Quaker Tapestry Museum staff and volunteer team choose their favourite exhibits in our new series of blogs.
Nancy Gray, Quaker Tapestry Museum Assistant, tells us why she chose ‘Meeting Houses Overseas’ as her favourite exhibits…
“I am particularly drawn to this panel because of my love of travel. It shows us that even through different languages and cultures we can find commonality and create bonds that unite us. I like the fact that all the meeting houses look different and unique to that part of the world. The building of meeting houses has come from community and people working together. This panel tells stories of missionary work, liberation and emigration and I feel, gives a feeling of hope and unity which is why it is my current favourite.”
About the panel
Inspired and energetic Quakers took their message overseas to many different countries and attracted followers. As the numbers grew meeting houses were needed. This panel depicts the many architectural styles and local materials used to suit the needs of the people and the particular locations. There are ten Meeting Houses on this panel, each with a different story…
In the late eighteenth century groups of English ministering Friends travelling on the continent found small companies of like-minded people in the south of France and in Germany: meeting houses were built at Congénies (1822) and Pyrmont (1800, much rebuilt 1923). Similarly, James Backhouse and Lindley Murray Hoag of New England found in 1853 a similar group at Botn in Röldal, Norway: a meeting house was built shortly afterwards. Missionary work by British and Irish Friends in the later nineteenth century led to the establishment of Brummana High School in the Lebanon, with its meeting house (1887). They worked among former slaves in Pemba, Tanzania, after their liberation in 1897: the meeting house in nearby Chake Chake (1959) was the third to be erected. Emigration of Friends to Australia led to meeting houses such as Adelaide (1839, sent out from London in 69 packages). In New Zealand a meeting house was built in 1890 in Auckland (resited in 1913) and in South Africa the 1920 building in Cape Town was resited in 1971. A number of Friends were associated with Achimota College in the Gold Coast (Ghana) and a wall-less meeting house was provided at Hill House (1934). No attempt has been made to depict the vast variety of meeting houses, sometimes called Friends’ churches, on the North American continent. From the late nineteenth century Quakers in North America undertook considerable missionary work, particularly in East Africa, parts of Asia, and South America. Oregon Friends began work in Bolivia in 1930: the church at Jahuirkhatu is representative of the considerable missionary work of American Quakers as a whole.
About the stitches
Many Meetings realised that they had ‘missed out’ by not joining the Quaker Tapestry project earlier, several ‘traveling panels’ were established to which these Friends could contribute. Several groups embroidered this panel, which was designed by David Butler.
You can view ‘Meeting Houses Overseas’, and other panels, here at Quaker Tapestry Museum, Kendal or view all 77 panels on our website
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