Author Topic: Were "Non-members" buried by Quakers?  (Read 2525 times)

Offline Mustang Sally

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Were "Non-members" buried by Quakers?
« on: Tuesday 02 August 16 23:12 BST (UK) »
Hello
I have been researching the Guthrie family of London , Middlesex.
In particular William Guthrie b 1766 and buried 1826 at Bunhill Fields.

On Ancestry I found his death and what looks like a Quaker burial. It would appear that his death was recorded in a Quaker Meeting at Peel's Court, John Street, Westminster.

The record states that he was "not a member".

Does this mean he was not a member of that "Court" but a Quaker or that he had a Quaker burial but was not of that faith?

I found it interesting that his son Isaac Guthrie was baptised at St Mary, Finchley in 1829 with his daughter Hannah. He was born 1791 so may have converted?

Also that Isaac named one of his sons "John Pritchard Guthrie"
Could the name "Pritchard" be a nod to his Quaker roots?

Any input would be appreciated.

Mustang Sally ???

Offline Ben Beck

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Re: Were "Non-members" buried by Quakers?
« Reply #1 on: Wednesday 03 August 16 08:15 BST (UK) »
"Not a member" means that he was not a member of the Society of Friends at the time of his death. It may be that he had previously been a member, but had been 'disowned', perhaps for marrying a non-Friend. Or he may have been attracted to Quakers and attending meetings, but without actually applying for membership. Or it may be that a close family member had been a Quaker.

I can see that the Quaker registers in RG 6 have 10 records relating to Guthrie burials (of 7 individuals), but no births or marriages, so it's unlikely that your Guthries were ever in membership. These individuals look like they relate to a single couple and some of their children. My guess is that one or both of the parents had been attracted to Quakerism and had been attending Quaker meetings, but had not applied for, or been accepted into, membership.

Your guess about the Pritchard name is a possibility, in that it could be a name on the mother's side of the family. I can see that there were quite a few Quaker Pritchards, including some also buried at Bunhill Fields. But there is no birth for an Eleanor Pritchard, who could qualify as the mother in your Guthrie family. It could be a maternal-line name from an earlier generation, but equally it might not necessarily imply anything about Quakers in the family.

Offline Mustang Sally

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Re: Were "Non-members" buried by Quakers?
« Reply #2 on: Wednesday 03 August 16 11:41 BST (UK) »
Hello Ben,

Thank you for replying.

William Guthrie married Eleanor Tarsey at St John, Clerkenwell in 1789.

I assume that he was the Quaker and she was not.

I believe that there were "Guthries" in Scotland that were of the Quaker faith but I have not traced where William came from originally.

The Guthrie burials all appear to be of the same family as you suggest. Maybe the "Pritchard" name comes from William's line.

 :)