The Tithe War in England & Wales
John Bulatis
John gave a brief explanation about the tithe (a tenth) a remnants of a mediaeval tax system. It started as a tax, paid in kind, to the church to support the parish clergy and the fabric of the parish church. Originally paid by land
owners it later included those who rented land in the parish. A payment in kind system was not very efficient and the Tithe Commutation Act of 1836 changed it to a monetary contribution. However, there were still numerous marches protesting that was an unequal tax because little consideration was given to land quality (poor or fertile) and what each portion of land could produce.
John said the tithe was a much neglected history in which he became interested when he moved to Shepherdswell. Amongst the local history tales of the area, he learnt of the tithe wars and the Battle of the Ducks in 1934. Sixty ducks were seized from the farm at Westwell of the Rev Roderick Kedward. The ducks were seized under a tithe distress order, which had been taken out due to the tithe not being paid. The ducks were taken to the ecclesiastical Commissioners farm at Shepherdswell to be auctioned but were seized back by masked men and returned to the Rev Kedward’s pond. The police then spent several hours trying to round up the ducks to return them to the farm at Shepherdswell. again.
The Rev Roderick Kedward was MP for Ashford, President of the National Tithe Payers’ Association and, as such, leader in the campaign to end the tithe system. There is a monument to him in Ashford Market and TNA (The National Archives) have sizeable file of records on the campaign.
Farmers were even charged the tithe during the world wars which they felt was an imposition and not helping the war effort to provide food for the nation. There are many letters in Lambeth Palace archives written to the Archbishop of Canterbury which are open to researchers. The Church of England Record Office is also a mine of information. Documents can be ordered to be read at Lambeth Palace Archives which has moved to new premises opposite St Thomas Hospital.
There are files at TNA in the Home Office collection where 19 people were arrested on charges of conspiracy over campaigning for the end of the tithe.
John described several disruptions caused by the tithe-payers throughout Kent. The movement of seized goods to commissioners’ farms was stopped and auctions took place at the farm where the tithe was owed. The tithe-payers then fixed the auction to ensure items were sold for much less than their worth. Tithe collectors sent men in to increase the bidding but they were sent packing being pelted by mud whilst others were dunked in cesspits etc. The press had a field day with headlines and reports making the collectors appear fools as the tithe payers outwitted them. In 1934 the Lord Chancellor reported that there were so many unexecuted orders that it was impossible to administer them in a reasonable time.
In the end the government decided to collect the tithe through the tax system .The government secretly bought the system from the church at three and a half million pounds and managed to cover the sale with an seemingly private agency running it. The Tithe Act of 1936 allowed for the winding down of the tithe tax, to be ceased completely by 1996. However, due to changes in agriculture when the inland revenue looked at the system in the 1970s, they found that it was costing more to administrate than they were collecting and the tithe was ceased.
An interesting and amusing talk, we all thought the tithe had vanished many centuries ago and were astounded to learn that it had continued into the latter half of 20th century.
John has written a book on the Tithe Wars which has just been published and invited members to attend the book launch at Christ Church University in September. The book is currently available in hard back and John gave us a discount code if we wanted to buy it. He said a paperback version should be out later this year and it's currently available as a download.
Report by Tricia Baxter
Speakers Secretary for Kent FHS