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Thomas Aldam (abt. 1616 - 1660)

Thomas Aldam
Born about in Warmsworth, Yorkshire, Englandmap
Son of and
Brother of and
Husband of — married 7 Nov 1644 in St George, Doncaster, West Riding, Yorkshire, Englandmap
Descendants descendants
Father of , , and
Died at about age 44 in Balby, Yorkshire, Englandmap
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Profile last modified | Created 28 Nov 2017
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Contents

Biography

Thomas was a Friend (Quaker)

Birth

Thomas Aldam was born at Warmsworth near Doncaster, Yorkshire in about 1616. [1] His mother was Margaret Lord, and she had a brother Thomas Lord.[2] His father's first name, William, is given in the 1619 baptism record of his sister Margaret.[3]

He had at least two siblings:

  • Margaret, who married John Killam[4][5]
  • Joan, who married Thomas Killam[4][5]

Marriage and Children

Thomas married Mary Killam on 7 November 1644.[1][6][7][8] They had four children:

Quakerism

Thomas was at first a Puritan, and then a separatist (one who distanced himself from the Church of England).[16] He became a Quaker in 1651, together with his mother, wife and two sisters, after hearing George Fox preach.[1][7]

In 1652 he was imprisoned after opposing Thomas Rookby, the minister at Warmsworth.[7] He was also fined £93 for refusing to remove his hat before social superiors and refusing to pay church taxes.[1] He was held at York Castle[7], where he wrote many letters and from where he sought to establish links between Quakers of the North of England and printers in London.[1] He also wrote a number of religious papers during this time.[17] He was released after some two and a half years.[1]

In 1654, 1655 and 1658 he suffered physical attacks for his Quaker beliefs.[1]

At one stage he was given an audience with Oliver Cromwell, and, in a symbolic act, tore his hat into pieces as an illustration of his belief that Cromwell would soon be removed from his position.[1][18] Of Charles II, he is alleged to have said, "I find nothing to this Man".[1]

In the later 1650s he promoted a general Quaker fund for missionary work.[1][19] He also visited other Quakers in prison[17][18], and sought to draw attention to their suffering.[1]

Thomas is included among the Valiant Sixty, a set of very early Quakers who were active in promoting Quakerism.[20]

Death

Thomas Aldam died in June 1660, probably at Warmsworth, leaving a sizeable estate. His wife died three months later.[1] He was buried at the Quaker burial ground at Warmsworth[21] on 14 June 1660.[22]

Sources

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, entry for 'Aldam, Thomas (1616?–1660)’, print and online 2004, available online via some libraries
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Richard J Hoare. The Balby Seekers and Richard Farnworth, Quaker Studies: Vol. 8: Iss. 2, 2003, Article 6, pp. 196-198, George Fox University website, accessed 17 August 2019
  3. ↑ Yorkshire, Bishop's Transcripts Of Baptisms, FindMyPast
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Norman Penney (ed.). "The Journal of George Fox", Cambridge University Press, 1911, pp. 461-462, note 353, Internet Archive
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 William C Braithwaite. The Beginnings of Quakerism, 2nd edition, William Sessions, 1981, p. 59
  6. ↑ Yorkshire Marriage Registers, West Riding, Vol. III, Phillimore & Co, London, 1915, p. 59, Internet Archive
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Norman Penney (ed.). "The Journal of George Fox", p. 402, Internet Archive
  8. ↑ Yorkshire Marriages, FindMyPast
  9. ↑ England Births and Christenings, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NYDV-92B
  10. ↑ England & Wales, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Births 1578-1841, YORKSHIRE: Monthly Meeting of Balby (comprising Sheffield, Doncaster, etc), ref RG6/1114, FindMyPast and accompanying image
  11. ↑ England & Wales, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Births 1578-1841, YORKSHIRE: Monthly Meeting of Balby (comprising Sheffield, Doncaster, etc), ref. RG6/1376, FindMyPast and accompanying image
  12. ↑ England Births and Christenings, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NRRC-1BJ
  13. ↑ England & Wales, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Births 1578-1841, YORKSHIRE: Monthly Meeting of Balby (comprising Sheffield, Doncaster, etc), ref RG6/1114, FindMyPast and accompanying image
  14. ↑ England Births and Christenings, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NRRC-1BK
  15. ↑ England & Wales, Society Of Friends (Quaker) Births 1578-1841, YORKSHIRE: Monthly Meeting of Balby (comprising Sheffield, Doncaster, etc), ref RG6/1114, FindMyPast and accompanying image
  16. ↑ William C Braithwaite. The Beginnings of Quakerism, 2nd edition, p. 60
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Wikipedia: Thomas Aldham
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Norman Penney (ed.). "The Journal of George Fox", p. 342, Internet Archive
  19. ↑ William C Braithwaite, The Beginnings of Quakerism, 2nd edition, pp. 321-326
  20. ↑ Wikipedia: Valiant Sixty
  21. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #150211513, citing Quaker Burial Ground, Warmsworth, Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England
  22. ↑ England and Wales Non-Conformist Record Indexes (RG4-8), 1588-1977, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FWZN-H35




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Cayley-55 Michael Cayley
This is a historically important Quaker profile and the Quakers Project would very much like to be added to the Trusted list. The email for doing this is

Would it be possible for one of the profile managers to add the Project to the trusted list? Many thanks!

posted by Michael Cayley
Cayley-55 Michael Cayley
I am starting to do some general work on this profile as part of what I am doing for the Quakers Project on the Valiant Sixty
posted by Michael Cayley

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Categories: Quaker Notables | Warmsworth, Yorkshire | Balby Monthly Meeting, Yorkshire | Balby, Yorkshire | Valiant Sixty