Our History
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Documentation of our meeting house's earliest historyClevedon was never a hugely populous place, but in the late Victorian era, thanks to a promenade and a fantastic steel pier, it became something of a tourist trap for the local bristolians wanting to get away from the bustle to more salubrious climes. As Clevedon grew a need for a local meeting house was identified. A committee was formed (Joseph Palmer, Richard Fry, Samuel Wedmore, Henry Catford) to make arrangements for building a meeting house in Clevedon. In order to pay for the fees, plans, contractors, land, etc... the committee set up a subscription, into which Quaker Friends from across the country paid small donations. It took quite a while to collect the necessary money, so the purchase and subsequent bulding work was delayed. In total £615, 17 shillings was collected, and an excess of £13, 18 shillings and tuppence was borrowed from the bank. It was enough for the committee to hire architect Hans F. Price of Weston-super-mare to create a design, lease some land from Sir Arthur Elton, and in 1867 (5/8/1867) the committee hired local contractor Thomas Hartree to “build a house, boundary walls, and erect entrance gates for the sum of £500”, a sum that the contractor only exceeded by £12, 7 shillings and 10 pence.
The Meeting House opened its doors in July 1868, and we celebrated our 150th Anniversary in 2018 with an open day and exhibition.
Through the years, as people came and went, and the Quaker movement itself rose and fell in numbers, there have been peaks and valleys in our own attendance. ;)
Our meeting is growing, but still a local affairThese days we have a weekly attendance at meeting for worship of around 13-20. One thing is for sure, the meeting house will be here for some time yet, there will always be a warm welcome for visitors, with refreshments and a friendly chat after meeting for worship.
