Eye - 22 September 2023
From Friendly factoids to The porridge peculiarity
Friendly factoids
The Friend is one of the longest continually-published magazines in the world, starting in January 1843. It was once published monthly – but has been weekly since 1892!
The Religious Society of Friends is so called because early Quakers called themselves ‘Friends of Truth’.
The name ‘Quaker’ began as a derisive nickname for George Fox and his followers, who ‘bid them tremble at the word of God’ – then Friends made it their own!
In 1947 the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Quakers, represented by the relief organisations Friends Service Council, in London, and the American Friends Service Committee, in Philadelphia. In his presentation speech, Gunnar Jahn, chair of the Nobel Committee said: ‘The Quakers have shown us that it is possible to carry into action something which is deeply rooted in the minds of many: sympathy with others; the desire to help others…without regard to nationality or race; feelings which, when carried into deeds, must provide the foundations of a lasting peace.’
A magical experience
Sand, sunshine and spirituality came together when Friends took to the beach in Exmouth on 2 September.
Local Friend Kerri Wright told Eye: ‘The event was a collaboration between Exmouth Quakers and local sand artist, Paul Burton. We were looking for a labyrinth to experience the spiritual practice of walking a labyrinth and Paul regularly creates art in the sand at Exmouth. So we teamed up!
‘We had local people from Exmouth and Friends from five Local Quaker Meetings attending. Over 100 people visited during the afternoon. We are so grateful to Paul for creating such a beautiful labyrinth.
‘It was a beautiful event. Very inspiring and heart-warming to hear the comments, and see the smiles and delight on people’s faces as they left the labyrinth.
‘Comments included how the practice allowed them to leave their concerns outside and have some protected space; that they didn’t know where the path was taking them and had to let go and trust; gave time to focus on the sand under their feet and listen to the waves; a magical experience and a real appreciation for the beauty and richness of nature.’
Ted and Bertha
Eye was delighted to receive a tale of a friendly feline, inspired by a recent edition of the magazine.
Felicity and Philip Bryers, of Perth Meeting, got in touch after seeing two familiar names mentioned in the 1 September issue of the Friend: Ted Milligan (who was librarian at Friends House for nearly thirty years and widely published on Quaker matters) and Bertha Bracey (a key player in the Kindertransport rescue effort in the second world war).
‘Those who visited Ted at his home in Reading may have seen a black china cat which Ted had named Bertha.
‘Her story was that whilst undertaking Quaker relief work in London during the second world war, Ted and Charles Carter were sorting clothing for despatch to France when they came across a black china cat. They realised that it would be impossible to send her to France with the clothes, so after due consideration they concluded that one of them should give her a home. They christened her Bertha in honour of Bertha Bracey, and Bertha lived with Ted in Reading for many years.
‘When Ted moved from his long-term house he looked for a suitable new home for her and offered her to Charles Carter’s daughter, Felicity, in Perth. So Bertha found her way to Scotland, via York, where she now enjoys a quiet retirement – with only a slight chip on one ear as a reminder of her colourful life with Quakers.’
The porridge peculiarity
‘Like the porridge?’ is a familiar refrain to Eye, a lifelong Quaker, when it comes up in conversation. But when a certain be-hatted face beams from the shelves of supermarkets, it’s hardly surprising!
‘So, what’s the connection?’ I hear you ask! Was it started by Quakers? A resounding ‘no’ is the answer.
Quaker Oats was registered as a trademark in 1877, and the ‘figure of a man in Quaker garb’ was adopted as its logo.
With integrity as a core value of Friends’ faith, this tapped into a strong reputation for honesty and fair dealing. According to the company’s website: ‘Both former owners, Henry Seymour and William Heston, claimed to have selected the Quaker name as a symbol of good quality and honest value.’ It became the company name in 1901.
‘But is the Quaker man a real person?’ There was some speculation that he represented William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania, but this has been refuted by the company. He has also had a number of facelifts over the years, at one time being illustrated by the same person who designed Coca-Cola’s iconic Santa Claus.
‘But wait, if that’s Quaker garb… why don’t I see Quakers bopping wide brimmed hats on their noggins of a Sunday?’ Well, you would once have seen most Friends in ‘plain dress’ in some form. The founder of Quakerism, George Fox, implored: ‘Friends, keep out of the vain fashions of the world; let not your eyes, minds, and spirits run after every fashion (in attire) of the nations.’
This was gradually relinquished in the latter half of the nineteenth century.
Eye went hunting for examples of traditional Quaker plain dress and learned an unexpected lesson. Lucy Saint-Smith, of the Library of the Society of Friends, explained: ‘There isn’t really a “typical garb” for Friends, they mostly wore plain versions of normal outfits for the time period, and sometimes continued to wear things after they had gone out of style (in the case of the poke bonnet, for example). The satirical stereotype of “the Quaker” developed a particular look, but it had a limited basis in reality.’
So, ‘How does this oaty association sit with modern Friends?’ Personally, Eye finds it a conversation starter – most people know that logo and are curious. However, some Quakers are concerned at the old-fashioned image this reflects.
A story in the monthly Friends Journal in the USA in January 2023 highlighted how an epistle from a number of Friends had been submitted to Quaker Oats asking it to ‘change its name, support consumer wellness, and donate to Friends’ organisations… citing concerns about cultural appropriation’.
Eye can’t resist sharing that ‘garb’ has played another role in the history of Quakers… or lack thereof.
‘Going naked as a sign’ was a form of protest in the very earliest days of Quakerism in the 1650s and 1660s.
Some Friends would protest in the nude in public places, such as marketplaces, aiming to denounce the spiritual nudity of those around them.
In “Naked as a sign”. How Quakers invented protest nudity, Jean-Pierre Cavaillé writes: ‘This practice sought to demonstrate what God was about to inflict on them: a laying bare, a complete stripping of all their possessions, powers and social prerogatives.’
It’s been a while though folks, so definitely get consent before whipping any togs off at Meeting!
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