Darryl Thompson to give talk on Shakers at Meredith Bay Colony Club

MEREDITH — Darryl Thompson, a historical interpreter at Canterbury Shaker Village, will present a program on “The Shakers: Hands to Work, Hearts to God” on Wednesday, March 6, at 3 p.m. in the Bistro at Meredith Bay Colony Club.

The Shakers, a celibate, communal religious group, originated in England around 1747 and immigrated to America in 1774. In the New World, they gained American converts and established communities where they practiced their faith and unique way of life, proceeding to make historically significant contributions in technological invention and improvement, medicine, agriculture, industry, social thought, theology, plant breeding, forestry, crafts, furniture design, architecture, music, and sacred dance.

They founded Canterbury Shaker Village in 1782 and formally organized in 1792. The last Canterbury Shaker, Sister Ethel Hudson, died in 1992, but there is one surviving Shaker colony —the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Community in New Gloucester, Maine.

Today, Canterbury Shaker Village is an internationally known nonprofit museum and historic site with 25 original Shaker buildings, four reconstructed Shaker buildings, and 694 acres of forests, fields, gardens, and mill ponds under a permanent conservation easement. Designated a National Historic Landmark for its architectural integrity and significance, the village offers visitors tours, programs, exhibits, a gift store, an eating establishment, and the opportunity to walk the beautiful grounds.

Thompson has known the Shaker story from both academic study and personal experience. He holds two degrees in American history from the University of New Hampshire and his master’s degree thesis focused on historic plant varieties that were developed by Shakers in various villages throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. His father, Charles “Bud” Thompson, lived among the Canterbury Shakers for more than three decades, lectured on Shaker history throughout the Northeast, originated the concept of the historical restoration at Canterbury Shaker Village, and — with Shaker Sisters Bertha Lindsay, Lillian Phelps, and Marguerite Frost — founded the museum and assembled the original collection around which that institution coalesced.

Bud Thompson and his wife, Nancy, later founded the Mount Kearsarge Indian Museum Education and Cultural Center in Warner.

Darryl Thompson had more than 31 years of continuous residency at Canterbury Shaker Village, living there full-time for six years and part-time for 25 years. Both Darryl and Bud Thompson were among the consultants Ken Burns used in his documentary film, "The Shakers: Hands to Work. Hearts to God."

Darryl Thompson has lectured widely about the Shakers, has written articles about them, and taught mini-courses and Elderhostel courses on Shaker history. He also wrote the forward for Jeffrey S. Paige’s "The Shaker Kitchen" and the chapter "Planting Perfection: The Shakers as Horticultural Innovators" in "Inspired Innovations: A Celebration of Shaker Ingenuity" compiled, edited, and with chapters by M. Stephen Miller.

Darryl Thompson also wrote prefaces to the liner notes of two compact discs of Shaker music: "The Shaker Ensemble’s Verdant Groves: A Musical Journey Through Four New England Shaker Villages"  and Roger Hall’s "Let Zion Move: Music of the Shakers." A timeline and bibliographical references compiled by him appear in Scott T. Swank’s "Shaker Life, Art, and Architecture" and he helped to edit June Sprigg’s "Simple Gifts: A Memoir of a Shaker Village," Carl Benton Straub’s "An Honorable Harvest: Shakers and the Natural World," and Anita Sanchez’s "Mr. Lincoln’s Chair: The Shakers and Their Quest for Peace."

To attend the lecture at Meredith Bay Colony Club, call 603-279-1500 for reservations.