Quaker Meeting House - Duffin's Creek - Quaker Meeting Houses on Waymarking.com

In 1812, Timothy Rogers (1756-1827), a Quaker settler, envisioned the Village of Duffin's Creek (now Pickering Village) as the center of the Quaker yearly meeting in Canada. Quaker meetings were first held in his log home. Later, he donated 2 acres of his farm for a meeting house and burial ground (located across Mill Street).

The first meeting house was built c1819 followed by a new 2 storey frame structure c1833-34. The present red brick structure was built in 1866-67 at a cost of $6,000. This meeting house was opened on June 28th 1867 with the first session of the Canada Yearly Meeting (Orthodox) Quakers. Representatives gathered from various parts of Canada, The United States, England and Ireland. In 1878 Pickering College was opened and managed by the Canada Yearly Meeting (Orthodox) Quakers as a co-educational institution. The college was situated across the road from the meeting house on a hill. Unfortunately this institution was destroyed by fire in 1905. It was relocated to Newmarket.

As the closely knit Quaker religious community was not dependent on professional clergy, Quakers were able to fully enjoy their faith in the pioneering era. Worship in the Society of Friends (Quakers) is based on silent expectant waiting, speaking only when moved by the spirit of god. In accordance with the Historic Quaker Peace Testimony, young Quakers participated in the Friends Ambulance Unit during and after the second World War.

The architecture of the building in not typical of other Ontario Meeting Houses which are traditionally of single storey frame construction. The Pickering Meeting House has been altered since it was built. This structure exhibits simple American classical revival features and architectural preciseness in its' symmetry. The semi-circular arched front door provides a focal point and establishes the importance of the building's function. A gable roof preceded the present hip roof, but it was destroyed by fire after the building was struck by lightning in 1908. Early records of the meeting house and library were lost. The detailed but unadorned common bond brickwork and the round headed window openings suggest the restraint, the solidity and the dignity of the Quaker way of life.

This meeting house and the Society of Friends (Quakers) burial ground, where Timothy Rogers is buried, are reminders of our Quaker heritage established early in the settlement of Pickering Township.

Physical Address: Kingston Rd & Mill Street Pickering Village, ON Canada unsure Year Built: 1866-67 Still in Use?: Yes Web Address: Not listed Hours of Worship: Not Listed

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Date Logged Log   09/06/2012 mTn_biKer65 visited it 02/10/2012 Canadianzombie visited it 08/22/2010 entogeek visited it 07/03/2010 GPS Derek visited it 06/29/2010 Skyecat visited it 08/14/2008 Luc & Sweety visited it

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