Geddes, Janet (fl. 1637)

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Geddes, Janet (fl. 1637)

Scottish religious dissenter. Name variations: Jenny. Flourished around 1637.

Janet Geddes is said to have been the originator of a riot in St. Giles' Church, Edinburgh, Scotland, on July 23, 1637. The church, in the High Street of the Old Town, is memorable for its associations with some of the most important events in the religious history of Scotland. Geddes reputedly emphasized her protest against the introduction of the English liturgy into Scotland by throwing her folding stool at the head of the officiating bishop.