Society of Friends New South Wales records, 1867-1978

MLMSS 3842/Boxes 1-12, 14, 16-18
MLMSS 3842/Items 13X, 15X

fonds

1867-1978

897350

Microfilm : CY 4059, frames 1-476 (MLMSS 3842/Box 17)

16 boxes and 2 outsize items of textual material

The Society of Friends, better known as Quakers, is a Christian organization, but it has no formal services, no priesthood and no consecrated buildings. Spiritual meetings are usually held on Sundays, but they may also take place at any time in private houses where members may wish to worship together. The first meeting of the Friends in Australia was conducted by James Backhouse and G.W. Walker in Hobart, Tasmania, in 1832. The first Sydney meeting was also conducted by Backhouse and Walker during a visit in 1835.

On an organizational level the Society conducts monthly meetings in each district and holds an Annual General Meeting on a national basis. Representatives from each district are selected to attend this as yearly meetings deal with matters requiring a united decision of Friends throughout the country. Prior to 1964 the Australian Friends were part of the London General Meeting, but today they are an autonomous group; the Australian Yearly Meeting.

The collection includes correspondence files, 1889-1978; records relating to minutes of meetings, 1887-1960; financial records, 1901-1972; births, marriages and deaths registers, ca.1888-1974; transfer/removals registers, 1917-ca.1964; members’ private journals, 1867-1876; visitors’ books, 1903-1976; and membership file, 1935-1955

This collection includes pictorial material at Pic.Acc.4919

Box 17
Joseph James Neave and Helen Grace papers 1867-1876 (Request Microfilm: CY 4059, frames 1-476)

Contents list available in the Mitchell Library Reading Room -

Information transferred from Manuscripts Leaf Catalogue No.2 as part of the eRecords Project, 2009-2010