Big news! A true "rootstrek" is finally in the immediate plans. We will be visiting the historic town of Beccles in less than two months. The race is on to get as much research done as I can to insure I visit as many relevant places possible.
Amidst all the research, I've uncovered some fascinating information. Well, at least I find it fascinating.
It seems the great religious awakening that happened in the US in the early 1800s was simultaneously happening in the UK. People who felt forced to align their allegiance to the Church of England were becoming disaffected and looking for other options. It was a thing.
Quaker, Methodist, and other protestant and independent congregations became more widespread and mainstream.
The Brown family, meaning Benjamin Brown's parents and siblings, were all traditional members of the Anglican Church (or Church of England). All 10 children born to Botwright and Rachel Brown were christened in the local Anglican parish, most of them at St. Michael's Church in Geldeston. (If you remember, Geldeston is located across the river from Beccles.) Ben's parents, Botwright and Rachel, as well as Botwright's parents are all buried in the St. Michael's churchyard (a definite place on my list to visit).
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| St. Michael's Church, Geldeston, Norfolk, UK |
The first family member I can find who left the Anglican tradition and became a member of the Independent Chapel in Beccles was Ben's oldest sister, Emma. When she was admitted into the church in January of 1852 she would have been 26 and unmarried. Lucy Brown, at the age of 23, followed in her older sister's footsteps in April of 1858.
It was sometime in the 1850s that Ben left Geldeston, moved to Beccles and into the family home of his older sister Frances, and began working as an apprentice for harness maker James Brewer. It was also during the 1850s, as later reported by Ben's daughter Catherine, that James Brewer shared the teachings and his love of Mormonism with apprentice Ben. But apparently Ben didn't take to Mormonism right away. We think we know from letters and historical accounts published in the Millennial Star that Mormon missionaries were essentially absent in Beccles for an extended period of time and did not return until the 1870s, so perhaps Ben had no way to officially align himself with the Mormons even if he felt converted. But we don't really know when the missionaries withdrew, so they could have still been making the rounds to Beccles throughout the 1850s and early 60s. (That means I probably should go look it up and see what I can find.) Regardless, Ben chose to be admitted into the Independent Chapel in October of 1860.
Meanwhile, the family of Ben's future wife, Catherine, was having much the same experience. As long-time residents of Beccles, Catherine's mother, Susannah Berry, was christened in the parish church in Beccles.
But in March of 1859, Susannah Berry Knights, a wife and mother of two, was admitted into the Independent Chapel. However, there is no record that Catherine's father, John Knights, ever joined. Catherine's only sibling, William, and his wife, Ruth, were both admitted to the Independent Chapel in May 1861 and October 1860 respectively.
Catherine's conversion story is a little more complicated. Her father had an older sister named Elizabeth. In 1831, when Elizabeth was 21 years old, she gave birth to twin boys, James and Thomas. She was unmarried. Whether Elizabeth succumbed to temptation or she was raped we'll never know. We do know that Elizabeth never married. Thomas died sometime after birth and before the age of 9, but when James was 9 he was living with Elizabeth's 70 yr. old mother, Sarah. Elizabeth worked as a servant and resided in her employers' homes. She was listed in the census as a "nurse", probably more like a live-in nanny. I think it's safe to assume her illegitimate son was a huge source of embarrassment and her family stepped up to ease the pain.
Sometime before 1861, Elizabeth was working as a "Head nurse"in a lovely residence north of Hyde Park in Paddington near London (another place on my "must see" list). Living with her was her niece, Catherine. In the 1861 census Catherine is listed as an "under nurse". If you're wondering how all this relates to Catherine's conversion away from the Church of England hang on - it's coming.
Catherine, obviously, returned to Beccles as she married Benjamin in the Independent Chapel on 3 February 1863. However, according to the church records, she was not officially admitted as a member of the Independent Chapel until April 1867. But actually she wasn't new to Protestantism. The church record also indicates that she didn't join anew but, rather, transferred from Craven Hill Chapel.
And where was Craven Hill Chapel? A quick Google search was all it took to find out. It was a short distance from the residence where she and her Aunt Elizabeth were employed in Paddington. (Currently it's owned by Jehovah Witness.)
Now I may be simplifying this too much as it's probably much more complex than it appears. Since virtually everyone in Great Britain were members of the national church prior to the Second Awakening, and looking at the size of the actual parish buildings, church attendance was probably not a weekly experience. "Activity" in a church wouldn't be defined in the same way we - Mormons - would define it today. So it could be that by joining a non-traditional congregation, church activity became an important part of one's life for the first time. Also, there was a lot of missionary work and proselytizing going on to draw members away from the Anglican tradition. Some people may not have been actively looking for a change in religious belief until after options were presented to them.
It's also important to understand that only adults were listed in the church records. When Catherine's mother joined the Independent Chapel in 1859, Catherine would have been 17 yrs. old. She very well could have attended with her mother prior to her move to Paddington, and only became an official member of Craven Hill Chapel when she became of age. Also, her recorded admittance into the Independent Chapel happening 4 years after her marriage doesn't concern me much. Since she was already a member of record in a different location, that was just paperwork.
So why do I find all this fascinating? Well, I have to admit, I'm easily fascinated when it comes to my ancestors. But here's the thing. If I had to speculate, which is all I can do, I would say that Catherine probably followed the example of her mother. She left the Church of England and pursued a new religious tradition because that's what her mother did. It's also interesting that her father did not join the Independent Chapel, and, even after the death of his wife in 1877, he did not join the Mormon church either. Well, at least he didn't join while in Beccles. He was living in the Brown's home as early as 1874 and would have been present for all of the conversion meetings held there. It seems to me he just had no use for religion and couldn't find value in it. (He did, however, get baptized in Utah in 1884 and performed his own temple work the same day Lilian and Joseph were sealed in the Logan Temple in 1890. Something must have changed his mind. Exactly what that was we'll never really know.)
Benjamin is another story. During the 1850s, as a man in his 20s, he would have been presented with the doctrines and precepts of Mormonism by his employer, James Brewer. At the same time, he was probably introduced to the offerings of the Independent Chapel by his older siblings. Initially, he did not choose Mormonism. In fact, for 19 years, under the careful, loving guidance and leadership of Reverend John Flower, it appears he fully embraced his chosen faith tradition. It wasn't until Reverend Flower retired and was replaced by the progressive, upwardly-mobile Jonathan Calvert did Ben become disaffected and revisit the teachings of Mormonism. Each one of us will look at his story and the timing of his choices and spin it according to our own personal beliefs and alliances. I think that's a fair thing to do. But for me, I'm just happy to believe that Ben was always seeking goodness. Always seeking light. And always seeking God.
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