Farsley Methodist Class Rolls, 1800/1801 and 1803/1804. These Rolls seem to have been compiled by John Turner of Farsley (1734-1808) whose name, as class leader, appears at the top, followed by that of his wife Elizabeth, nee Taylor (1756-1825). (John Turner is known as 'the father of Methodism in Farsley.') They came to me through my father James B Turner, Methodist Minister (1910-1993), who got them from his father Charles Thomas Turner (b. Farsley Yorkshire 1877, d Cork City 1957), who was John and Elizabeth Turner's great-great-grandson.
The original 1800 roll is on a single sheet of thick laid paper with no watermark , measuring 335mm x 207mm, lined and printed for the purpose. The sheet of paper has been folded in eight and addressed on the reverse to 'Mr Thomas Harrison at the Methodist Preaching House, Blakeburn, Lancashire {with care and speed.' Also written on the reverse are the words 'Farsley's classpaper 1800. God is love. [T?] Harrison.'
The original 1803 roll is also on a single sheet of thick laid paper but has a watermark. It measures 323mm x 203mm, lined and printed for the purpose. The sheet of paper has been folded in eight and on the reverse is written 'Decr. 1803. John Turner, Farsley', ie. it is dated at the beginning, rather than the end, of its period of use.
Brian S Turner, County Down