Yorkshire Quarterly Meeting of the Society of Friends

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 1966 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. For at least the first century, meetings were always held at York, and it was commonly known as York Quarterly Meeting. Premises were shared in Far Water Lane (later Clifford Street) with York Monthly and Preparative Meetings from the late 1670s. 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. Quarterly Meetings of Ministers and Elders began in 1689 and were concerned with regulating the behaviour of ministers, liberating them for service, issuing testimonies for deceased ministers, and oversight of meetings for worship. 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, support and defence in Court proceedings, reimburse fines and distraints, pay prisoners' chamber 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, maintenance and guardianship of orphans, arrangement of apprenticeships and employment with Friends, provision of marriage portion funds for poor Friends, care of the elderly and the sick both financially and through hostels and the Retreat, provision of burial grounds, and pastoral care through overseers. As the majority of this work involved raising and distributing funds, it is clear why the first real standing committee was that on money matters, dating from 1787. Quarterly Meeting was also active in the field of Quaker education.

From the guide to the Records of Yorkshire Quarterly Meeting of the Society of Friends, 1651-1977, (GB 206 Leeds University Library)