Q.  Where can any information be obtained respecting the christian captives taken by the Barbary pirates - the subscriptions raised for their relief, by briefs etc., and what became of the funds ?

Notes and Queries Vol. 1 (27) May 4 1850 Page 441

A.  There is an unfortunate hiatus in the accounts of this parish from 1642 to 1679, which prevents my stating positively the amount of the collection here made; but in 1670, Jan 1, there occurs the following:

"Item to Mr Day for copying over the fower parts that was gathered in the parish for the reliefe of Slaves in Algiers �0. : 2 : 0

Mr Day was curate of Ecclesfield at that time ; and in another part of the book there is, in his handwriting, a subscription list, which, though only headed "Colected by hous Row for the ��.." is more than probably the copy referred to. From it the totals collected appear to have been:

The above are the four byerlaws, or divisions of the parish and the four church wardens used separately to collect in their respective byerlaws; and then a fair copy of the whole was made out by the curate or school master. An ordinary collection in church, upon a brief, averaged 7s. 6d. at this period.

J EASTWOOD. Ecclesfield.

Notes and Queries Vol. 2 (36) Jul 6 1850 Page 92

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