Joseph Priestley was the minister at Mill Hill Chapel between 1767-1773. He left with some reluctance following the Earl of Shelburne’s offer of employment at twice the salary he received at Mill Hill. Priestley and his family had been happy serving this ‘liberal, friendly and harmonious congregation’ and it this congregation which is the focus of the 2023 Priestley Memorial Lecture.

Who were the people who appointed Priestley in 1767, what were their occupations and where did they live? In what ways did their appointment of Joseph Priestley, a poor preacher but a noted teacher, reflect their own religious and cultural values?

These were troubled times for Dissenters who, despite the Toleration Act of 1689, continued to experience state-sanctioned discrimination which motivated an oppositional political radicalism and campaigns for reform.

These are some of the themes which will be explored of this evening’s talk as well as situating the members of the Mill Hill Meeting House in the broader context of Leeds in the second half of the 18^th century.

The lecture takes place in the Unitarian Chapel dating from 1848. It replaced the 17^th century building – illustrated here.

The annual Priestley Lecture of the Phil & Lit keeps alive a link with scientist Joseph Priestley (1733-1804). As well as his responsibilities at Mill Hill, he carried on with his scientific experiments. It was during his Leeds years that he identified what later came to be recognised as oxygen. He was a founding member and first secretary of The Leeds Library.