This is one of the more unusual brooches in my collection. As a rule, I avoid items which have writing as part of the design, my husband calls them ‘wrote on things’. But there was just something about the history and design of this brooch which caught my eye. It is made in bronze which is a copper based alloy, hence the rich orange hues in the piece. This brooch was made by W & H Co who were based in Newark, New Jersey, established in 1856. They manufactured jewellery specializing in lockets, seals, & medallions. They had an advertising slogan for their “There’s a heart in every locket!”. The company closed down in 1922.
This brooch commemorates the two hundredth anniversary of the founding of the Quaker Meeting House in London Grove in 1714. London Grove is in Pennsylvania to the west of Philadelphia. The London Grove Friends Meeting began in October of 1714 when a group of local Quakers began meeting at the home of John Smith. The house was called Scarlett Thicket, and it is still there, the current meeting house was rebuilt in 1818. The original Quakers who met at John Smith’s house were farmers who had come to America from England. They chose Pennsylvania because William Penn who founded Pennsylvania was a Quaker, he believed in religious freedom. Outside the Friends Meeting house stands a giant white oak tree, which has been there from before William Penn came to Pennsylvania in 1682. It is the biggest tree in terms of girth, height and width in the state of Pennsylvania.
The Meeting House as it is today
The Religious Society of Friends, also referred to as the Quaker Movement, was founded in England in the 17th century by George Fox. Early Quakers, or Friends, were persecuted for their beliefs. Quakers rejected elaborate religious ceremonies, didn’t have official clergy and believed in spiritual equality for men and women. Quaker missionaries first arrived in America in the mid-1650s. Quakers practice pacifism and have played key roles in both the abolition of slavery and women’s rights movements.
A few years ago I visited the Quaker Tapestry Museum in Kendal in the Lake District. On display is one of the most wonderful tapestries recounting the origins of the Quaker movement, its beliefs and philosophy. It details the achievements of famous Quakers throughout history and what the Quaker movement continues to do today to improve society and the welfare of individuals. The tapestry is made up of 77 panels, it took 15 years to complete and involved 4,000 people aged 3 to 97 years old from 15 countries. The Quaker Tapestry Panels – let me know which is your favourite. They also have the friendliest café which serves delicious cakes and snacks. If you are in the Lake District it is well worth a visit.