Early Registration and References in Barton-le-Clay

In 1672 Charles II issued a Declaration of Toleration for Protestants dissenting from the Church of England; this had the effect of some dissenting meeting houses registering with the Secretary of State. The Toleration Act of 1689 enshrined the right of protestants to dissent from the Church of England and, once again, encouraged meeting houses to register voluntarily with local quarter sessions and Anglican church. Registration provided protection against persecution, laying a duty of protection upon magistrates and so was popular with nonconformists. Most registrations were made with quarter sessions until the middle of the 18th century, presumably due to the mutual antagonism of nonconformists and established Church. However, from that point registration with the Church, via the local archdeaconry began to become the favoured method, because the archdeaconry Registrar would issue a licence at any time rather than during the days each quarter when the quarter sessions met.

Visitations by the Bishop of Lincoln to Bedfordshire in the early 18th century give some idea as to the number of nonconformists in each parish from returns made by the vicar or rector. Former County Archivist Patricia Bell has compiled returns from 1706 to 1720 for the Bedfordshire Historical Records Society (Volume 81, published 2002); information forBarton-le-Clayincludes the following:

• 1706: “95 families, of these 4 are Quakers, 2 Anabaptists. No meeting house for either”
• 1709: “Families 98, souls, 450. 3 families Quakers. No public or charity schole (sic). A Quaker sometimes comes to church but is not baptised.”
• 1712: “Four families Quakers, one of which teaches to read and write, and refuseth to teach the church catechism”
• 1717: “About 87 families, one of Presbitarians and three of Quakers. I know of no licenced meeting house. I have heard of a few Quakers that meet two or three times a year”
• 1720: “Threescore families in my parish, whereof three are of the Sect called Quakers, and in one there are some Anabaptists. There is no Meeting House of any sort in my Parish”

Bedfordshire Archives has a reasonable number of registrations of nonconformist meeting houses in both the Quarter Sessions and Archdeaconry of Bedford archives. Registration continued through the 19th century even though persecution faded away - this was because registered buildings were allowed to claim exemption from parish poor rates, were exempt from control by the Charity Commission and were allowed to be licensed to carry out marriages. These things meant that registration became almost compulsory in practice for well established nonconformist meetings. This is fortunate for the local historian because sometimes the only surviving references to a nonconformist meeting occur as registrations. One drawback with the registrations are that they do not usually inform the reader of the particular type of denomination involved, though sometimes it is possible to infer it from other evidence.

Edwin Welch researched the history of registrations in Bedfordshire for Bedfordshire Historical Records Society Volume 75 Bedfordshire Chapels and Meeting Houses [published in 1996] and found the following for Barton-le-Clay:

• On 24th October 1803 a dwellinghouse of John Ward, farmer was registered by himself, Robert Pilter, William Davis, William Boustrad, John Wingrave and William Prior [ref: ABN1/1, ABN2/111].
• On 13th February 1819 the douse of William Peddit (Peddar) was registered by John Pack and others [ref: ABN1/2, ABN3/3 and ABN3/12].
• On 16th June 1821 a barn in the occupation of William Brown for occasional preaching was registered by himself, John Brown, James Blott and William Blott [ref: ABN1/2, ABN2/178 and ABN3/3].
• On 19th November 1823 the house of John Warren was registered by him [ref: ABN1/2 and ABN3/3].
• In December 1831 a newly erected chapel was registered by John Warren, James Harris, James Foxen and Thomas Burbridge [ref: ABN1/2, ABN2/263, ABN3/3 and ABN3/112].
• Between 19th and 21st June 1834 the Wesleyan Chapel was registered by Isaac Wale of Bedford [ref: ABN1/2 and ABN2/288].
• On 19th May 1835 a Wesleyan Chapel was registered by Thomas Rogerson of Luton [ref: ABN1/2 and ABN2/301]. A certificate was addressed to the Bishop of Lincoln. Rogerson registered Wesleyan Chapels at Houghton Regis, Leagrave, Luton, Tebworth, Toddington and Whipsnade on the same day.
• On 6th February 1854 a Wesleyan Methodist Chapel in Sharpenhoe Road is registered by Wright Shovelton, the Superintendent Minister of Chapel Street, Luton. Shovelton registered chapels at Caddington and Luton on the same day.
• On 3rd November 1876 a Primitive Methodist Chapel in Bedford Road is registered by John Henry James Beckhurst, Minister of High Town, Luton, Cancelled on revision, 10th August 1954.