
in the first instance and this fact, plus the growth of other local schools,
dealt the final blow. However, it served a good purpose and there are past
scholars who, to this day, have fond memories of it.
Rawdon Adult School
Rawdon Adult School was held first at High Fold, off New Road Side, in 1875,
possibly as a joint venture with the Baptists. It later moved to the building
opposite the Meeting House in Quaker Lane. This was sold in 1949 and became the
Christian Science Church. We are grateful to this fellowship who kindly let us
use it for Monthly Meeting whilst the Meeting House was being renovated.
Many Friends have joined the Society through their association with the Adult
School Movement, the late Maurice Wilson being one. Rawdon Meeting now has a
Study Group which meets regularly in the Schoolroom.
More Recent Concerns
Rawdon Friends sent money to the Society for the Gradual Abolition of the Slave
Trade in 1825. Ten years later further monies were sent to North Carolina,
America, to set up freed slaves in their new lives. It is an indictment on us
all that The Society for the Abolition of Slavery still exists today and it
considers that there are just as many people in enslavement now, if not more.
In 1871, Rawdon Friends sent £50 to the French War Victims Fund- for the relief
of the Peasantry and other non-combatant sufferers under the care of the
Committee of the Society of Friends.
Friends have, from the first, believed that the Commandment " Thou shalt
not kill" means just that ; so it is not surprising that mention is made,
in the minutes, of such matters as letters to the Newspapers, and other local
Christians. In 1935, a letter was sent to the then Prime Minister Ramsey
MacDonald regretting the increased armaments expenditure. Many Friends were
conscientious objectors both in the 1914-18 and the 1939-45 wars.Ref.17
Let us hope they have written their stories for future generations to consider?
At the end of the day, however much we are inspired by their good works, we
should not lean on the worth of our predecessors but make our own
"history".
It is not what we can say of our ancestors
that is important
but more what they will say of us.
Many folk think that present day Quakers sit in dumb silence for hours, some
think we meditate, but we sit, as a spiritual community and listen to what God
is telling us. We try and consider God’s will in everything we do, in every
decision we take and in our relationships. It sounds hard, and at times
perchance it is, but as our predecessors at Rawdon knew, the rewards are
infinite and eternal, both to us and those around us.
Perhaps, for me, my feelings about all I have read is best summed up in the
words of Julian of Norwich, a late fourteenth century mystic and the first woman
writer whose work survives.
Would you discern your Lord’s meaning in this thing?
Know it well.
Love was his meaning.
Who showed it to you? Love.
What did he show you? Love.
Why did he show it? Love.
Grasp hold of this, and you will grow in deeper knowledge of love.
But nothing else will you ever know—ever! Ref.18
Indentures of land. Ref.19
Indenture of the original lease.
Indenture of lease between Jereh. Marshall of Burley Wood Head
and Stephen Marshall of Yeadon and Ann Grimshaw of Caverley - 20s paid to J.M.
and others by said S.M. and A.G. and they the said J.M. and others assigned to
S.M. and A.G. all that piece or parcel of land being part of a close containing
by estimation 4 acres originally purchased of Francis Rawdon of Rawden in the
parish of Guiseley with the appurtenances lying and being in Rawden and lately
enclosed from the Common or Wastes of Rawden in a place called Benton Hill and
adjoining upon one lane on the S. part and upon one other lane on the part and
upon the lands of Thomas Hird on the N. and on the land of Abm Bates on the W
part and whereupon there hath of late been built one house and one stable
wherewith the out walls of the said buildings and other the walling and fencing
already named ("and built about the same it is walled fenced and enclosed
from off the said close containing about 20 yds in breadth and 30 in length with
all the liberty and appurtenances thereto belonging together with full liberty
to come and go set ladders and lay stones in and upon so much of the above
mentioned close whereof the above premises are part as before described.")
Item 61. RAWDON MEETING HOUSE, BURIAL GROUND and COTTAGE Ref.20
Part of the Burial Ground, purchased 20.Xl.1816 is freehold. The remainder
of the property is leasehold, purchased in the years 1697, 1733 and 1791 for the
residue of a term of 1000 years, created by Francis Rawden 23.IV.1632.
Indenture for Dibhouse Burial Ground
In the Pages of the "Yorkshire County Magazine" will be found a
copy of Indenture of 1692 , showing that John Overend of Guiseley, clothier, by
lease of 1670 and release of 1692 , did grant to Stephen Marshall, of Yeadon and
John Hird, of Rawdon, parcel of land in Yeadon, fenced from a close belonging to
Dibhouse farm, called Kilnclose, adjoining Mill Beck on West 200 yards x 15
yards and the adjoining plot 12 yards x 18 yards for a term of 5000 years, and
that S.M. and J.H. for 5s. conveyed the same to Jonas Butterfield, Nathan
Overend, James Frankland and Richard
Hardaker for a burial ground. Ref.21