Lady Scripture Reader

[stanmapstone]

In the middle of the nineteenth century the salary of a Scripture Reader was between £50 and £70 a year.

Stan

[Emmeline]

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.

[stanmapstone]

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

[Emmeline]

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......

[Trees]

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

[stanmapstone]

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

[Trees]

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.

[stanmapstone]

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

[Trees]

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