The Bishop’s questionnaire: Church, race & colonial Virginia
How did the Bishop of London oversee church affairs more than 3,000 miles away in colonial Virginia?
In 1723, Bishop Edmund Gibson distributed a questionnaire to clergy across the colony, asking detailed questions about their parishes, congregations and communities. Join PhD researcher Eleanor Hex to explore these fascinating responses and what they reveal about everyday religious life in eighteenth-century Virginia.
Drawing on original archival research, this talk examines how Gibson sought to understand and influence the colony from afar. It also considers how issues of race, freedom and religious conversion shaped his vision for the Anglican Church in Virginia and sheds light on the Church’s relationship with transatlantic slavery.
This talk forms part of Fulham Palace’s Black History 365 programme, which highlights marginalised voices and encourages fresh perspectives on the past.
About the speaker
Eleanor Hex is a third year PhD student at the University of Kent and Fulham Palace. She is in the write up phase of her thesis ‘Go ye therefore, and teach all nations’: The Bishops of the Colonies and the mission fields of Virginia c.1675-1775, which she aims to submit in October 2027. Throughout her PhD Eleanor has had the privilege of working with incredible organisations such as Fulham Palace, Lambeth Palace Library and the United Society of the Gospel to shine a light on the links of the Anglican Church to Transatlantic Chattel enslavement. She is passionate about the future of this work and continuing to showcase the many ways a history can be told.
Event details:
- This talk is part of the Black History 365 series.
- This talk is suitable for ages 16+.
- For any questions about this event, please contact a member of our team by emailing reception@fulhampalace.org.
- This is an education programme event. Learn more about our terms & conditions.
