2009 Meeting

On the 24th October 2009, which was a rather wet and overcast day 16 members and friends gathered in the Education Room of Banbury Museum. We had an enjoyable session catching up with both old and new friends. Mrs. Barbara Kent brought some of the Societies archives, so we were able to sift through at our leisure.

After we ate a hearty lunch which was supplied by the cafe at the museum, we sat down to a very interesting talk given by Mr. Malcolm Dorrington on the history of The Society of Friends (Quakers) in Banbury. Mr. Dorrington’s talk started with the association of the local Wagstaffe family with the early Quakers. At first the Quakers had to meet in secret, meeting in each other’s houses for they were highly persecuted. James Wagstaffe was a highly respected member of the community, in the early 1600s. He was a Tithes man for the Church of England and held the office of Constable to the town Council. James was also the Licensee of The Fleur De Lis or Flower De Luce, Broad Lane, (54, Broad Street) Banbury, from c. 1651 until his death in 1675. In 1661 James was committed to Oxford Gaol for refusing to take the Oath of Allegiance. After the death of James, his son William became Licensee from 1675 until his death in 1695. While James was the Licensee he became a Quaker and in1657 they erected a wooden building at the rear of the Inn. In 1665 land was purchased in the Horse Fair and the wooden building was moved from the rear of The Fleur De Lis and erected on its new site. There have been many alterations over the years to accommodate the Friends, but the main part of the present building was built in 1751.

Other famous Quaker links with Banbury were the Gilletts family who had the bank in Market Square which was absorbed by Barclay’s Bank in 1918, Barclay’s were also Quakers. Also the famous Cadbury family, of the chocolate fame, also had an association with the town, bringing clean drinking water into Banbury.

At the conclusion to his talk we expressed a grateful thanks to Mr. Dorrington for a very interesting and informative talk.

The meeting drove to a close at 3.30 p.m. and we bade farewell to one and all.