There was a Quaker meeting house in Langford soon after the Society of Friends was founded by George Fox in 1650.
In 1676 there were 20 Quakers in Langford which had a population of about 312. They were not many in numbers but the Quakers made their strong views known by their many protests. John Samm of Langford was summoned for non-payment of tithes in 1660 and was sent to Bedford gaol for one year. John was married to Ann and they had two children.
Their son, also John, represented Langford at the Pulloxhill Quakers meeting in 1704. Many Langford Quakers met at Clifton until a monthly meeting could be arranged at Langford. This was achieved in 1700. Among the early members were Isaac Nottage, Edward Griffin, Edward Saunders, Thomas Underwood, John Grey and Edward Sibley.
The minutes of the meeting in January 1734 have survived and these give us further information. They had a permanent meeting house in Langford which had been left to them by Edward Griffin in 1720. This house had a burial ground in the garden so if human bones are ever dug up they well may be all that is left of the 18th century Quakers of Langford.
From the very beginning the Quakers had burial grounds, usually pieces of land which had been purchased or donated. In many cases they preceded the building of the Meeting House as vicars refused to bury Quakers in their graveyards and the Quakers, in any case, did not believe in the necessity of burial in consecrated ground.
The minutes of the meeting instructed the Friends “to resist tithes, church rates, priests and to keep to justice in dealings, plainness of habit, and speech; take care to appoint proper, prudent and judicious friends to visit brethren in their families; labour faithfully in a spirit of love and in the meekness of wisdom”.
During 1735 two meetings were not held due to harvest and “by reason of a grate flood”. At the October meeting John Freeman and his wife asked for a certificate to settle in Pennsylvania. The meeting deferred their decision until further advice had been taken and by November 1735 they were able to emigrate. He took with him letters of introduction to the Friends in America. Signatories to the letter were Langfordians John Gray, William Sale, Mary Ashwell, Joannah Bennet and 12 others.
The Langford meeting house had to be looked after and in 1737 Samuel Neal “lopped and layed a hedge and ditched the lane for four shillings. In 1740 the roof was re thatched at a cost of 9s 6d for the straw and 10s5d for the workmanship”.
The Friends were selective to whom they gave charity; they would give nothing to widow Coleman in 1737 as “she not being married among Friends”. In 1739 they sent money to Wellingborough to help a Friend who has suffered loss by fire at harvest. Samuel Breeson received money because he had been robbed by a workman he took in as a lodger.
In 1740 they seemed prosperous as Robert Cook of Dunton left £5 in his will to the poor of Langford to be dispersed by John Grey. No worthy recipients could be found so the money was held in case of future need.
Marriage to non-Quakers was one of the major hurdles as the Quakers disliked their members marrying outside the Society. Approval from the members had to be obtained. In 1724 Ann Thorogood of Moggerhanger wanted to marry Isaac Nottage of Langford. They announced their intention at one meeting and at the third meeting the elders gave their approval. William Sale and Susannah Kitchener followed.
Three years later Henry Thorogood wanted to marry Sarah Read but the Friends would not agree as his wife had not been dead for one year. Henry protested and went ahead with the marriage.
By 1752 the numbers attending the monthly meetings had dwindled to force the closure of the meeting house and in 1754 the Meeting was absorbed into the Ampthill Quarterly meeting. Quakers kept their own records of births, marriages and deaths which may make research into family history difficult.
Compiled by John Shipman using notes from The People of The Long Ford by Michael Rutt and from information in The National Archives.