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Religious Faith
in Wolverhampton Quakerism first emerged in the seventeenth century during the English Civil War under the influence of George Fox (1624-91) Fox argued that true religion was concerned with the presence of the spirit of God in man and did not need church organisation, ceremony, creed or moral code. The followers of Fox became known as Quakers as some, when moved deeply by the Holy Spirit, would literally quake or shake. In 1704 Robert and Joan
Hill gave two cottages for use as a Quaker Meeting House in Rotton
Row (now Broad Street) together with a burial ground.
Quaker Meeting House Wolverhampton 1871 (E3/QUA/E/1) During the first half of the eighteenth century the congregation flourished and monthly meetings were held regularly. One of the most influential local Quakers was Charles Osbourne, a tobacco box manufacturer, whose daughter Mary married John Fowler, the chief engineer to Abraham Darby of Coalbrookdale. Henry Fowler (the son of John and Mary) wrote in 1744, "Many of my neighbours are becoming Quakers of late, though our meeting House is no fuller than usual". Following the deaths of Osbourne, Fowler and Darby attendances at the meeting house declined to such an extent that the building was sold for £400, and the money was given to Quaker groups at Leek, Uttoxeter and Stafford.
Quaker Burial Ground, Canal Street (Broad St) 1886 Ordnance Survey Map Scale 50 inches : 1 mile. Sheet LXII.7.21 It was not until 1859 that interest in Quakerism in Wolverhampton was revived enough for a new meeting house to be considered. The turn of the century saw the Friends continuing to thrive. A new meeting house was built in Horsman Street and opened by William Littleboy on 4 March 1903.
Horsman Street Meeting House, Wolverhampton, 1903 (E3/QUA/E/2) For sixty years the Horsman Street Meeting House was used by the Friends until redevelopment during the 1960's made access difficult. It was decided that new premises were needed. On 13th April 1968 the new Quaker Meeting House was opened in Summerfield Road, the same building they occupy today.
Summerfield Road Meeting House, 1968 (E3/QUA/E/3)
© Copyright. Wolverhampton City Council, 2002
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