RootsChat.Com
General => The Common Room => Topic started by: Emmeline on Friday 04 May 07 01:45 BST (UK)
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I have checked for Scripture Reader in Search Rootschat and in all instances they seem to have been male.
My Scripture Reader was a female - her husband was a Goldsmith - and I wonder if anyone could tell me about her occupation. Would it have been her occupation as listed or something she did in her spare time?
Many thanks.
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Hi Emmmeline,
When was this?
Linda.
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Hi Linda. Thanks for your interest. This was shown in the 1881 census - living in London, Middlesex.....
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Do you have any idea which denomination she was likely to be?
Linda.
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I am very sorry Linda - I do not know that but would think C of E......
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There are 188 female scripture readers in the 1881 census.
Stan
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A Scripture Reader, who had to be a communicant of the Church of England for at least two years, was nominated by the minister of the parish to the bishop, to be examined as to his fitness for the office, either by the bishop himself or someone appointed for that purpose. On being approved the scripture reader was then appointed in writing by the bishop, and was under the control and direction of the glergyman who nominated him. It was the duty of the scripture reader to search out the most destitute and ignorant of the parishioners, and to read the Holy Scriptures from house to house. They were strictly prohibited from carrying, distributing, or reading from any book or publication except the Old and New Testament, the Book of Common Prayer, and any books sanctioned by the the incumbent. They were also strictly forbidden to preach anywhere.
The object of apppointing Scripture Readers was to give the clergy increased means of parochial efficiency.
Stan
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Very many thanks indeed Stan for that full and interesting answer. I now feel I know much more about the duties of a Scripture Reader...... would they have been paid for this or would they in due time have found their reward in Heaven ?
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Very many thanks indeed Stan for that full and interesting answer. I now feel I know much more about the duties of a Scripture Reader...... would they have been paid for this or would they in due time have found their reward in Heaven ?
There are 669 men, in the 1881 census, who give their occupation as "Scripture Reader" and a look at one or two show that they have families, so I assume that they had some sort of income. The clergyman who nominated him could suspend him from exercising his functions by giving one month's notice to the bishop, and also to the reader. This seems to imply that he was being given time to find a new job. I will see if I can find any mention of pay.
Stan
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In the middle of the nineteenth century the salary of a Scripture Reader was between £50 and £70 a year.
Stan
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Hello Stan - it's very good of you to have found out so much for me about Scripture Readers. I knew nothing of them before.
It's great to know that one can still learn something everyday and in this case something most interesting .
My thanks.
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The Church of England Scripture Readers Association, a charity, was instituted in 1844, for the diocese of London and Winchester, the object being to employ scripture readers under the superintendence of the parochial clergy. In 1879 the charity was at 56, Haymarket, London and employed 122 readers.
There is a Soldiers' & Airmens' Scripture Readers' Association
http://www.sasra.org.uk/
Stan
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Thanks again Stan. I have been into the the SASRA site and once more found some interesting information.
One might say that I am now well - versed on this subject -with your help of course......
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I know this is an old thread but I have found it most informative and thank Stan for the information. If you are around please may I ask a subsidary question?
My Scripture Reader was Edward Ellard. Up to 1884 he had been a lockmaker, a grocer then a baker. In 1888, when he had a daughter baptised in Willenhall, he was a scripture Reader. in 1891 he has moved to Stoke on Trent and is on the census as "Church of England Evangelist Preacher" (The same in 1901)
Now in your definition of a Sripture Reader it states they may not Preach so what has happened here Has he taken some training ? Is he now a "Lay Reader" it is his occupation so I presume it is a paid post. A photo of him shows him with Seven other men all dressed in cassocks could he have been ordained in such a short period of time? Any idea how I can find more about him please?
His son Charles A A was Evangelist Established Church in 1911 He had moved to Stainland, Yorkshire some time between 1905 and 1909 again with a change of occupation.
Trees
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In 1866 the archbishops of both Canterbury and York agreed to a form of "reader's licence". This permitted the recipient only to read the scriptures in a specified parish, but it led in the 1880s to the concept of preaching readers, at least some of whom had diocesan rather than a parochial licence. National rules were first agreed upon in 1905. From "The A to Z of Anglicanism" by Colin Buchanan http://www.rootschat.com/links/01elv/
In the middle of the nineteenth century the salary of a Scripture Reader was between £50 and £70 a year.
The Canons of the Church of England
Canon B 18 Of sermons in parish churches
2. The sermon shall be preached by a minister, deaconess, reader or lay worker duly authorized in accordance with Canon Law.
Stan
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Many thanks Stan. So it looks like Edward was able to preach with in the church in Stoke On Trent after first being a Scripture Reader in Willenhall possibly in St Giles where he had a child baptised in 1888. I can not distinguish his collar in the photograph of him and six others in cassocks but the time line would suggest he was a lay person but employed to preach. A similar situation is happening with the son who appears on the 1911 census in Yorkshire. If I am correct the Evangelists were Gospel driven believing the word to be central to their worship and that it was their duty or calling to spread the gospel to as many people as possible, so they could work in any Christian denomination,in this case Cof E. Anglican evangelist were not allowed to Preach out doors and had to be invited to preach in a church by the priest in charge. As both Willenhall and Stoke came under the Bishop of Lichfield it looks like Edward had a Diocesan licence, but the son has changed diocese when he starts to preach.
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They could have been members of the Church Army. Lay Evangelists in the Church of England are members of the Church Army, which was founded in 1882. All officers of the Church Army are admitted to the office of evangelist at their commissioning and licensed to their work by a diocesann bishop. http://www.rootschat.com/links/01em0/
Stan
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Ahh now that makes sense of the father . I have just found the probate for the son in 1949 which reads "Ellard the Reverend Charles Alfred Augustus of The Rectory Ashley Market Drayton Shropshire clerk..." Now that looks like he had been ordained what do you think?
So both father and son turn to preaching later in life the Father first as a scripture reader then as an Evangelic preacher possibly with the Church Army. The son was also an Evangelist Church England [Preach] in 1911 in Yorkshire having been an insurance agent in Stoke on Trent in 1891.His son Edward was baptised at Longwood Parish church in 1907 father's occupation Evangelist
I can't find him in Crockford's 1932
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Charles Alfred Augustus Ellard was ordained priest on 22nd September 1935 by the Bishop in Lichfield Cathedral, he attended the Bishops' College, Chesunt. Lichfield Mercury - Friday 27 September 1935
Stan
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"Ellard the Reverend Charles Alfred Augustus of The Rectory Ashley Market Drayton Shropshire clerk..."
Clerk means he was a Clerk in Holy Orders. Clerk in Holy Orders is normally a designation, chiefly legal and formal, for a bishop, priest, or deacon in the C of E.
Stan
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Great Stan So it looks like he too started with the Church Army. I wonder why he waited so long to be ordained. I have found a possible WW1 record I wonder if it was him and he trained after the war. I think I have stumbled on a very interesting family here they are colateral to my main tree but well worth a look.
Many thanks for all your help. Have you any idea what all those abreviations on the Newspaper report mean?
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I'm not sure what abbreviations you mean
Stan
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Sorry Stan its now quite clear Its me I have cataracts and get optic migraine I have to remember to take a break from the screen or I just start seeing strange squiggles through flashing coloured lights. Had a drink and a break all is now well again :-[
it just gets more and more interesting I have looked up about the Bishop's College Chesunt where he trained. now many moons ago..too many to recall... I took a course of study leading to a diploma in modern history research, For one module I had to make a study of Evangelical movement in the Cof E in the eighteenth century. For all my other modules I had been able to use examples from my family tree but not this one . Instead I looked at three local Anglican priests all under the same patron who happened to be a friend of Selina Countess of Huntingdon. These three local vicars all took turn in speaking at Treveca and covered each other's absence from his own parish. Now I find that the College was moved to Chesunt and eventually was exactly where Charles Alfred Augustus trained..small world isn't it.
I have definitely found that he served in WW1 he was first on the Durham light Infantry then later in the Labour corps. So this could be why he trained so late sadly it only looks like his medal card has survived it would have been interesting to see his full records. to see where and when he was discharged but I don't think there is any way else to fill in this part of his life.
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Wow I have found a wonderful newspaper item that outlines Edward Ellard's work as a lay reader, perfectly it shows he was licenced as lay reader by the Bishop of Lichfield in 1864. built uo a bible study class of 150 members, held out door services in the market square ( a thing I thought was not allowed) and was in charge of the Mission of the Good Shepherd in Wharf Street for 12 years he told the people at his presentation to be loyal to the "Grand old Catholic Church of England"
see PRESENTATION TO A LONGTON EVANGELIST.
Publication: 09 January 1900 - Staffordshire Sentinel - Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
TESTIMONIAL TO BRO. ELLARD
It is ra eally interesting read.
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That is a very interesting article, so it was in January 1900 that he went to Stoke. I think they mean out door meetings, not actual church services, as he was not ordained.
Stan
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Edward influence at least 5 family members to work in the Church
Son in law George leese was an insurance agent in 1901 but from the newspaper article in 1900 was a licensed lay reader
Son in law Charles FOSTER was an insurance agent in 1911 and ordained in 1919(aged 45)
Son in Law William McKenzie was an insurance agent 1901 so far I have not found him as a Bible reader or Lay Reader
Son Charles Alfred was an insurance agent 1901 and an Evangelist in 1911 served in the war and was ordained in 1935 age 57 ( his executor was his son who was an insurance agent")
Son in Law Thomas Handley was an evangelist in 1901 and ordained 1907
grandson was ordained in 1934 and served as an RAF chaplain in WW2
Notice how many collected the earthly insurance while delivering heavenly assurance. Remember the letter carrier in Lark hill to Candleford who gave Bible readings while on his rounds.