Yorkshire Almanac On Easter Monday Francis Pemberton, Vicar of Bradford, sits all day in a Haworth pub, collecting his Easter dues, while Oliver Heywood preaches for next to nothing

28 March 1692: On Easter Monday Francis Pemberton, Vicar of Bradford, sits all day in a Haworth pub, collecting his Easter dues, while Oliver Heywood preaches for next to nothing

Oliver Heywood. 1883. The Rev. Oliver Heywood, B.A., 1630-1702, Vol. 3. Ed. J. Horsfall Turner. Bingley: T. Harrison. Get it:

Unedited excerpt

If an excerpt is used in the book, it will be shorter, edited and, where applicable, translated.

I rode upon a call to preach at John Rhode’s house in Haworth town. God greatly helped my heart in weeping, wrestling with God for the conversion of sinners, and in preaching on Isaiah 55:7. There was a great crowd of people and they were very attentive. Who knows what good may be done?

The same day (being Easter Monday) the vicar of Bradford sat all day in an alehouse, gathering his dues in Haworth parish. There’s wont always to be a sermon in the church that day, but Mr [Francis] Pemberton hath laid it aside. Many flocked to him to pay him Easter reckonings, which come to about £10, and many of them came to hear me, but I had nothing for my pains but yet four or five thrust me 6d a piece into my hand. I rid 14 miles forward and backward, was greatly comforted in my days work, thought it was far better then his: though my worldly gain were short, yet may I but gain one soul to Christ by my hard labour, I have the better of him. My soul rejoiceth in the god of my mercy: that hath set me upon the high employment of moving sinners for Christ, made me faithful, in some measure successful, gives me opportunity and an heart to be laying out myself for good: made me to choose the laborious, painful part of the ministry with persecution, rather then the honourable, easy, gainful part.

Easter Monday is on 6 April 2026.

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To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.

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12 December 1641: John Sugden causes panic in Bradford and Pudsey with news of the imminent advent of genocidal Irish Catholics

29 February 1824: Prophet John Wroe is baptised on the Leap Day in the Aire near Apperley Bridge before an audience of 30,000

2 May 1844: The Bradford Observer reports a 10% increase in the borough’s population in two years

20 April 1835: A teetotallers’ tea-party at the first, great, Wilsden Temperance Festival

23 April 1832: “Pilgrims” arrive at Leeds on Easter Monday on their way to York to hear Richard Oastler call for a 10-hour working day for mill children

23 June 1674: Oliver Heywood attends the funeral of Martha Stansfield and her baby

2 January 1673: Despite Charles II’s Declaration of Indulgence, Presbyterians Oliver Heywood and Christopher Richardson are detained while preaching at Lascelles Hall (Kirkburton)

30 November 1668: A Calverley boy dies in his father’s church, a victim of the bell-ringers

22 November 1839: Bradford rejects its new vicar William Scoresby’s proposal for a church rate by a huge majority, inspiring a curious letter

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The Bradford Observer:

BRADFORD CHURCH-RATE.
FINAL CLOSE OF THE POLL.
For the Rate 988
Against it 3192
Majority against the Rate 2204

In the dullest and the darkest times, what glorious events occasionally burst upon us to cheer and re-animate by their splendour! Who could have surmised, a few short days ago, that we were on the eve of circumstances that would constitute an aera in the history of our town and parish. We thank the Vicar, we thank the Churchwardens, through whose unwitting instrumentality so brilliant an achievement has been brought about; we thank the Rev. Mr. WINTERBOTHAM, who has opposed the rate in so manly and yet so Christian a spirit; we thank the Ratepayers for the noble majority of 2204; and, above all, we thank Mr. JOSHUA POLLARD, at whose demand the poll has taken place. Many noble deeds illustrate the history of Bradford, from the severe siege sustained in the sacred cause of liberty and law, to the lead taken in the efforts to impart these blessings to the negro. But none sheds a more imperishable lustre on the name than this, which will be referred to for many a year throughout the land, as THE Bradford Church-rate poll. A history of this town and neighbourhood will shortly issue from the press; what crowning sentence could have closed the record with such force as this? – In November, 1839, the parishioners of Bradford polled against a Church-rate a majority of upwards of TWO THOUSAND.

But though we rejoice, we have no wish to triumph. We are proud of the result, but we regret that the Church and its head in this parish should be placed in so undignified a position. The fact is obvious, that the Vicar must have been deluded. He came to his post a stranger to the feeling of the neighbourhood, and his friends have blindfolded him whilst they led him to the ditch. We say he has been badly used. Such a course should never have been advised or ventured on, unless there had been a warrantable feeling in its favour, and a reasonable prospect of success. The bold step has been risked, and what is the result? Why, that though the Vicar has almost staked his popularity on the event, comparatively few Churchmen have been found to support him in this measure of injustice. The proceeding they advised has summarily settled the question for ever in the parish of Bradford, and will give fresh life to all throughout the kingdom, who would do unto others as they would that others should do unto them.

The Vicar evidently does not yet know his friends. For one individual to he able to tender for himself and partners between 70 and 80 votes is something large; and the Vicar may possibly expect to derive much comfort from the support of a gentleman who manifests so much zeal for the Church, and is in the habit of displaying so many of the Christian virtues. But we trust in future Dr. SCORESBY will think and act more for himself. The rev. Dr. has already suffered himself to occupy two false positions – first, in sanctioning the monomaniac Greg; and second, in endeavouring to lay a Church-rate in the parish of Bradford. But he has come amongst us with the good-will of his parishioners, and the prepossession in his favour is still so strong that these mistakes will, if not repeated, even now be overlooked. We believe him to be a man of learning, of piety, of zeal, and gentlemanly manners – a man very different to the Popish Vicar of a neighbouring parish [Walter Hook, Leeds]. And we most sincerely trust that nothing may occur in future to mar his usefulness, or prevent his being esteemed by all sects as an ornament of the district of which he is by law the spiritual head.

We have said we consider the question of a Church-rate for Bradford finally settled; and we suppose the parties who have voted for a rate are prepared to share the sum wanted, in proportion to their votes – about 10s. a vote will be the extent to which they will be required to enjoy the rate for which they have evinced so much anxiety. But there are two modes in which further proceedings may be taken. Should either be adopted, it will no doubt be met in a manner which is not expected, and with a vigour of which the poll is but a type. The only result, therefore, would be, to squander money to no purpose, in a course which would be far more expensive to the movers than to the opposers of a rate. If, therefore, our friends in the Church are guided by prudence, they will apply their funds to a more worthy object than useless litigation. If they consult their own dignity they will henceforward defray the expenses of their own worship, in the same spirit of Christian charity and independence manifested by the supporters of every other church and chapel in the parish. Political discussion we value – strife in these matters we deprecate. In the name of our common religion let not our divisions give a handle to the enemies of our faith. Rather let us forbear unhallowed provocation, and by our union exemplify the influence of the truth. But if this cannot be – if voices that we could name are to rule the council for war instead of peace – then he must be a bold man, who, in a bad cause, would defy three-fourths of the rate-payers of the parish.

But though good sense and Christian feeling should cause proceedings connected with the rate to stay at this point, which is far enough in all good conscience, yet other proceedings must also he brought to a termination. Rate-payers of the Parish of Bradford – three-fourths of you have voted against a Church-rate – by a majority of 2204 you have freed yourselves. But remember those that are in bond, and help an oppressed fellow-labourer in this cause. JOHN THOROGOOD STILL LIES IMPRISONED in Chelmsford gaol for non-payment of a five-and-sixpenny Church-rate. Ten long and dreary months he has been immured, and the Church, which alone knows no bounds to her revenge, dooms John Thorogood to rot in a dungeon for life, because he does not give her five-and-sixpence. Let this noble martyr for the sake of conscience have your sympathy, your assistance, and your prayers. Let not the iron enter his soul till his fortitude waver or his faith grow dim. You have freed yourselves – the next best thing that duty bids you do, is to help in freeing others (Bradford Observer 1839/11/28).

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