Swansea Quakers

Bunhill Fields, the former cemetery located in the London Borough County of Islington.  First opened in 1665.  The City of London Corporation, during 1665 used some land as a common burial ground for the interment of those people that succumbed from the plague.  Outer walls were built to mark the boundary, the Church of England never consecrated the ground nor used it for burials.

A Mr. Tindal took over the lease. He allowed the additional graveyard burials in unconcentrated ground.  It was open to those who could afford the burial fees, and was then known as “Tindal’s Burial Ground”

An Act of Parliament of 1769 gave The City of London Corporation the right to continue with a lease for a further 99 years.  They allowed their tenant to continue, however, 1781, the Corporation took over the management of the ground.

The Burial Act was past during 1852, which enabled grounds that were full to be closed.  The Closure of Bunhill Fields was made in December 1853, with the finally burial took place January 1854. 

There are approximately 123,000 burials in 4 acres of land.  Bunhill Fields is the last resting place for notable people including John Bunyan, author of The Pilgrim’s Progress, Daniel Defoe, author of Robinson Crusoe and William Blake, poet. 

 

Also buried here is Silvanus Bevan, he was the son of Silvanus Bevan and the grandson of William Bevan.

William Bevan, born 1627, who was also a Quaker, lived at a house situated on the east side of Swansea High Street Station.  It was this house that was used as the first Quaker Meeting House meeting during 1626.  Bevan gave the house during 1692, to be used as the first Meeting House in Swansea, and the grounds were used as the burial grounds. 1720, the house was burnt down after it had been adapted.  It was immediately rebuilt.  By 1798, the house seemed to be deemed inconvenient and a further house was built on the other side of the burial ground, finishing during 1808-09. 

This House was replaced by 1899, for a larger meeting house, allowing for a wide range of activities including Bible Classes and adult classes to be carried out.  The House cost £1,200 (£155,210.00), opening on 29^th June 1899.  Further extensions were carried out during 1899, 1909 and 1929. The House was finally destroyed during the bombing of Swansea during the Second World War.  The site was sold during the 1960s for the redevelopment with a Post Office.  The Post Office today has gone and sadly the Burial Ground is overgrown.

William Bevan died 1702.

Silvanus Bevan

Silvanus Bevan, the elder born 1661, Swansea, whom was also a Quaker, he honoured with the title of Burgess.  Burgess originally meant a freeman of the borough.  Bevan, owned property, and various farms around the Penclawdd Llanrhidian area.  Bevan died 1725, Swansea.  He was father of five children including Silvanus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Silvanus Bevan, the younger born 1691.  He was an Apothecary. 

Two Plough Court, Lombard Street

1715, Bevan obtained his “Freedom” after serving seven years apprenticeship from the Worship Society of Apothecaries.  His apprenticeship was with Thomas Mayleigh.  Bevan, established, his Pharmacy at Two Plough Court, Lombard Street.  One of the rooms used had been the room where poet Alexander Pope had been born, 1688. One of his apprentices, was William Cookworthy.

The business prospered, Timothy, the younger brother of Bevan, joined 1725.  Timothy carried the business after Bevan retired, the business succeeded to Timothy’s son, Joseph Gurney Bevan.  During the nineteenth century, the business was under William Allen and the Hanbury family, creating Allen & Hanburys, one of the leading pharmaceutical companies located in London.

Bevan, during 1725, was elected as a Fellow in the Royal Society, following the proposal of Isaac Newton.  In a letter entitled “An Account of an Extraordinary Case of Bones of a Woman Growing Soft and Flexible”, Bevan wrote in 1743, it describes his findings for having post-mortem carried out. 

After his retirement, with interest with Welsh antiques it brought him in contact with Richard Morris. 

November 1715, Bevan married Elizabeth Quare, daughter of Daniel Quare, the royal clockmaker. Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough attended the marriage. Bevan, died 1765, buried at Bunhill Fields burial ground.