York Monthly Meeting was formed in 1669, principally out of the north eastern corner of the existing Pontefract Monthly Meeting. Its original constituent Meetings were Selby, Tadcaster (later Clifford), Whixley and York, with a Meeting in Skipwith (later Cottingwith, then Bubwith) settled from Selby around 1670. The Monthly Meeting suffered a severe Separatist split in the 1680s, over the issue of second marriages. With the exception of Harrogate in 1854, no other Meetings seem to have formed during the 18th or 19th centuries, and both Clifford and Whixley had closed by 1773. The Monthly Meeting was enlarged by the absorption of Meetings from Thirsk and Pickering Monthly Meetings in 1827 (Huby and Thirsk; Thornton-le-Clay), and from Knaresborough Monthly Meeting in 1853 (Darley). Over a similar period, membership also expanded in York itself, from 137 members in 1807 to 236 in 1860. In the early decades of the 20th century new Meetings formed in Leeman Road, York, Acomb and New Earswick, and Northallerton Meeting was transferred from Darlington Monthly Meeting in 1913.
From the guide to the Records of York Monthly Meeting of the Society of Friends, 1668-1974, (GB 206 Leeds University Library)
