Palmer, Samuel (1872-1952)

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1918
Primitive Methodist Magazine 1925
Primitive Methodist Magazine 1931
Primitive Methodist Magazine 1908

Early years

Samuel was born in 1872 in Lalnauli, nr Bombay, India. His father was an Inspector on the Indian Pacific Railway. Sadly he was thrown by a very restive horse and died when Samuel was just four years old. This tragic necessitated a journey to England. Circumstances led Samuel to Plumstead, where as a boy he was cared for by an aunt. He attended the Robert Street Church, Plumstead and was converted under the ministry of Rev Josiah Turley.

Between the ages of fourteen and twenty, Samuel worked in the Woolwich Arsenal.

Ministry

Samuel became Connexional Sunday School Secretary in 1922. As part of introducing modern methods into Sunday School work, Samuel travelled to America and Canada in 1925 to research the latest ideas in regards to working with Intermediates. In 1926, Samuel delivered the Morse lecture at Northampton on “When Childhood expands into Youth”. More than one thousand copies of the lecture were sold.

At Methodist Union, Samuel became Chairman of the Newcastle-upon-Tyne District and, in 1932, was Chairman of the British Christian Endeavour Convention at Newcastle.

After superannuating in 1940, Samuel moved to Bramall, Cheshire, and gave fine service in the pulpits of Stockport and district.

His obituary records that Samuel was a forceful personality, an able administrator, a preacher of power whose services were widely sought, a man of strong convictions, real humility, quick sympathy and with a keen interest in young people.

Literature

Samuel authored the following.

‘The flash lamp’: gleams for the guidance of youth’s ready feet, 1918 – a collection of children’s addresses.

Family

Samuel married Ettie Prestwich (b1876) in the spring of 1902 at Oldham, Lancashire. Records identify two children.

  • Leslie (b1904) – a rubber technologist (1938); emigrated to New Zealand in 1948
  • Elsie

Samuel died on 30 December 1952 at Bramhall, Cheshire.

Circuits

  • Hartley
  • 1896 Southport II
  • 1899 Douglas
  • 1902 Wigan
  • 1905 Edinburgh
  • 1909 Sunderland II
  • 1913 Gateshead I
  • 1918 Chester I
  • 1922 Gen SS Secretary
  • 1927 Ellesmere Port
  • 1930 Newcastle
  • 1934 Gateshead
  • 1940 Bramhall (S)

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1918/498; 1924/752; 1925/247; 1931/560

Methodist Minutes 1953/137

W Leary, Directory of Primitive Methodist Ministers and their Circuits, 1990

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers

Downloads

Comments about this page

  • This page was modified on 12 January 2016 to add a sketch published in the Christian Messenger 1917.

    By Geoff Dickinson (12/01/2016)

Add a comment about this page

Your email address will not be published.