Wax seals & signatures

Today's blip is an image I wanted to take the other day, but did not get the time.

The image features part of a two of a set of documents in my possession relating to the list of trustees for a Methodist church. The documents date from the early to mid 1800's, with the earliest dated 1771.

The documents are hand written in ink on what appears to be a vellum-type material. They are almost work of arts in themselves and a truly wonderful piece of workmanship. The image shows only a small portion and I guess they are roughly poster-sized.

These were the names of local men, working professional men who helped to create and build a church for the working man.

I like to think that the signature penned in blue ink is that of a renegade, or maybe a local dandy in his day.

I intend to research the documents wherever possible and try and shed some light on these wonderful and such a unique looking glass into our industrial and religious past in Chesterfield.

I hope the image lifts your heart as it does mine when I see them.