Legal Definitions - Easter-offerings

Easter-offerings refer to small financial contributions historically made by members of a church parish to their local clergy around the Easter period. These payments were considered a type of personal tithe, intended to support the minister and the church's operations.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Imagine a small farming family in an English village during the 17th century. Each year, as Easter approached, the head of the household would set aside a modest sum, perhaps a few pence or shillings, to give directly to the vicar who served their parish. This annual payment was their Easter-offering, a customary contribution expected from parishioners to financially support their local clergyman.

• Consider a prosperous merchant living in a bustling market town in the 18th century. Despite his wealth, he was still a parishioner of the local church. At Easter, he would present a small monetary gift to the curate, fulfilling his obligation for Easter-dues (an alternative term for Easter-offerings). This act acknowledged his role in the community and contributed to the financial well-being of the church and its minister.

• In historical church records, one might find entries detailing the collection of Easter-offerings from various households within a parish. For example, a church warden's ledger from the early 19th century might list small amounts received from numerous families during the Easter season, demonstrating the widespread and expected nature of these personal financial contributions to the resident clergy for their sustenance and the maintenance of the parish.