Chronological Calendar of the Test Acts Papers

(for transcripts of all the letters and more details on each of the 142 documents below, click on the number at the end of each entry)

1. Printed copy of The Case of the Protestant Dissenters with Reference to the Test and Corporation Acts (London, 1787). no. 1

2. A printed copy of “The Report of the Committee appointed to conduct the Application to Parliament, for the Repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts,” submitted by Edward Jeffries at St. Thomas’s Hospital, Southwark, summarizing the activities o the Dissenters in 1787-88. no. 2-4.  

3. MS. of a report from Jeffries about a meeting of Protestant Dissenters at Chelmsford, Essex, on 31 March 1789 and submitted on 7 April. no. 5.  

4. MS. copy of a letter from Wilberforce to the Committee of the two Congregations of Dissenters at Rotherham, 10 April 1789 [apparently chaired by Wood]. no. 7. 

5. MS. copy of letter from William Wood, Leeds, to William Wilberforce, with duplicate to Henry Duncombe, 24 April 1789. no. 8. 

6. MS. copy of letter from William Wood, Leeds, to William Wilberforce, with duplicate to Henry Duncombe, 30 April 1789. fno. 8. 

7. A printed letter from William Wood to William Wilberforce (one was also sent to Henry Duncombe), dated 27 April 1789, about the meeting of the Protestant Dissenting Ministers of the Three Denominations in the West Riding of the County of York, accompanied by a printed copy of the resolutions passed at that meeting, chaired by William Wood, on 24 April 1789, at Leeds.  no. 6.  

8. MS. letter from William Wilberforce, Maidstone, to Williama Wood, Leeds, 3 May 1789 [not in Wilberforce’s hand, but definitely signed by him--not a copy by Wood].  no. 9.  

9. MS. letter from Henry Duncombe, [London], to William Wood, Leeds, 6 May 1789. no. 10.  

1o. MS. letter from Lord Sydney, Whitehall, to Henry Duncombe, [London], 6 May 1789. no. 12.  

11. MS. letter from Henry Duncombe, London, to Wood, Leeds, 11 May 1789. no. 11.  

12. A printed letter from Thomas Barnes, sent to Wood, reporting the resolutions of a “General Meeting of the Protestant Dissenting Ministers of the Three Denominations in Lancashire and Cheshire, held at Manchester, May 16, 1789.” no. 14.  

13. MS. letter by Aaron Weekens, Essex, to Willam Wood, Leeds, 22 May 1789. no. 5. 

14. A printed letter from Richard Bright, to be left at Mr. Woodland’s, at the Charity School in Stoke’s Croft, Bristol, dated 25 May 1789, in which he was commissioned by the Committee of Delegates from the several Congregations of Protestant Dissenters meeting at Lewin’s Mead, Castle Green, Bridge-Street, the Pithay, and Broad-Mead, to send a copy of their Resolutions to the London Committee and the various Committees around the country.  no. 13 (a).  

15. A printed copy of the resolutions passed at the “Annual Meeting of the Protestant Dissenting Ministers held at Dudley in Worcestershire, and attended by Ministers from Warwickshire, and other neighbouring Counties, on Tuesday, June 2, 1789,” signed by the Chairman, William Wood.  no. 15. 

16. MS. letter attached to the two printed sheets in the previous entry (fol. 13a) from Thomas Wright, Bristol, to William Wood, Leeds, 4 June 1789. no. 13 (b). 

17. A printed copy of the resolutions passed at a “Meeting of Protestant Dissenting Ministers, residing in the Counties of Northumberland and Durham, and in the Town and County of Newcastle upon Tyne, held at Newcastle on Tuesday, June 9, 1789,” signed by Charles Toshach, moderator. no. 16. 

18. A printed copy of the resolutions passed at a “General Meeting of the Protestant Dissenting Ministers, of the Three Denominations, in the County of Worcester, and of Deputies from the Congregations, held in the city of Worcester, June 24, 1789,” Joseph Gummer, chairman. no. 17.  

19. A printed copy of the resolutions passed at the initial meeting of Dissenting Ministers from Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and a part of Yorkshire, signed by  George Walker at Alfreton, 25 June 1789, and sent to Wood.  no. 18.  

20. A printed copy of a report from Jeffries in London to the various county committees, dated 26 July 1789, presenting the activities and resolutions of the “Second Report” of the London Committee which met on 18 June 1789.  no. 19.  

21. A printed letter of the proceedings of the initial meeting of the Protestant Dissenting Ministers for the county of Gloucester, which met at Gloucester on 31 July 1789, signed by R[ichard]. Chandler, chairman, and sent to Wood. no. 21.  

22. Another printed letter by Edward Jeffries, from St. Thomas’s Hospital, Southwark, 12 August 1789, to the various committee chairmen around the country. no. 20. 

23. A printed letter of “a numerous meeting of Protestant Dissenting Ministers of the the three denominations in the West Riding of Yorkshire, held at Leeds, August  13, 1789,” William Wood, chairman. no. 22.  

24. MS. copy (in Wood’s hand) of letter from William Wood, Leeds, representing the committee, to Henry Beaufoy, [London], 24 August 1789.  no. 23 (a). 

25. MS. copy (in Wood’s hand) of letter from William Wood, Leeds, to Henry Duncombe, Esqr, 24 August 1789.  no. 24.

26. MS. copy (in Wood’s hand) of letter from William Wood, Leeds, to Henry Hoghton, 24 August 1789.  no. 25.  

27. MS. copy (in Wood’s hand) of letter from William Wood, Leeds, to William Wilberforce, 25 August 1789, informing him of the committee’s resolution requiring an answer to his denial of their petition for repeal.  He has also enclosed a printed copy of the resolutions. no.  23 (b). 

28. MS. letter from Henry Duncombe, Copgrove, to William Wood, Leeds, 5 September 1789 [not a copy]. no. 26. 

29. MS. letter from William Wilberforce, Buxton, to William Wood, Leeds, 8 September 1789 [this letter appears to be the original, not in Wilberforce’s hand, as the p.s. notes, but by someone on his staff with a very beautiful hand, for it is not a copy in Wood’s hand; signed by Wilberforce].  no. 27.  

30. MS. letter from Henry Hoghton (in his hand), Walton Hall, to William Wood, Leeds, undated.  no. 28.  

31. A printed letter from a Meeting of the Delegates from the several Congregations of Protestant Dissenters at Devizes, in the County of Wiltshire, on 14 September 1789, at the Bear Inn, Benjamin Hobhouse, chairman [apparently the Bishop of Salisbury responded to these resolutions in two letters (see Extracts, p. 26)].  no. 32. 

32. A printed copy of the resolutions from the initial meeting at Taunton of the Dissenting Ministers in the county of Somerset, 23 September 1789, William Hawker, chairman, sent to Wood. no. 33.  

33. A printed letter of the resolutions from a “Meeting of Delegates from Congregations of the several Denominations of Protestant Dissenters in the County of Devon” on 1 October 1789, Samuel Milford, chairman, sent to Wood.  no. 34.  

34. MS. letter from Henry Beaufoy, Tong near Shiffnall, to William Wood, Leeds, 4 October 1789 [not a copy]. no. 30.  

35. A printed copy of the resolutions from the initial meeting of the Protestant Dissenting ministers in Dorset, held at Dorchester, 14 October 1789, William Blake, Esq., chairman, sent to Rev. Moorhouse at Huddersfield, with a printed note by Blake to Wood dated 15 October 1789 bearing Blake's actual signature. no. 35.  

36. A printed announcement of the resolutions from a “Meeting of Deputies from the seven Congregations of the three Denominations of Dissenters, in Birmingham, held at the Hotel, in Birmingham,” 14  October 1789, William Russell, Esq., chairman; also a printed letter sent to Wood by Russell, 15 October 1789.  no. 36. 

37. The printed resolutions from a meeting of the West Riding committee of York at Wakefield, 11 November 1789, Thomas Grove, chairman, with Turner, Fawcett, Deane, Parsons, Langdon, and Wood present.  Also a copy of the printed letter to Wilberforce, undated [but apparently written on the 14th, from the committee and signed by William Wood, now acting as secretary [this letter is printed in Extracts, no. 2, pp. 19-26].  no. 38.  

38. MS. letter from William Wilberforce, Forncettt near Long Stratton, to William Wood, Leeds, 23 November 1789. [The West Riding committee met on 11 November 1789, after which Wood wrote his lengthy letter (later printed--see no. 38) to Wilberforce on 14 November; he also sent him the printed resolutions of the meeting of the 11th, to which Wilberforce responded in this letter]. no. 29.  

39. The printed resolutions of the meeting of the committee for Nottingham, 24 November 1789, George Walker, chairman, with copy sent to Wood.  Attendants are Mr. Mark Huish, Robert Denison, John Hancock, John Buxton, Rev. Dr. Nicolas Clayton, Rev. Geo. Walker, Rev. Mr.  Robert Smith, Mr. Wm. Farmer, Thomas Rawson, Samuel Statham (written in by Wood), Mr. Edward Swan, Rev. Mr. Richard Plumbe, Wm. Smith, Esq. Mayor, Mr. Thomas Watson, Rev. Mr. Hopper, Mr. Edw. Lomax, Isaac Rawson, and Geo. L. Cox.  no. 39.  

40. The printed resolutions of the meeting of the committee for Northampton, 26 November 1789, William Hanbury, chairman. no. 40, 

41. Newspaper clipping of meeting of ministers at Stowmarket, 1 December 1789, John Cumberland, chairman; one from Leicester, with Dr. Arnold as chair; one from the committee at Norfolk, 25 November 1789, Elias Norgate, chairman; and a letter to the editor, probably to the Bury Post, from John Rous in Suffolk to the Clergy of Suffolk, warning them about the plans of the Dissenters, and another letter from a “Freeholder” in Suffolk  responding to Rous and trying to inform the clergy that the Dissenters are not at war with them.  no. 41. 

42. A printed copy of the letter recommending the Plan of Union suggested by the Birmingham committee; also a copy of Walker’s letter to the Leicester District Committee on 8 December 1789 approving the proposed Plan of Union [previously cited above]; also a newspaper clipping of the resolutions from the Committee meeting at Liverpool, 19 January 1790, Arthur Heywood, Jun. Esq., chairman. no. 62. 

43. MS. copy of a letter from William Wood (in Wood’s hand), Leeds, to Henry Beaufoy, [London], 9 December 1789. no. 31. 

44. The printed resolutions of the meeting of the committee at Leicester for 9 December 1789, Dr. Arnold, chairman.  Other names on the committee are Robert Brewin, Joseph Chamberlain, Wm. Chamberlain, John Coltman [of the Newarke, Leicester], Matthew Reid, Thomas Rickards, Robert Ward, Francis Pick, Wm. Oram, John Coltman [of St. Nicholas Street, Leicester], Mr. Goode, John Burgess, Wm. Lamb, James Nutt, Thomas Bankart.  Also included is a newspaper clipping from Suffolk of a short history of the Test and Corporation Acts; two more letters to the editor from Suffolk; and a letter to the Bury Post from “A Layman.” no. 42.  

45. The printed resolutions of the meeting of the committee for Nottingham, 9 December 1789, George Walker, chairman.  The resolutions are followed by a printed letter recommending the Plan of Union.  On this printed copy is a manuscript letter by Walker to William Wood, undated [this notice appears in Extracts, no. 2, pp. 11-14].  no. 43.  

46. George Walker, Nottingham, to William Wood, Leeds, undated, on the back of the printed resolutions of the meeting of the committee for Nottingham, 9 December 1789. no.  43. 

47. The printed resolutions of the meeting of the committee for Manchester, 10 December 1789, John Mitchell, chairman.  no. 44.  

48. The printed resolutions of the meeting of the committee for Bolton-Le-Moors, Lancashire, 17 December 1789, James Darbishire, Chairman.   [Harry Toulmin, Joshua Toulmin’s son, is a member of the Committee and a Dissenting (Unitarian) minister at Chowbent].  On the printed copy is a manuscript letter by John Holland, Unitarian minister at Bolton, to Wood, 29 December 1789. no. 45. 

49. An announcement on 18 December 1789 of an upcoming meeting of the committee for West-Riding of Yorkshire at Leeds, William Wood, chairman, with Edward Parsons and Thomas Langdon, to be held at Wakefield on 30 December 1789, at which time they would deliberate about sending delegates to the District meeting and an eventual meeting in London in accordance with the Birmingham plan; also a printed letter included by Wood to the ministers.  Also three newspaper clippings of letters to the editor of the Bury Post from Suffolk freeholders. no. 46.  

50. MS. copy of a letter from Christopher Wyvill, Burton Hall, Yorkshire, to Samuel Shore, Leeds, 21 December 1789 [copy is not in Wood’s hand]. no. 47.  

51. Another version of the resolutions from the 14 October meeting at Birmingham, along with a report of their meeting on 26 December 1789, and a copy of the letter sent by the Nottingham committee to the committee at Leicester on 9 December 1789 by George Walker. no. 37.  

52. John Holland, Unitarian minister at Bolton, to William Wood, Leeds, 29 December 1789. Letter is on the back of the printed resolutions of the meeting of the committee for Bolton-Le-Moors, Lancashire, 17 December 1789, James Darbishire, Chairman.   no. 45.  

53. MS. note announcing decision by Nottingham committee to send Walker to confer with the committee from West-Riding at Wakefield on 30 December 1789.  no. 49.  

54. The printed resolutions of the meeting of the committee for West-Riding which met at Wakefield, 30 December 1789, Pemberton Milnes, chairman.  no. 50. 

55. A printed announcement for a meeting of the Protestant Dissenting Ministers and Lay Deputies from congregations in the West-Riding, held at Wakefield on 30 December 1789, where William Hudson represents the Baptists; Pemberton Milnes, Esq., Chair.  no.  78.  

56. A printed letter from the clergy of Leeds and the West-Riding country, responding to a resolution passed by the committee of the West-Riding Dissenters at Wakefield, 30 December 1789, seeking support from the clergy in the repeal effort and “friends” of repeal [Wyvill had suggested this in his letter of 21 December 1789--see f. 47].  no. 66.  

57. Copy of letter [in the same hand as the letter in fol. 47] from Samuel Shore, Clapham, to Christopher Wyvill, Burton Hall, Yorkshire, 2 January 1790. no. 48.  

58. MS. letter from George Walker Nottingham, to William Wood, Leeds, 5 January 1790. no. 51.  

59. The printed resolutions of the meeting of the committee for Warrington, 6 January 1790, Samuel Gaskell, chairman, with MS. note by Gaskell to Wood at the end informing him that he has sent these resolutions. no. 52. 

60. The printed resolutions of the meeting of the committee for London, 6 January 1790, Edward Jeffries, chairman, announcing to the County meetings that they will indeed introduce another petition in the coming parliament.   no. 53.  

61. The printed resolutions of the meeting of the committee “appointed by the General Body of Protestant Dissenting Ministers, of the Three Denominations, in the Counties of Lancaster and Chester,” held at  Manchester, 6 January 1790, Thomas Barnes, chairman. no. 54.  

62. Newspaper clippings from Lancashire of a letter to the editor by James Darbishire, chairman of the Lancashire committee, from Bolton-Le-Moors. Also a newspaper clipping of the meeting of the committee of the Midlands at Leicester, 13 January 1790, Samuel Shore, chairman, complete with 21 resolutions!   William Russell of Birmingham was appointed treasurer and secretary of the District.  The names of the District Committee were to be printed in the next week’s paper.  Also a newspaper clipping of the resolutions of the Committee meeting at Bolton-Le-Moors passed at two meetings, 17 December 1789 and 7 January 1790, James Darbishire, chairman; clipping of the meeting at Southampton on 23 December 1789, published on 11 January 1790, Thomas Mears, chairman; and a clipping from “Verus” to the editor of the Southampton paper concerning “Facts respecting Protestant Dissenters and the Test Laws.” [Copy of the Bolton-Le-Moors meetings of 17 December and 7 January also in the Dissenters’ Collection, William Smith Papers, University of Kansas, MS Q11:10:6.] no. 55-56.  

63. MS.  letter from James Darbishire, Bolton, to William Wood, Leeds, 8 January 1790. no. 57.

64. A printed copy of the resolutions from the Committee meeting of the Midlands District at Leicester, 13 January 1790, Samuel Shore, Jun. Esq. chairman.  no. 59. 

65. A printed letter from Jeffries in London to the various district chairmen concerning the status of the repeal [same one cited above] and a report of the activities of the London committee, 13 and 16 January 1790, noting their support of the union of the Dissenters in the country and a general body to meet in London.  no. 65. 

66. Another printed letter of resolutions from the Leicester District meeting of 13 and 19 January 1790, Thomas Arnold, chairman.  Attached are four newspaper clippings, two letters  probably to the Bury Post, one by “A member of the Church of England”; others by the “freeholders” of Suffolk, to the clergy and to the editor; and one to the Bury Post by “A Dissenter on Principle.”  All of these letters concern the repeal debate.  no. 60.  

67. MS. letter from George Walker, Nottingham, to William Wood, Leeds, 16 January 1790. no. 58.  

68. MS. letter from George Walker, Nottingham, to William Wood, Leeds, 20 January 1790. no. 61.  

69. MS. letter from John Pemberton Heywood, Doncaster to William Wood, Leeds, 20 January 1790. no. 63.  

70. MS.  letter from J[ohn]. H[adden]. Moggridge, jun., Leigh House, Bradford, to William Wood, Leeds, 20 January 1790. no. 64.  

71. MS. letter from William Turner, Newcastle, to William Wood, Leeds, 24 January 1790. no. 67. 

72. MS. [in Wood’s hand] of a meeting for West Riding at Wakefield on 26 Jan. 1790, with Mr. Ashworth, Rev. Turner, Wood, John Fawcett, Thomas Langdon, and Rev. Parsons and some others present. no. 97 (a).  

73. A printed announcement for a meeting of the Dissenters at Worcester,  27 January 1790, with Nicholas Pearsall, Esq. in the chair, and Samuel Kenrick as Secretary; MS. letter from Samuel Kenrick at Bewdley to William Wood at Leeds, 18 February 1790. no. 76. 

74. A printed announcement for a “Meeting of Protestant Dissenters, of the three denominations, within this city,” held at Chester, 27 January 1790, William Boult, chair.  Also a newspaper clipping of the meeting at Blackburn on 1 February 1790, John Parker, Chair, in which they announce that they have chosen delegates to attend the District meeting for Lancaster and Chester, at Warrington, on February 4th.  no. 77.  

75. MS. [in Wood’s hand] of a meeting of the General Committee of Protestant Dissenters in the West Riding, held at Wakefield 28 January 1790, Samuel Walker as Chair. no. 97 (b).  

76. MS. letter from James Darbishire, Bolton, to William Wood, Leeds, 29 January 1790. no. 68.  

77. MS. letter from J. P. Heywood, Lincolns Inn, London, to William Wood, Leeds, 29 January 1790. no. 69.  

78. A printed announcement from Jeffries in London, 30 January 1790, that the London Committee had decided to proceed with Mr. Fox presenting the motion in the present session.  no. 79. 

79. A printed copy of “Facts and Observations respecting the Corporation and Test Acts.”  10 reasons why the Acts are wrong. no. 71.  

80. A printed copy of “The Genuine speech of the Lord L-----e [Landsdowne], against Repealing the Occasional and Schism Bills.” no. 74. 

81. A printed announcement for a meeting of the Dissenters at Trowbridge, 2 February 1790, for the county of Wiltshire, with Benjamin Hobhouse, Esq. as chair, and John Moggridge as the other delegate to London; MS. letter from John Hadden Moggridge, Bradford, to William Wood, Leeds, dated 9 February 1790. no. 80.  

82. A circular entitled "CONSTITUTION against INNOVATION," from a meeting of Protestant Dissenters at Manchester, 3 February 1790. no. 72. 

83. MS. letter from James Martin, Downing Street, London, to William Wood, Leeds, 4 February 1790. no. 70.  

84. A printed announcement for a meeting of “Deputies from the Congregations of Protestant Dissenters” at Warrington, for the counties of Lancaster and Chester, on 4 February 1790, with Thomas Cooper in the chair, and ministers include Yates, Smith, Lewin, Chidlow, Bealey and Holland. no. 81.  

85. A printed copy of a notice of protest by concerned citizens of Manchester concerning the way the meeting of 3 February was handled by the authorities, essentially disrupting and dismissing a legal and law-abiding  meeting. no. 73.  

86. Another printed sheet about the Manchester meeting, entitled “A Dialogue between A respectable Farmer, not versed in the Merits of the Hotel Contention, and a Town’s Gentleman of minuter Information,” dated 6 February 1790, from Manchester. no. 75.  

87. MS. letter from John Hadden Moggridge, Bradford, to William Wood, Leeds, 9 February 1790. no. 80. 

88. A printed announcement for a meeting of the Dissenters at Taunton, for Somerset, on 11 February 1790, with William Hawker as chair and Joshua Toulmin as a delegate and secretary. no. 82. 

89. A published announcement of a meeting at York on 15 February 1790 of the Clergy of the Archdeaconry, chaired by Henry Zouch [sent by Wood to Mr. W. Walker at the London Coffee House].  no. 83.  

90. A printed announcement from Gloucester, 17 February 1790, concerning a meeting of Dissenters at Booth-Hall to discuss a proposal by Richard Bright of Bristol that a district should be formed with Bristol, Monmouth, Somerset and Wiltshire, and to meet at Bristol on February 23, Richard Chandler, Chairman; also attached is a letter from John Tremlett, Gloucester, to William Wood, Leeds, 19 February 1790. no. 84.  

91. MS. letter from Samuel Kenrick, Bewdley, to William Wood, Leeds, 18 February 1790. no. 76.  

92. MS. letter from John Tremlett, Gloucester, to William Wood, Leeds, 19 February 1790. no. 84. 

93. Newspaper clippings from February 1790. no. 85.  

94. MS. letter from Edward Jeffries, London, to William Wood, Leeds,  20 February 1790. no. 86.  

95. A printed announcement for a meeting of Dissenters at  Bristol, 23 February 1790. no. 87.  

96. A printed announcement for a meeting of Dissenters for the County of Durham in Northumberland, 24 February 1790.  Attached is a letter from William Turner, Jun., Newcastle, to William Walker, Esq., Leeds (on behalf of an absent Wood, who has already gone to London to lobby for the vote), 28 February 1790. no. 88.  

97. A printed letter by Samuel Fletcher, Little-Lever (delegate from the Independent congregation in Bolton to the meeting at Warrington), to Thomas Plumbe, Esq., chairman of the Bolton Committee, 27  February 1790. no. 89. 

98. MS. letter from William Turner, Jun., Newcastle to William Walker, Esq. at Leeds, 28 February 1790. no. 88. 

99. A printed letter from Harry Toulmin, Chowbent, to Thomas Plumbe, 1 March 1790, concerning the previous letter above; also a printed postscript to Toulmin’s letter.  no. 90. 

100. A printed notice of a meeting of the London Committee with the delegates from the Country, at the King’s-Head Tavern, in the Poultry, on Thursday, 4 March 1790. no. 93.  

101. A plan for allocating the 42 country delegates submitted the following day (see previous entry) by the London Committee with the delegates from the Country, at the King’s-Head Tavern, in the Poultry, on Thursday, 5 March 1790. no. 94.  

102. A printed letter “To the Inhabitants of the Town and Neighbourhood of Bury,” from “A Member of the Church of England,” dated Sunday Evening, 7 March 1790, from Bury. no. 92.  

103. A printed letter by a Mr. William Maurice, Stockport, dated 23 February 1790 and published on 4 March; also a printed letter from Samuel Fletcher, dated 22 March 1790. no. 91.  

104. A printed letter from Sir John Carter in Portsmouth, representing the Dissenting Ministers committee for Hampshire [Baptists include John Stokes at Lockerley, Isaac Stradling at Lymington, Joseph Horsey at Portsmouth, with Daniel Miall, his assistant, Peter Edwards at the second church in Portsmouth, John Nike at Rumsey and Southampton, and Charles Cole at Whitchurch (Rippon’s Baptist Annual Register, vol. 1, p. 6)]. no. 96. 

105. Account of a meeting of the Committee for West Riding at Leeds, 21 April 1790, William Crabtree as Chair.  no. 98.  

106. A printed letter “To the People of England.  An Address from the Committee of Protestant Dissenters, appointed to conduct the application to Parliament for the Repeal of the Test-Laws,” by Edward Jeffries in London, 11 May 1790. no. 95.  

107. Account of a meeting at Trowbridge for Wiltshire district, 11 May 1790, Benjamin Hobhouse as Chair. no. 99.  

108. MS. letter from Yorkshire Dissenters meeting at Pickering, 12 May 1790, to Wood at Leeds, informing him that several ministers or delegates could not attend the meeting at Leeds on the 19th, but the Rev. James Brownfield would attend for them. no. 101.  

109. A printed notice by Jeffries of a meeting of the London Committee at Dr. Williams’s Library, 13 May 1790, announcing the proposed plan of union and the dispersal of the 42 country delegates by counties and districts. no. 100. 

110. MS. letter from Edward Jeffries at St. Thomas’s Hospital, 15 May 1790, to Wood, informing him of the London Committee’s resolutions to create a standing committee to proceed with a national meeting and national organization. no. 103.  

111. A printed announcement of the meeting at Leeds on 19 May 1790, with Robert Wylde Moult, Esq. as Chair. no. 102.

112. A printed notice of the meeting at Warrington for the counties of Lancaster and Chester on 20 May 1790, Thomas Cooper as Chair. no. 104.  

113. MS. letter from J. P. Heywood, Lincoln’s Inn, to William Wood, Leeds, 14 June 1790. no. 105.  

114. A printed notice of meeting of the Midland District at Nottingham, 17 June 1790, William Russell as Chair. no. 106.  

115. A printed notice of the Bristol meeting for Gloucester, Somerset and Monmouth, held at the Charity School in Stokes-croft, 25 August 1790, and sent to Wood, with Richard Bright as Chair. no. 107.  

116. MS. letter from J. P. Heywood, Lincolns Inn, to William Wood, Leeds, 11 November 1790. no. 108.  

117. MS. report of the meeting of the Delegates of the Protestant Dissenters in London and the Counties, 24 February 1791, Michael Dodson, Chair. no. 110.

118. MS. letter from J. P.  Heywood, Lincolns Inn, to William Wood, Leeds, 25 February 1791. no. 109. 

119. A printed document entitled “The Case of the English Catholic Dissenters.” (four pages).no. 111. 

120. A printed document entitled, “We whose Names are hereunto Subscribed, Catholics of England, do freely, voluntarily, and of our own Accord, make the following Solemn Declaration and Protestation.” no. 112.  

121. A printed copy of the Heads of a Bill, “To Relieve, upon conditions and under Restriction, Persons called Protesting Catholic Dissenters from certain Penalties and Disabilities to which Papists, or Persons professing the Popish Religion, are by Law subject.” [This is what Heywood promised to send Wood.]  no. 113 and 114.  

122. A printed notice of a meeting of the Midland district for 2 March 1791 in Birmingham, with Russell as Chair; also a MS. letter from J. H. Moggridge, Bradford, to William Wood, Leeds, 15 April 1791; printed notice of meeting at Trowbridge, 8 April 1791. no. 115. 

123. MS. letter from Rotherham, dated 8 June 1791, signed by Robert Moult, Samuel Walker, Thomas Grove, and William Allard, reporting to the West Riding Committee concerning the creation of a depository for Dissenting church records in Yorkshire. no. 116.  

124. A printed notice of a meeting for the West Riding at Bank-Top, near Barnsley, 23 June 1791, Watson Scatcherd, Esq. as chair.  no. 117.  

125.  A printed letter to the editor of The Morning Chronicle for 28 July 1791 (very nice condition, beautifully printed), signed “A Dissenter”  [possibly William Wood].  no. 118.  

126. MS. letter from Lord Petre, Thorndon, to William Wood, Leeds, 15 August 1791. no. 119. 

127. A printed notice from the West Riding Committee meeting at Wakefield, 1 September 1791, Watson Scathcherd as Chair; also a printed notice, “An Address from the three denominations of Protestant Dissenters in Great Yarmouth, to their Brethren of the Establishment,” signed by Samuel Hurry, Chairman.  no. 120.  

128. MS. letter from Thomas Morgan, London, to William Wood, Leeds, 1 September 1791. no. 121 (a). 

129. MS. letter from J. P. Heywood, Lincolns Inn, to William Wood, Leeds, 21 November 1791. no. 121 (b).  

130. MS. list of the representatives to the general committee in London. no. 121 (c).  

131. A printed copy of the letter mentioned by Heywood, “To the Protestant Dissenters of the Town and Neighbourhood of Birmingham, who suffered from the Riots which happened in the month of July last,” by the General committee in London, signed by Edward Jeffries, Chairman, from King’s Head, Poultry, London, 1 February 1792. no. 122. 

132. MS. letter from Thomas Morgan, London, to William Wood, Leeds, 28 March 1792. no. 121 (d).  

133. A printed notice of the meeting of Protestant Dissenters for the county of Worcester at Kidderminster, 9 May 1792, signed by S. Kenrick of Bewdley [a Unitarian banker], with “Address to the Members of the Established Church.”  Also an MS. letter from Samuel Kenrick at Bewdley to Wood at Leeds, 16 June 1792. no. 123.  

134. A printed notice of a meeting of the Protestant Dissenters in London at the King’s Head Tavern, Poultry, on 30 May 1792, of an “Address to the Protestant Dissenters of England and Wales,” signed by M. Dodson, Chairman (see f. 110).  no. 124. 

135. MS. letters of resignation from W. Moorhouse, Huddersfield, and John Houghton, Huddersfield, to William Wood, Leeds, 11 June 1792. no. 126.  

136. MS letter from William Crabtree, Bradford, to William Wood, Leeds, 14 June 1792. no. 127.  

137. MS. letter from Samuel Kenrick, Bewdley, to William Wood, Leeds, 16 June 1792. no. 123. 

138. MS letter from J. P. Heywood, Lincolns Inn, to William Wood, Leeds, 17 June 1792. Unnumbered (a).  

139. MS. letter from J. P. Heywood, Lincolns Inn, to William Wood, Leeds, 18 June 1792. no. 121 (e).  

140. MS. letter from T[homas]. Grove, Rotherham, to William Wood, Leeds, 19 June 1792. no. 125.  

141. A printed notice of a meeting of the Protestant Dissenters meeting at the King’s Head Tavern, Poultry, London, on 29 May, 1793, William Smith, chair, consisting of “Address to the Protestant Dissenters of England and Wales,” signed by Smith.  Unnumbered (b). 

141. A printed letter entitled “Countrymen and Brethren!” signed “A Christian” (with “W Wood” written in Wood’s hand underneath), from Leeds, dated January 1794. Unnumbered (d). 

142. MS. letter from J. P. Heywood, North Circuit, to William Wood, Leeds, 14 August 1794.Unnumbered (c).

Other letters on this site related to the Repeal of the Test Acts:

George Birley, St. Ives, to Dan Taylor, London, 12 February 1790.

Dan Taylor, London, to George Birley, St. Ives, 13 February 1790.

Timothy Whelan