Nonconformist
is the name given to Protestants who are not members of the Church
of England. This included Wesleyan Methodists,
Primitive Methodists, Quakers,
Baptists, Unitarians,
Congregationalists, and members
of the Salvation Army.
The different Nonconformists campaigned together against the Test
and Corporation Acts that had been passed by Parliament in the
17th century. These acts excluded Nonconformists from holding civil
or military office. Nonconformists were also prevented from being
awarded degrees by the universities of Cambridge and Oxford.
The Tories in the House
of Commons tended to be in favour of these acts and so the Nonconformists
mainly supported the Liberal Party who
advocated civil and religious liberty. After the Test
and Corporation Acts were repealed in 1828, all the Nonconformists
elected to Parliament were Liberals.
The religious census of 1851 revealed that total Nonconformist attendance
was very close to to that of Anglicans.
In most of the chief manufacturing areas and in Wales, Nonconformists
clearly outnumbered members of the Church
of England.
Nonconformists campaigned against having to pay the church rate (a
small local property tax for the upkeep of Anglican parish churches).
This was abolished in 1868 but many Nonconformists regarded the Liberal
government's decision to pass the 1870
Education Act, with its support for denominational schools, as
a betrayal.
Nonconformists were further angered by the 1902
Education Act which integrated denominational schools into the
state system and provided for their support from taxes. Since the
Anglicans had the great majority of church schools, Nonconformists
argued that they would have to pay for religious education they believed
was false. John Clifford formed the National
Passive Resistance Committee and by 1906 over 170 Nonconformists had
gone to prison for refusing to pay their school taxes. This included
60 Primitive Methodists, 48 Baptists,
40 Congregationalists and 15
Wesleyan Methodists.
(1)
In his book, Father Figures, Kingsley
Martin, the son of a Unitarian minister,
explained the role of Nonconformists in the history of social reform.
Social
revolt in Britain had sprung from dissent. The leaders of Chartism
learnt their eloquence in dissenting chapels and the Anti-Corn agitation
was led by Quakers and other nonconformists. Dissenters became the
backbone of the working-class party, and the ILP was composed of dissenting
moralists who would not accept the usual political compromises. They
readily responded to the oratory of lay preachers like Philip Snowden
and Arthur Henderson, and it is no accident that so many of the leaders
of the Labour Party have been Christians who believed they were inaugurating
a moral and social revolution. Morality and politics were one.
(2)
East Sussex News (4th September,
1903)
Another stage in the 'Passive Resistance Movement' at East Grinstead
was reached on Monday when nine ratepayers were summoned at the Petty
Sessions for refusing to pay the poor rate, which includes a small
portion devoted to educational purposes.
Joseph Rice, assessed at £2 2s 6d, sent a cheque for £1
15s - deducted 7s 6d for educational rate. Rice said "I object
to Rev. Crawfurd and Mr. Stenning on the bench. Mr. Stenning is an
interested party, being a manager and part-owner of a so-called Voluntary
School." He added that "this was essentially a fight between
the Church of England and the Free Church." Joseph Rice had to
be taken from the court by force.
(3) Joseph Rice, speech at
the East Grinstead Urban Council on 14th April, 1904)
For over twenty years East Grinstead had a School
Board in the town and Churchman and Nonconformists were fairly represented
on it. Now gentlemen from Lewes, who know nothing about the circumstances
of East Grinstead have appointed Robert Whitehead. The Committee,
as chosen by the County Council, consisted of five Churchmen and one
Free Churchman, one-sixth only of the representation for Nonconformists,
though 450 of the 800 children in the Board Schools had Nonconformist
parents.
(4) The East Grinstead Observer
reported on 28th May, 1904, that Edward Steer
had been sent to Lewes Prison for refusing to pay the education rate.
At Mr. Steer's home, when the seizure of
goods was to be made, it was declared that the whole of the goods
were the property of his wife. Mr. Steer was informed that the alternative
to paying the amount owing in the event of their being no goods would
be two days' imprisonment. Mr. Steer declared his intention of going
to prison.
(5) Kingsley
Martin, Father Figures (1966)
My father was involved in the passive resisters' fight against Balfour's
Education Act of 1902. Each year father and the other resisters all
over the country refused to pay their rates for the upkeep of Church
Schools. The passive resistors thought the issue of principle paramount
and annually surrendered their goods instead of paying their rates.
I well remember how each year one or two of our chairs and a silver
teapot and jug were put out on the hall table for the local officers
to take away. They were auctioned in the Market Place and brought
back to us.
Mother and I were taken for our first motor ride to one of these village
auctions where father would explain the nature of passive resistance
before the sale began. We drove to a village some fifteen miles away,
sometimes travelling at the frightening speed of twenty miles an hour.
In those days roads were deep in dust, and you could tell if a car
had passed because the hedges were white. I remember three small boys
running behind each other pretending to be a motor. The first said
he was the driver, the second a car, and the third the smell.
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