Family Bible.....

garibaldired · Post by **garibaldired** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 2:42 pm

This may be a daft question (it wouldn't be my first!) but how did ordinary people acquire a large Bible? Were they expensive in the mid 19th century? Were they given at marriage?
Does anyone know where I can find the history of "family bibles"?

Meg

CatrionaL · Post by **CatrionaL** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 3:02 pm

Hi Meg

Try contacting one of the Bible Societies. Several of them began their work in the early 19th century. They may have the information you seek in their Archives.
The Scottish Bible Society site is:

http://www.scottishbiblesociety.org/hom ... ticleID=50 jsp

Hope this helps.

Regards
Catriona

Russell · Post by **Russell** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 3:02 pm

Hi Meg

That is certainly not a 'daft' question.
I'll bet there are now lots of people saying to themselves 'Now why didn't I think of that?'

People would buy a family bible even if it was the only printed item in the household. Bound books have never been cheap but to have a copy of the Bible was a priority. There were even special chairs made to hold the Family Bible which had a broad armrest for the Bible to rest on and families would sit round to hear bits read out to them.
The first translations of the Bible into English rather than Latin were in the time of James 6th & 1st at his instigation so that his people were able to read the Word for themselves without the clergy having to translate and interpret.

In the 1700s some printers made special editions which had the additional pages incorporated on which the family births, deaths and marriages could be recorded. This saved a few bob since it cost to have a life event recorded in the Church Register.
Some of these pages are works of art with leaves, scrolls, and other decorations.
I don't know if some of the churches actually subsidised the cost of bibles but it may have happened in some areas. That would make an interesting bit of detective work to find out

Silly question..? Look what it did to my grey matter!!!

Russell

garibaldired · Post by **garibaldired** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 5:07 pm

Catriona,

Thanks for that link - very interesting.

Russell,

You've given me some fascinating insights there - thanks!
I wondered too whether it was a sort of rite of passage; a man starting out on marriage beginning his "own" family bible?

It surely has plenty of scope for detective work; I shall certainly follow it up!

Meg

Post by **joette** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 9:33 am

I have seen family Bibles for sale on a certain Internet Site.They occasionally come up at antique fairs& auctions.
I think there is even a sort of "Family Bible Reunited"site which I think is a lovely idea.
Personally speaking there was one in my Granny's family which her brother burned when clearing out his pigeon loft! My Grandfather's family had one too & I remember seeing it as a child but as he ws the youngest son of seven some other family member got it! I would love to read it & see all the "innaccuracies" in the BMD.I just remember the changing handwriting as each succesive generation wrote in them.My Granny's went back eight generations at least although I think started by her GgGrandparents & given as a wedding gift to her Father.