Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 63.djvu/183

 to the queen. In September 1822 he first claimed the succession to Turner's leadership; by many members of the Southcottian societies his claim was allowed. On 14 Dec. 1822, leaving his wife and three children, he started on his prophetic peregrinations to the Southcottian societies, the Jews, and ‘all nations.’ His authority for preaching ‘the everlasting gospel of the redemption of soul and body’ was supposed to be attested by acts of healing, as well as by prognostication. His travels, as reported in the fragmentary notices of his followers, are not without interest; in 1823 he visited Gibraltar, Spain, France, Germany, and Italy; in 1827 he made his way to Scotland, in 1828 to Wales. His peculiarities developed as he went on. In March 1823 he discarded the names of the months, using the quaker numbering. He let his beard grow. On 30 Aug. 1823, and again on 29 Feb. 1824, he was publicly baptised in running rivers. On 17 April 1824 he was publicly circumcised at a meeting of believers, and proclaimed the fact next day to a large congregation in a field at Ashton-under-Lyne. His followers adopted the rite. For circumcising Daniel Grimshaw, an infant who died of the operation (September 1824), Henry Lees of Ashton was tried for manslaughter at Lancaster (March 1825), but acquitted. On several occasions Wroe disappeared for days together, subsisting once for fourteen days (September 1824) on hedge fruit and growing corn. He divided his people into twelve tribes; his son Benjamin was to lead one of them, and on Benjamin's death he transferred the name Benjamin to another son. Money was forthcoming in support of Wroe's pretensions. In 1823 his followers employed a room at Charlestown, Ashton, as a ‘sanctuary.’ On 25 Dec. 1825 a well-built and costly ‘sanctuary’ was opened in Church Street, Ashton. On this erection John Stanley spent 9,500l.; a fine organ was subsequently added (the building is now a theatre). The sanctuary had an ‘unclean’ pew, and beneath the pulpit was a ‘cleansing’ room. At each of the cardinal points in the outskirts of the town a square building was erected, marking the four ‘gates’ of the future temple area, of which the ‘sanctuary’ was to form the centre. One of these (in which Wroe's ‘trial’ was held) is now a public-house, known as ‘The Odd Whim.’

While living at Park Bridge, near Ashton, a charge of criminal intercourse with Martha Whitley, his apprentice, a child of twelve, was brought against Wroe on 18 Dec. 1827, but not sustained. During his absence at Bristol, in October 1830, charges of minor misconduct were laid against him by Mary Quance, Sarah Pile, and Ann Hall, all of whom had been in his service. An investigation was held (24 and 25 Oct.) at Ashton by a committee of his friends. The proceedings, which were unruly, ended in an acquittal, after two of the ‘jury’ had been removed and replaced by others; one of these two was [q. v.] ‘A very considerable part’ of his following, including Henry Lees, now left him, and ‘cut off their beards.’ Wroe left for Huddersfield, but made two attempts (February and April 1831) to return to Ashton, causing serious riots. Other immoralities were laid to his charge, but cannot be said to have been proved. He was frequently accused by those who left his fold of sharp practice, which they called swindling.

From this date the ‘Israelites,’ or ‘Christian Israelites,’ as they called themselves, Wroeites, as their opponents designated them, formed a sect apart from the main followers of Joanna Southcott. His adherents at Ashton-under-Lyne, among whom were many respectable shopkeepers, were popularly known as ‘Joannas’ for forty years later; their long beards, and their habit of wearing their tall broad-brimmed felt hats, as they served their customers, rendered them conspicuous; their shops were closed from Friday at six to Saturday at six. [q. v.], when visiting Manchester, was saluted as a ‘Joanna’ on account of his beard. The women followers had many peculiarities of dress, and the dietetic regulations of the community were strictly conformed to Hebrew usage. Half-members, being uncircumcised and not wearing the beard, were recognised as ‘brethren’ on ‘signing to obey the two first books of the Laws.’ Obedience was enforced by a system of penances.

Driven from Ashton in 1831, Wroe continued to travel in search of disciples, his headquarters being at Wrenthorpe, near Wakefield, where he had a printing press from 1834, perhaps earlier. In 1842 his house was broken into by burglars. On the false evidence of Wroe and his family, three innocent persons were transported; they were released five years later on the discovery of the real culprits. In the autumn of 1843 he visited Australia and New Zealand, and again in 1850, returning in June 1851. His followers were known in Australia as ‘beardies.’ He had many followers in America, which he visited four times. After rambling as before in many parts of England, he again visited Australia, return-