Quakers have been a part of life in Waterford for over 350 years.

Waterford Quakers

Quakers first settled in Waterford around 1655, in the parish of St. John, and worked in small trades and milling. Initially they held Meeting for Worship in their homes.

In 1694 a Meeting House was opened in Bowling Green Lane, on the site of the present Christian Brothers’ School in Manor Street. By 1703 a new Meeting House had been built in Bowling Alley. The third location for the Meeting House was in O’Connell Street (now the location of the Garter Lane Arts Centre). This opened in 1791 and served until 1972, when the Meeting moved to its present location at Newtown, adjacent to the grounds of Newtown School.

Other important dates in the life of Waterford Friends were 1798, when Newtown School opened, and 1824 when Newtown Burial Ground was first used. Previous burial grounds had been in St John’s Lane and Parliament Street, near to the early Meeting Houses.

Early years

The first endeavours of Quakers to settle in Waterford met with opposition from city authorities. They struggled to maintain their religious identity as they lived out their strongly held Christian beliefs in truth, honesty, equality and religious tolerance. The resistance to Quakers putting their religion into practice deepened their conviction, especially regarding their testimonies relating to oaths, tithes and peace. Between 1650 and 1750 there were nearly 1,000 Quakers imprisoned in Ireland because of these convictions.

18th and 19th Century – Business and Education

Waterford Quakers developed their small community during this period and became successful in trade and industry, especially when released from religious intolerance in the following years. Family businesses flourished. These included glass manufacturing (Penrose and Gatchell), iron manufacturing and engineering (Jacob), brewing (Cherry, Strangman, Goff and Davis), grocers (Hill and Chapman), biscuit making (Jacob), shipbuilding (White, Malcomson and Jacob) and cotton spinning and weaving (Malcolmson).

Waterford Quakers became involved in the City through relief work (Tuskar Lodging House, Munster Dining Rooms and Famine relief), city affairs and business life. They were involved with the establishment of the Waterford Chamber of Commerce and the development of the railways and the first Waterford bridge. The contribution made to the city by Waterford Quakers was marked by Waterford Corporation in 1998 when a specially illustrated scroll was presented at a civic reception held during the Bicentenary celebrations of Newtown School.

The Establishment of Quaker Schools in Waterford

Newtown School was opened in 1798 in order that “the children of Friends may have the advantage of a religious education and be in some degree preserved from the dangerous consequences of being brought up in a less guarded manner…” Children who were not members of the Society of Friends were first permitted to enter in 1874. The School now called Newtown Junior School opened in the early twentieth century.

Today both Schools draw pupils from all religious denominations, and from none, and appreciate the contribution of all to our community.