Informal Pew-Renting and Pew-Openers in English Anglican Churches
As opposed to formal pew-renting, which characterised less affluent Anglican churches in England, wealthier churches often used informal pew-renting. In this form, congregants were expected to “tip” pew-openers—themselves generally from the working class—a sixpence, shilling or half-a-crown, to obta...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
[2020]
|
| In: |
Church history and religious culture
Year: 2020, Volume: 100, Issue: 2/3, Pages: 364-382 |
| Further subjects: | B
pew-openers
B tipping B Anglican churches B history of Anglican churches B pew-renting |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (Publisher) Volltext (doi) |
| Summary: | As opposed to formal pew-renting, which characterised less affluent Anglican churches in England, wealthier churches often used informal pew-renting. In this form, congregants were expected to “tip” pew-openers—themselves generally from the working class—a sixpence, shilling or half-a-crown, to obtain favourable seating for a single service. But the “tips” were actually bribes, and according to popular descriptions, pew-openers frequently relegated those financially unable to “tip” to much less desirable seating. Over the centuries the English clergy has endured many insulting and coarse epithets, such as calling a chicken’s backside “the parson’s nose” and referring to urination as “shaking hands with the vicar.” But no role has historically engendered so much constant suspicion and hatred as has the pew-opener. This article investigates the role of the pew-opener and the surrounding controversy, and the churches’ response to pew-openers’ behavior. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1871-2428 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Church history and religious culture
|
| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1163/18712428-bja10004 |
