Register for Quaker Theological Discussion Group 2023

Quaker Theological Discussion Group (QTDG) is welcoming registrants for their 2023 meeting. These panel discussions will be held via Zoom on December 1–2, 2023 at 8–10am PST / 11am–1pm EST / 4–6pm GMT (find the time in your time zone). These events are free!  The theme for QTDG 2023 is “Tradition & Transformation: Quakerism 400 Years After the Birth of George Fox.” This will be part of a year-long conversation and celebration organized by Friends World Committee of Consultation, with events all over the world Read more

Upcoming Event: An Introduction to the History of Quakers in Canada

Winnipeg Monthly Meeting is hosting an online religious education event open to everyone on the history of Quakers in Canada. The event will be facilitated by Elaine Bishop on Thursday, November 30th. Some quiz questions for an Introduction to the History of Quakers in Canada: Who were the earliest Quakers in Nova Scotia? How many Winnipeg Monthly Meetings have there been? How many Yearly Meetings have had the word ‘Canada’ in their names? You can let Elaine know ([email protected]) what you want to know about Read more

CQHA / CRQS / QSRA Joint Conference in June 2024

For the 400th anniversary of the birth of George Fox—credited with the establishment of The Religious Society of Friends also known as Quakers—the 2024 Joint Conference will be held in Lancaster in June, in the area at the epicentre of early Quakerism. The anniversary offers a valuable point for reflection by historians, archivists and others to consider the life and times of Fox as well as his legacies, and a coming together of new and exciting ideas around Friends and their history. This conference is Read more

Book Report of Ruth Zavitz’s “Flight to the Frontier”

April 1, 2023. Ruth Marian Zavitz (nee Bycraft) of London and formerly of Coldstream, passed away at the age of 99. During announcements one Meeting after Ruth’s passing, I learned a bit about her background and that she was an author. It turned out that we had one of her books in the Coldstream library, Flight to the Frontier. Since I enjoy history, I signed it out. I found this 2014 article about the book from the Strathroy Age Dispatch about the book: Many fiction Read more

Quaker Connections to the Wilberforce Settlement in Lucan

Since Tony and I moved to Lucan, we’ve really enjoyed exploring the area around us. When a friend from Toronto visited us in February, she told us about a project at work to mark Black History Month. The staff were encouraged to share a story about Black history in Ontario. I took her to our local Foodland store where there is a very large mural on the wall in the adjacent building that faces the parking lot. I hadn’t heard of the Wilberforce settlement until Read more

The Canadian Friend & Archives Corner

Have you checked out the Canadian Yearly Meeting’s latest Canadian Friend magazine for 2023? It includes a few historical articles that might be of interest to members, including one by Daniel Nelson on Harry Orchard and the Wooler Monthly Meeting in Ontario. Wooler MM was first established in 1815 as the Cold Creek Indulged Meeting under the care of Adolphustown. The Canadian Quaker Library and Archives (CQLA) has also been contributing to the Archives Corner, with tips and information for meetings and researchers. You can Read more

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). Read more

Uxbridge Quaker Meeting House 214th Anniversary Service

On Sunday, 11 June 2023, the Committee of Friends’ Meeting House, Uxbridge, Ontario, held its 214th anniversary service. A video of the service is available online thanks to Olivia Croxall, and thanks to Sandra Fuller for passing this information along to CFHA. Built in 1820 on Quaker Hill to replace the former log meeting house, the current Uxbridge Quaker Meeting House is the oldest building in Uxbridge Township, Ontario. To read more about Uxbridge heritage, you can find Allan McGillivray’s talk on Uxbridge Friends from CFHA’s Read more

Save the Date – AGM on September 23rd

This year, CFHA’s Annual General Meeting will be held on Saturday, September 23rd. The executive committee plans to present on the Threshing session held last October on “Reimagining the Future of the CFHA.” As CFHA moves forward, the executive welcomes thoughts, ideas, and blogs from members. More information and a link to the online meeting are forthcoming. Please mark your calendars and plan to join us!

New Transcription: Nine Partners Monthly Meeting (Men), 1820–1851

We have updated our transcriptions page with a new upload: Nine Partners Monthly Meeting (Men), 1820–1851. Thank you to Sheila Havard for transcribing the minutes and to Randy Saylor for overseeing the transcription process. CFHA is grateful for their generous donation and time. According to the Swarthmore Archives, “Nine Partners Monthly Meeting was set off from Oblong Monthly Meeting by Purchase Quarterly Meeting in 1769. It then became part of Nine Partners Quarterly Meeting upon its establishment in 1783. The meeting separated in 1828 into Orthodox Read more