Bibliography - Religion: Quakers
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Extracts from Documents illustrative of the Sufferings of the Quakers in Lewes, by William Figg, F.S.A., published 1864 in Sussex Archæological Collections (vol. 16, article, pp.65-125) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2101] & The Keep [LIB/500235] & S.A.S. library   View Online

Early Friends in Surrey and Sussex [Quakers], edited by T. W. Marsh, published 1886 (162 pp., London: S. Harris & Co.) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 51] & East Sussex Libraries   View Online

Some records from the original Minute books and other sources. The area covered is that of the 'present' (i.e. 1886) limits of Dorking, Horsham and Guildford Monthly Meeting.

Some Notes on the Early Sussex Quaker Registers, by Perceval Lucas, published 1912 in Sussex Archæological Collections (vol. 55, article, pp.74-96) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2140] & The Keep [LIB/500273] & S.A.S. library   View Online

George Keith, the "Christian Quaker", by S.C.M. Contributor(s), published 1932 in Sussex County Magazine (vol. VI no. 6, article, pp.367-368) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 9325] & The Keep [LIB/500175]

The Old Quaker Meeting House, Steyning, by Rev. H. E. B. Arnold, M.A., published 1932 in Sussex County Magazine (vol. VI no. 8, article, pp.500-504) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 9325] & The Keep [LIB/500175]

The Persecution of Sussex Quakers 1655-1690. I - The First Imprisonments at Horsham, by William Albery, published 1933 in Sussex County Magazine (vol. VII no. 8, article, pp.521-524) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2312] & The Keep [LIB/500176]

The Persecution of Sussex Quakers 1655-1690. II - A Petition to Cromwell, by William Albery, published 1933 in Sussex County Magazine (vol. VII no. 9, article, pp.600-603) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2312] & The Keep [LIB/500176]

The Persecution of Sussex Quakers 1655-1690. III, by William Albery, published 1933 in Sussex County Magazine (vol. VII no. 10, article, pp.658-662) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2312] & The Keep [LIB/500176]

The Persecution of Sussex Quakers 1655-1690. IV - The Story of Ambrose Rigge, by William Albery, published 1933 in Sussex County Magazine (vol. VII no. 11, article, pp.738-741) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2312] & The Keep [LIB/500176]

Historic Houses of Sussex - Blue Idol Quaker House, Coolham, by Viscountess Wolseley, published 1933 in Sussex County Magazine (vol. VII no. 12, article, pp.763-768) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2312] & The Keep [LIB/500176]

The Persecution of Sussex Quakers 1655-1690. V - The Last Quaker Prisoners, including William Penn, by William Albery, published 1933 in Sussex County Magazine (vol. VII no. 12, article, pp.787-791) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 2312] & The Keep [LIB/500176]

George Keith, 1638-1716, by Ethyn Williams Kirby, published 1942 (177 pp., New York: American Historical Assocation) accessible at: British Library

George Keith served as rector of St Andrews, Edburton from 1705 until his death on 27 March 1716

John Songhurst, friend of William Penn, by Marion Balderston, published 1963 in Quaker History (vol. 52, no. 1, article, pp.10-18)

Quaker preacher from West Chiltington.

Quakers in Ifield, 1676-1976, by Ellen Hanson and Renate Warner, published 1976 (booklet, published by the authors) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 9483] & West Sussex Libraries

Lewes Quakers in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries, by W. K. Rector, published 1978 in Sussex Archæological Collections (vol. 116, article, pp.31-40) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 7197] & The Keep [LIB/500313] & S.A.S. library

The Snashall Family, Quakers and Blacksmiths, by Michael J. Burchall, published June 1980 in Sussex Genealogist and Family Historian (vol. 2 no. 1, article, pp.11-14) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 8671] & The Keep [LIB/501188] & CD SXGS from S.F.H.G.

The Suffering of the Quakers in Sussex, by Gladys Stanley, published 1981 (pamphlet, 8 pp., Diocese of Chichester) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 7788] & West Sussex Libraries

Quakers in Lewes: an Informal History, by David Hitchin, published 1984 (vi + 87 pp., Lewes: Lewes Quakers Friends Meeting House) accessible at: & West Sussex Libraries & East Sussex Libraries

A history of the Quaker faith in Lewes, Sussex from its beginnings in 1655, through times of persecution, to the 1980s. Lewes Quakers had an influence in the town quite disproportionate to their numbers and a few became figures of national importance.

The life and work of George Bax Holmes (1803-1887) of Horsham, Sussex: a Quaker vertebrate fossil collector, by John A. Cooper, published 1992 in Archives of Natural History (vol. 19, no. 3, article, pp.379-400)

Bernhard Baron Cottage Homes : fifty years of Quaker care, 1945 to 1995, by Ronald Newman, Sheila Stanger and William Kaye Sessions, published June 1995 (iv + 60 pp., York: Sessions Book Trust, ISBN-10: 1850721645 & ISBN-13: 9781850721642) accessible at: British Library & East Sussex Libraries

The Quakers in Chichester 1655-1967, by Michael Woolley, published 1 January 1999 (pamphlet, 36 pp., Religious Society of Friends Chichester Meeting, ISBN-10: 0953482804 & ISBN-13: 9780953482801) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 13893][Lib 13941] & West Sussex Libraries

The Chichester Quaker Plaques, by Michael Woolley, published c.2000 (leaflet) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15835]

The Quakers in Chichester 1655-1967, by Michael Woolley, published 2000 (pamphlet) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 14187]

William Allen, Quaker Friend of Lindfield 1770-1843, by Margaret Nicolle, published 16 November 2001 (152 pp., published by the author, ISBN-10: 0954130103 & ISBN-13: 9780954130107) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 14889][Lib 14585] & The Keep [LIB/503737] & West Sussex Libraries & East Sussex Libraries

An interesting account of William Allen's fascinating life. Over a third of this book is devoted to his Lindfield connections, the cottage allotments scheme on the Gravely's estate and his founding of local schools for the children of agricultural labourers. William Allen's Quakerism influenced everything he did. From humble beginnings he became a member of the Royal Society and the first president of the Phamaceutical Society. He was an educational pioneer, an opponent of the slave trade and a friend of the Emperor of Russia.

Quakers in Littlehampton and Arundel: a short history, by Stan Nattrass, published 2003 (leaflet) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 15465]

Brighton Quakers 1655-2005, by Richard S. Harrison, published 18 December 2005 (72 pp., QueenSpark Books, ISBN-10: 0904733238 & ISBN-13: 9780904733235) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/502420]

Quakers in Lewes: an Informal History, by David Hitchin, published 18 June 2011 (2nd edition, 116 pp., Lulu, ISBN-10: 1446144887 & ISBN-13: 9781446144886) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/502424] & West Sussex Libraries & East Sussex Libraries

This is a history of the Quakers of Lewes Meeting from its origin in 1655. From being persecuted by the other inhabitants they gradually achieved respectability and then civic prominence. Their religious thinking has developed over the years, but it is still centred in the silent Meeting for Worship.

This book goes back to the start of the Quaker movement in Sussex c1655 and covers not only Lewes but also much of Sussex including Brighton, Horsham and Hurstmonceux. We are introduced to the leading lights in the Quakers: George Fox, William Penn, Thomas Paine - associated by family connection - as well as many local traders, businessmen and their families. They were subject to charges for not attending Church, sometimes resulting in imprisonment. Much detail is given aboutthe legal battles ensuing. It wasn't until 1689 with Act of Toleration that they were released from the obligation of attending church. The current Meeting House dates back to 1784 where Meetings are still held and the building was open to the public which I visited as part of the Heritage Weekend in Sept 2015. I found the book most interesting as a regular visitor to Lewes. It is well researched and presented with photos and illustrations, although perhaps does contain rather too many quotations from official sources for comfort. Copies are available from WSCC-and no doubt ESCC-libraries.

The Scrase Family: The Quaker Connection, by Tony Scrase, published December 2013 in Sussex Family Historian (vol. 20 no. 8, article, pp.354-359) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/508979] & CD SFH40 from S.F.H.G.

It is simplest to begin with Lower's 'Genealogical Memoir of the Family of SCRASE' as this is what will confront anybody attempting an online search. This is despite it now being over 150 years old and the fact that his family tree has been corrected and refined by Comber's Sussex Genealogies. Also much more recent research is available. Towards the end of his piece Lower mentions that some 17th century SCRASEs left the Established Church. He then cites the will of Walter SCRASE who was obviously a Quaker but states that he cannot connect Walter with his pedigree for the SCRASEs of West Blatchington. This is rather surprising as the two persons benefiting can be found in his family trees. When he returned to the SCRASEs more briefly in his 'Notes on old Sussex families' he is clearer writing 'after the Reformation tire SCRASEs adhered to the Roman Catholic faith. Afterwards they became Protestants and Quakers - a singular revulsion, not unknown in our own times - and at length members of the Church of England'.