| Description | Little is known about Fulford Heath Meeting, which first came to the attention of the authorities in 1683 when Francis Palmer was presented at Quarter Session for holding a conventicle (an illegal religious meeting) at his house. It was this same house which was registered at Quarter Sessions as the meeting house in 1689, although it is thought that meetings were also held at the house of Joshua Sargeant. At that time, the meeting was attended by members from Fulford Heath, Solihull, Kings Norton and Tamworth-in-Arden. Quarterly Sessions presentments and registers suggest that membership included at least 55 Friends, and could have been as many as 120.
A meeting at Henley-in-Arden was formed from the Fulford Heath Meeting in 1696. At a meeting held at Fulford Heath on 16th of 10th month 1698, it was agreed that Fulford and Henley Meetings would meet at a Monthly Meeting for business for men and for women, alternating each month between Fulford Heath and Henley and representatives from this Monthly Meeting regularly attended the Quarterly Meeting. Friends who were members of Fulford Heath and Henley included Sargeant, Snape, Fowler, Allen, Lucas, Lort, Astley, Field, Bissell and Baker.
Fulford Heath Meeting closed in around 1727, which was the same year a meeting house was opened in Henley-in-Arden, but this too declined towards the end of the 18th century and was closed early in the 19th century, with the meeting house being sold in about 1853.
See SF/3 for a description of the functions of the Local/Preparative Meeting.
See SF/2 for a description of the functions of the Monthly Meeting. |