Search Results

Barker, Joseph (1806–1875), Methodist minister and politico-religious controversialist, was born on 11 May 1806 at Bramley, near Leeds. His ancestors, originally of Keighley, had been settled in this area for several generations as farmers and manufacturers. The identity of his parents has not been discovered, though it is known that his father was employed in woollen manufacture and served for some time in the militia, and that ...

Bourne, Hugh (1772–1852), founder of the Primitive Methodist church, son of Joseph Bourne, farmer and wheelwright, and his wife, Ellen Steele, was born at Fordhays Farm, in the parish of Stoke-on-Trent on 3 April 1772, and, after some education at nearby Werrington and ...

Clowes, William (1780–1851), a founder of the Primitive Methodist Connexion, the son of Samuel Clowes, potter, and Ann, daughter of Aaron Wedgwood (a member of the illustrious ceramics family), was born at Burslem, Staffordshire, on 12 March 1780, and employed during his early years as a potter. He was considered one of the finest dancers in his neighbourhood and for many years led a dissipated life, but on 20 January 1805 he was converted during a prayer meeting. He soon established a prayer meeting in his own house, became the leader of a Wesleyan Methodist class, and joined a society which endeavoured to promote the keeping of the sabbath. He was one of the attendants at the first camp meeting ever held in ...

Edwards, (Samuel Jules) Celestine (1857?–1894), Methodist evangelist and journal editor, was born, probably on 28 December 1857, at Burns, Dominica, in the West Indies, one of ten children. His father was a sailor, who died about 1867; little is known of his mother except that she was alive in 1894. ...

Oxtoby, John [nicknamed Praying Johnny] (1767–1830), evangelist and Primitive Methodist preacher, was born early in 1767 at Little Givendale, near Pocklington, East Riding of Yorkshire, the son of Robert Oxtoby, a farmer, and his wife, Jane. He received a little education at a country school, worked in agriculture, but lost carefully acquired property by '...

Wearmouth, Robert Featherstone (1882–1963), Methodist minister and historian, was born at 62 Joicey Terrace, Oxhill, co. Durham, on 10 June 1882, the son of William Wearmouth, a miner, and his wife, Sarah Walker. His mother came from Etherley, connected with the Featherstones of ...