Introduction

Fell’s role in early Quakerism started with her hospitality to nonconformist missionaries in Lancashire. It continued when she started the process of receiving, copying, and sending off letters to members of the emergent faith, thus allowing the process of sharing experiences and ideas to flourish in the first phase of the church. Margaret Fell’s role in Quakerism has always been described as supporter and nurturer, but never as innovator. In the context of the Interregnum, as difficult as it is to pin down, the people called Quakers were bound together by Margaret Fell’s efforts to organize the group. George Fox may or may not deserve the title of founder of Quakerism, but undoubtedly his role was contingent on Fell’s organization. Therefore he owes his status in the faith to her, rather than she owing her notoriety to him.