Article No.6

Higham Ferrers Circuit

In the year 1765 the names of the circuits were for the first time published in the ''Minutes of Conference.'' Bedfordshire was one of the circuits, and in it Northamptonshire was included, though as yet there was no Methodist Society either in the county town or in any place between it and Bedford.

In 1779 a severance from Bedford was effected and Northamptonshire began its separate existence, with two preachers and 217 members in the various Societies that had been established. It is not possible to state definitely where those Societies were to be found.

To the village of Whittlebury belongs the honour of being the first place in the county in which the Methodist seed took root and produced a harvest. The chapel was built in 1783, enlarged in 1812, and is still in use, as is also the pulpit in which Wesley preached.

In Wesley's Journal, under date Wednesday, Oct, 28th, 1767, there is this entry: ''We rode to Northampton, where in the evening, our own room being far too small, I preached in the Riding School to a large and deeply serious congregation."

It is surprising that the enormous circuit of Bedfordshire formed in 1765, comprising, as we have already observed, the whole of that county and parts of the counties of Huntingdon, Hertford, Northampton, and Buckingham, had only one minister for two years after its formation. In the year 1781 there were only three Society Classes in the circuit town, Bedford, with a total of 40 members; the whole of the circuit had a membership of only 209. In July, 1792, the account taken to Conference was 550.

That there were, discouragements, opposition, and even persecution to the work is evident from the following pathetic entry in the Circuit Book in the year 1794 by the assistant (Wesley's name for the preacher):

"I earenestly pray that whoever come into this circuit next year, may have more comfort than I have had: four places have shut the door against us, but we have had no new ones opened for us. When I designed to have made tryal at some new places, the Lord afflicted me with a sevear feaver, by which I was hindred. I now leave upon the List 263, I. Pescod." [as spelt]

There was a short period of arrested progress due to the causes named, and the waves of Methodism were thrown back upon themselves. With less backbone the infant Church would have been swept out. The setback was only temporary. In 1792 the numbers rose to about 600 and the number of Societies increased from 21 to 36.

The first page after the title page is headed "Bedford Society, July, 1781." The subsequent pages give all the Societies, names and occupations of members. Rushden comes next to Bedford, namely:

Thos.	Angrave	Farmer	Archester
Sarah	Angrave	His wife
James	Berridge	Farmer	Woolison
Eliz	Berridge	His wife
Thos.	Cumberland	Farmer	Rushdon
Sarah	Cumberland	His wife
Thos.	Fisher	Huckster	Rushdon
Mary	Fisher	His wife
Mary	Whitlock	Servant	Archester
Ann	Simons	Lacemaker	Rushdon
Thomas	Mackness	Labourer	Rushdon
Hanah	Hooper	poor	Rushdon
Eliz.	Partridge	Lacemaker	Rushdon
Wm.	Underwood	Labourer	Rushdon
Sarah	Pettit	poor	Rushdon

Rants                 

John	Knighton	Taylor	Rants
Priscilla	Knighton	His wife
Richd.	Whitlock	Shoemaker	Rants
Mary	Whitlock	His wife
Henry	Knighton	Farmer	Rants
John	Askham	Farmer	Rants
Mary	Askham	His wife
John	Pentlow	Carpenter
Han.	Pentelow	His wife
James	Byfield	Shoemaker
Sarah	Byfield	His Wife

 Old Weston 1781

John Freeman Mason Mary Freeman His wife Wm. Dawson Mary Glover a mason's wife James Fox Carpenter Eleanor Fox His wife Abigal Laxon a labourer's wife Benjamin Shelford Labourer Wm. Ley Labourer Charles Foster  Huckster Sarah Baker Simster Thos. Hewitt Servt. John Mills Labourer Wm. Sutton Labourer Mary Cowlson poor	Another Class
	Wm. Glover, Ld. Mason Caroline Pridmore poor Wm. Austin Labourer Eleanor Austin His wife Mary Woodford poor Mary Mitten poor Ann King Farmer's wife Mary Ley Labourer's wife Ann Shelford Labourer's wife John King Farmer Eliz. Jacob Spinster Eliz. Austin Spinster Sarah Mills Labourer's wife

Hargrave 1781

John	Mehew	Farmer
Sarah	Mehew	His wife
James	Barnes	Shoemaker
Sus.	Barnes	His wife
Cath.	Clerk	Simster

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Article No.7

The account taken to Conference, July 1792, of the names, numbers, occupations, residences, etc., of the members of the Society in the Higham Ferrers Circuit:

	Societies	Members	Total
1	Stevenage	1	5
2	Luton	2	30
3	Harpenden	8	9
4	Tebworth	9	18
5	Bowbrickhill	3	12
6	Stewkley	2	21
7	Totternhoe	7	15
8	Tillsworth	—	14
9	Lygrave	—	10
10	Lydlington	4	10
11	Harpenden	8	9
12	Houghton Conquest	—	20
13	Bedford	10	44
14	Biddenham	5	20
15	Ravenstone	10	11
16	Bozeat	11	11
17	Woolaston	—	10
18	Irchester	1	22
19	Wellingborough	—	34
20	Pitchley	13	13
21	Kettering	5	10
22	Rockingham	12	12
23	Isham	—	11
24	Raunds	2	18
25	Hargrave	3	13
26	Grafham	—	3
27	St. Neots	12	48
28	St. Ives	—	16
29	Houghton	13	13
30	Great Gidding	2	7
31	Old Weston	5	33
32	Great Catworth	2	12
33	Chelveston	3	10
34	New Town	9	9
35	Eaton Socon	3	7
36	Higham Ferrers	5	32
		170	592
	550 Members
		£	s.	d.
Kingswood Collection		6	14	0
Yearly Collection		5	18	9
Preacher's Fund		2	2	0
		14	14	9
Received from yearly colln. More		2	2	0
Total paid at Conference		£16	16	9

Old Weston Wm. Glover Gardener Wm. Austin Thatcher Ellaner Do.   John Warwick Shoemaker Ann Do.   Eliz. Jacob   James Fox Carpenter Mary Lay   Mary Shelford Shopkeeper James Mackeness Labourer Eliz. Do.   Hanah Warwick   Eliz. Fortescue Farmer James Do.   Joseph Pattrick Labourer Jno. Carter Servt. Eliz. Lay   Mary Shelford   Susanah Freeman Mantuama John Freeman Mason Mary Do.   Mary Glover   Ellanor Fox   Abigael Laxon   Wm. Lay Labourer Wm. Sutton Do. Sarah Ingram   Eliz. White   Mary Woodward   Thos. Sharman   Jane Button   Ann Smith   George Pachley Farmer

Higham Ferrers Daniel Pressland Mercer Robt Lamb Shoemaker Wm Fisher Shoemaker Thos Fisher Farmer Jno Parker Mattmaker Jno Collins Labourer Eliz Collins   Sarah Baker Lacemaker Mary White Lacemaker Jno Tibbs Labourer Hannah Hooper Charwoman Daniel Adcock Butcher Sarah Law Lacemaker Mary Church   Martha Lamb   Eliz Partridge Lacemaker Letitia Tibbs   Hannah Parker   Hanah Fisher   Pheby Marchant   Hanah Parker   Sarah Pettit   Robt Eady Blacksmith Jno Smith Shoemaker Thos Parker Mattmaker Saml Parker Shoemaker Jno Tompkins Shoemaker Saml Jonson Labourer Mary Jonson   Eliz Parker   Hannah Draper   Thos Ward

Catworth Perry Cumberland Farmer Jane Cumberland   Jno. Mackness Farmer Jane Mackness Farmer Wm. Howel   Sarah Howel   Ann Austin   Wm.    Howel Servant Sarah Howel   Wm. Lumbers Labourer Daniel Row   Eliz.   Row   Sarah Browning   Mary Quick   Hargrave Wm Puttrill Carpenter Mary Puttrill   Jno Mahew, sen Farmer Sarah Mayhew   Jno Mayhew, jun   Sarah Mayhew, jun   Jno Barnes Shoemaker Susannah Barnes   Jno Tilman Labourer Eliz Tilman   Wm Moore Carpenter Mary Moore   Lucy Savage   Total 13

Raunds Simon Cole Shoemaker Jno. Knighton, sen. Farmer Jno. Knighton, jun.   Henry Knighton Labourer James Pantelong Shoemaker Ann Pantelong   Eliz. Parker   Thos. Adamson Mason Eliz. Adamson   Jno. Askham Farmer Mary Askham   Wm. Ekins Farmer Robt. Sylby Shoemaker Mary Sylby   Thos Jones Labourer Benj Coulson Labourer Mary Coulson   Mary Whitelark   Total 18     Bozeat 11 Wollaston 10 Irchester 22 Raunds 18 Hargrave 13 Chelveston 10 Higham Ferrers 32 Note: no separate list for Rushden