Sarah Fell

Personal

Sarah Fell or Sarah Meade was born on 1642 in Lancaster, England in Swarthmore Hall. She was the fourth daughter of Judge Thomas Fell and Margaret Fell also known as the "Mother of Quakerism". She was later the step daughter of George Fox. She was the sister of Margaret Rous, Bridget Fell, George Fell, Isabel Yeamans, Mary Lower, Susannah Ingram and Rachel Abraham. She married William Meade in June 1681 and together they had a son, Nathaniel Meade.

Career

She worked as a Swarthmore farm accountant, clerk of the Lancashire Women Quarterly meeting. She wrote the household account book of Sarah Fell, of Swarthmore Hall between 1672-1678. When the account book was first opened in March 1672, The residents of Swarthmore were Margaret Fell, George Fox and three unmarried daughters Sarah, Susannah and, Rachel. It also included her recently widowed sister Isabel and her two children. It showed the expenditures for her family and Swarthmore ( SWMM) Minutes which reflected the Quaker philanthropic thoughts and practices. At this century, women were very much involved in their husband business affair; as a result, the account book also had the detailed information of the husband’s income. There were 198 women whom had social or business relationship with Fells, whose name appeared more than one or more in the account book over six years or sixty-three she recorded. One third of the total appeared in the (SWMM) Minutes. The 135 women name which was not mentioned in the (SWMM) Minutes were silent or poor members. The book also included the death and funeral information of Sarah Fell’s niece Rachel Yeamans whom died on June 20, 1676 at very young age while visiting the Swarthmore hall. From 1658 to 1681, Sarah invested in iron bloomery alongside her mother and three sisters. She recorded the income of iron bloomery in her account book, but did not do so completely. Between 1664 and 1668 Sarah took charge of the farm while her mother Margaret was imprisoned in Lancaster Castle. She also found the Town bank and grammar school in Ulverston and help the poor. Sarah was also a banker of her Quaker neighbors and friends. Her financial operations included loans, receipts and payments.

Charity

In 1676, Sarah loaned money to several of her labored and servants at the Swarthmore. She loans money to poor by not charging high interest rate but charge them the interest rate during the period. If the people happened to be very poor she considered as a charity. People who borrowed from the Fell’s family always repaid the debts.

Quakerism

She was involved in the administration part of Swarthmore Hall Quaker Women Quarterly Meeting. She also wrote the epistle directed to Quakers women’s meetings everywhere. Her father was not big fan of Quakerism but allowed her mother and her followers to use the Swarthmore Hall.

Death

Fell died on June 9, 1714 in Gooseyes, Essex, England.