Bishop’s Certificate of 1797

Relating to protestant dissenters at Naunton

 

 

 

To the Right Reverend Father in God Richard by divine permission Lord Bishop of Gloucester

 

We whose names are hereunto subscribed being His Majesty’s protestant dissenting subjects do hereby certify unto your Lordship that we intend to meet for the Worship of Almighty God in a house erected by us for this purpose in the Parish of Naunton in the County of your Lordship Diocese of Gloucester and therefore pray that this Certificate may be registered in your Lordship’s Registry according to an Act of Parliament made and passed in the first year of the Reign of their late Majesties King William and Queen Mary.

 

As witness of hands this 26th day of October in the year of our Lord 1797.

 

Richard Balby                           William Wilkins                       Robert Maisey

Thomas Stait                            Sam Palmer                             William Wood

Samuel Etheridge                     William Portlock                       Edward Wood

Robert Pinchin                          William Rowland

Henry Collett                            Josh Coombs

James Goodman                        John Buller

William Fox                              Edward Reynolds

Robert Rowland senior               Thomas Biddle

John Reynolds                           James Savery

 

 

 

On the reverse of the Certificate were written the following words:

 

The within written Certificate was duly Registered in the Consistory Court of the Lord Bishop of the Diocese of Gloucester on the Third Day of November 1797

 

By me

 

Thomas Rudge

Diocese Registrar

 

 

 

This Certificate gave permission for the group of Naunton protestant dissenters to

meet for worship at the house of Robert Rowland, tailor of the Parish of Naunton.

 

Today in the Chapel at Naunton there is a plaque on which Robert Rowland (Ref. 10L4)

9th April 1775 to 11 January 1851 and his wife Hannah died 18th February 1874 aged 94

are commemorated together with their son John Rowland who died on 28th July 1860 aged 43

 

Listed within the certificate are:

 

Henry Collett (Ref. 2L15) husband of Mary Rowland (Ref. 10L2)

Robert Rowland senior (Ref. 10K2) the brother of William Rowland (Ref. 10K1)

William Rowland (Ref. 10K1) the father of Robert Rowland (Ref. 10L4)

Thomas Stait the brother of Hannah Stait wife of Robert Rowland (Ref. 10L4)

Edward Reynolds the husband of Elizabeth Rowland (Ref. 10L5)

Robert Maisey whose daughter Ann married Joseph Rowland (Ref. 10L6)

Edward Wood a Trustee in the 1818 Will of William Rowland (Ref. 10K1)

William Portlock named as a witness in the same Will