Evaluation of tithes as a source of ecclesiastical and economic information: analysis of Friends records for the Newgarden Meeting, Ireland 1658-1723

Payment of tithes was introduced into the Catholic Church more than a thousand years ago arousing resentment, debate and resistance among those who were supposed to pay them. With the emergence of the Church of England and its Irish equivalent, the Church of Ireland, the tax was streamlined to the extent that it became a valuable source of income for the clergy and wealthy individuals (impropriators). The Quaker sect evolved from around 1650 and they were particularly vociferous in opposing the payment of tithes keeping meticulous records of their treatment by civil and religious the authorities. This author takes a close look at a selection of these records from one of their Meetings in Ireland and concludes that while there are some irritating difficulties associated with their use, the records are a particularly rich source of data that can be reliably utilized for a wide variety of purposes, such as elucidation of social, economic, ecclesiastical and genealogical issues.