Category: Guest Post

  • New London Quakers: A Coda

    New London Quakers: A Coda

    We are excited to share this guest post by Daphne Davey. In the Winter 2016 Meetinghouse, Daphne wrote about the New London settlement of English Quakers in Prince Edward Island. Her original article can be read here (pg 12–13).


    “THE CANADIAN FRIEND,” AROUND THE FAMILY

    NEW LONDON QUAKERS: A CODA

    The Winter 2016 issue of the Meetinghouse carried an article I had submitted, “The Lost Dream Revived,” briefly outlining the story of the first settlement of Quakers on Île-Saint-Jean/St. John’s Island (now Prince Edward Island). My summary was based on the then just-published history of this settlement, New London: The Lost Dream, the Quaker Settlement on PEI’s North Shore 1773–1795, by Island historian John Cousins. The publication of this book in 2016, dedicated wholly to a little-known and -explored chapter of PEI and Quaker history, was truly exciting. But fast-forward to 2023 for a delightful coda.

    Wendell Feener with the John Adams clock.
    Photo courtesy of Doug Sobey

    I recently visited the Bedeque Area Historical Museum having learned that our Lieutenant Governor had just opened two new exhibits, one of which was the “Wendell Feener Clock Collection: Clocks of the Island 1770–1960.” Mr. Feener donated 173 clocks from his enormous collection to the Museum, all restored by him and in working order.

    As the Museum website notes, “[The collection includes] especially significant clocks such as the Adams [longcase or grandfather] clock, brought out from England in 1774 to New London by John Adams …” The clock has been made a focal point for the whole exhibit. It is also reputed to be the oldest known clock extant on PEI. There is a definite thrill (if not a tingling at the back of the neck) when coming face-to-face with an artifact of such historic significance – not to mention craftsmanship and beauty – especially meaningful to PEI Quakers.

    The John Adams longcase clock
    Photo courtesy of Doug Sobey

    John Cousins records in his book that Robert Clark, the London Quaker merchant who sponsored and led the settlement expedition, sent a recruiter to Derbyshire who was successful in persuading John Adams and his family (wife and five children, according to a list of settlers dated 1775) to make the transatlantic crossing in 1774. The Adams family were not Quakers, but arrived on the Island in the mixed group of Quaker and other settlers aboard Robert Clark’s ship, the Elizabeth, and were a part of the company which established the Quaker settlement of New London on the north shore, a short distance west of the present-day town. John Adams was one of those who put down roots in the area after many had left, as he is mentioned as being a “farmer” in nearby Springbrook in 1795.

    It is very moving to stand at the grave in Charlottetown of Robert Clark, who faced many heartbreaking setbacks to his vision. It would be equally moving to stand at the grave of John Adams (local Friends are hoping it might be located) and contemplate how he would have been pleased to know that his clock has survived right down to the twenty-first century and is giving such pleasure to Museum visitors.

    This coda to the story will be especially meaningful to historians and local Quakers who are more deeply familiar with the New London story. My thanks to historian Doug Sobey who recognized the significance of this historical gem and for his permission to use his photos.

    Daphne Davey
    PEI Quaker Meeting

  • Walking Wheel Discovery Project

    We are excited to share this guest post by Todd Farrell. Todd’s interest in walking wheels and their creators led him to contact CFHA, where he graciously accepted the invitation to share his Walking Wheel Discovery Program research with us on the blog.


    Having obtained a walking wheel in 2020, I wanted to determine the maker. This was a seemingly easy question, but not one with an easy answer. I dove into research and found information from various sources about makers including Quakers and their history.

    Figure 1 – The wheel that began the Walking Wheel Discovery Project

    Walking wheels were a staple of the pioneer household in the late 1700s and 1800s. Often referred to as wool, or great wheels, they were used to spin wool. The spinner stepped back and forth as they were spinning the wool, which gave the wheels their name. Historical references note spinners that worked in the English textile industry in Yorkshire and Lancashire walked the equivalent of 30 miles a week[1]. Walking wheels vary in diameter, turnings, styles and tension type, and number of legs.

    Relatively little has been written on the Canadian makers and the various wheels they made. In the United States, Shakers were known for their high-quality wheels, which were generally stamped with the name of the maker[2]. Makers marks (name and/or location) are not very common in Ontario or Canada. Markers marks can be found in various forms including paper, stencil, stamping, etching or carving on parts of the wheel housing.

    Inventions or patents were also created. These inventions are unique designs or mechanisms which were submitted to regulatory bodies. Some of these patents, with patent claim, description and drawings, can be found online for Canada[3] and the United States[4]. In Ontario, some patent wheels look like walking wheels, with an added treadle and moving arm with spindle. This removed the need for the spinner to walk. Pivot location varied, from the bottom (lever action), the top (pendulum), and side (horizontal). Not all inventions connected to spinning developed from the walking wheel. Hand crank and other varieties of spinning wheels also were patented.

    One of the first patent wheels I read about was made by Thomas Wright, a Norwich Quaker. He was a machinist who patented a lever action spinning wheel that he called the New Dominion Spinning wheel (Fig 2).

    Figure 2 – Patent 3276, June 16, 1869, the New Dominion Spinning Wheel, Thomas Wright, Milldale, Oxford County, South Norwich Township.                                              

    Spinning wheel makers are sometimes noted as such, but they can also be noted as sash maker, grain cradle maker, chair maker, cabinet maker, mechanic, turner, carpenter, farmer, coffin maker, carriage or wagon maker, wheel wright and more.

    Other Quaker makers have also documented before. Donald G. Anger wrote about Daniel Abell, a cabinet maker affiliated with the Pelham, Norwich, and Yarmouth sites[5]. Another Quaker maker, Michael McKay, was affiliated with Norwich and Yarmouth Quakers[6]. He was a cabinet maker as well, but marked his name and location and on the bench of his wheels.

    I document Canadian wheel styles, collecting online photos from sales (Facebook, Kijiji, Maxsold, and past and present auctions) combined with researching collections in museums and online portals like Ravelry. This information is cross referenced with census and gazetteer information and township histories, identifying known makers and locations.

    Finding many wheels for sale, all in the same style as a known 1800’s maker, increases the chances that it was made by that maker. Some of the wheels sold in Ontario were made in the United States or other provinces and have travelled. With time and research, the Canadian wheels will be determined.

    To date, I have found over 85 Ontario makers, 40 Canadian patent spinning wheel makers, and evaluated 1,000 wheels. My work has focused on Ontario makers, but I also collect photos and information on other Canadian makers and wheels, with research continuing.

    As for the first wheel I purchased that started my quest, the same wheel has been sold across Ontario with a large cluster sold in Grey County which has many makers.

    I may never know who made my wheel or some of the other wheels found in Ontario. Documenting walking wheel makers and their styles are important to raise awareness of the wheels, the makers, and this key part of our history.

    If you have a walking wheel, please share a photo to [email protected]. I would love to hear about it.


    [1] Patricia Baines, Spinning Wheels: Spinners and Spinning (London: Batsford, 1977), 252.

    [2] D. Pennington and M. Taylor, Pictorial Guide to American Spinning Wheels. (Sabbathday Lake, Maine: Shaker Press, 1975), 100.

    Judith Buxton-Keenlyside, Selected Canadian Spinning Wheels in Perspective: An Analytical Approach (Ottawa: National Museum of Man, National Museums of Canada, 1980), 336.

    [3] Library and Archives Canada. https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/patents-1869-1919/Pages/search.aspx

    [4] United States Patent and Trademark Office. www.uspto.gov/patents/search

    [5] Donald G. Anger, Daniel Abell of Malahide (1784-1868): Quaker Cabinet-Maker on the Talbot Road (Toronto, 2014). A section of Anger’s book was published under the same title in The Canadian Quaker History Journal 80 (2015): 1-26, available at https://www.cfha.info/journal80p1.pdf

    [6] Canada, Quaker Meeting Records, 1786-1988  https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60521/