Dealing With the Dead: Early Quaker Burial Practices

It was in part through their unique beliefs and practices surrounding death that the early Quakers distinguished themselves from other radical dissenting faiths and forged their own institutional identity. Looking at specific cases, archaeological discoveries, and the evolution of burial practices, this session explores how the burial of the dead was navigated and understood both outside and within the Quaker community.

This 2-hour one-off session introduces learners to early Quaker burial practices using the example of burial grounds in London. It will contain a lecture and discussion element and be primarily concerned with the seventeenth century. Learners will be guided to where they can find primary source records (both online and in person), and what type of records are useful for anyone doing research into burial practices.