Rudd, Francis (1835-1912)

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1885
Primitive Methodist Magazine 1912
Sophia Rudd - Primitive Methodist Magazine 1930

Early years

Francis was born on 6 January 1835 at Middleton on Wolds, Yorkshire to parents Francis Rudd and Elizabeth Smith.

Francis was converted whilst young and was soon called to preach. Prior to joining the ministry Francis trained as a tailor.

Ministry

His ministry was predominantly in the Hull District. His obituary records a net gain of over 600 members on his stations and successful direction of many chapel building enterprises.

Following superannuation, Francis was the Centenary Treasurer for the Hull Fifth station and in the new chapel at Hessle he took a deep and generous interest.

Francis was Secretary of Conference in 1894. He was made a Permanent Member of Conference in 1911. Francis also spent some years as Treasurer of the Ministers Friendly Society.

Francis was wholly devoted to his work. To be in a real revival was a positive luxury. A prayer meeting full of power, a class meeting all alive, a sermon full of the gospel grace were to him rich benedictions. He never wandered far from the Cross.

There was a perennial freshness in his message. His preaching was of the expository kind. He never tired of creating new sermons. He never gave his hearers ‘mouldy bread’, nor did he bring into the sanctuary ‘unbeaten oil’. Brain-sweat and heart-sweat went into his preaching.

Family

Francis married Rebecca Hannah Simpson (1836-1863) on 11 December 1860 at Driffield, Yorkshire.

Francis married Jessemine Robinson (1842-1904) on 7 February 1865 at Hull, Yorkshire. Records identify seven children.

  • Eva Jessemine (1866-1911) – married John Enoch Wilkinson, a decorator
  • Francis Edward (1868-1938) – a watchmaker
  • Alice Emily (1872-1941) – a milliner
  • Ada Marion (1875-1935)
  • Florence Lillian (1880-1956) – a schoolteacher
  • Frederick Harold (1881-1881)
  • Ernest Archibald (b1886) -emigrated to USA; worked as a salesman

Francis married Sophia Padgett, nee Mackrill, (1835-1929) in the spring of 1905 at Bakewell, Derbyshire.

Francis died on 9 March 1912 at Hessle, Yorkshire.

Circuits

  • 1856 Louth
  • 1857 Howden
  • 1858 Selby
  • 1860 Hull ll
  • 1862 Doncaster
  • 1864 Hull l
  • 1867 Hull ll
  • 1869 Grimsby ll
  • 1872 Winterton
  • 1873 Doncaster ll
  • 1876 Hull ll
  • 1879 Gainsborough
  • 1882 Grimsby ll
  • 1886 Hull l
  • 1890 Doncaster l
  • 1895 Leeds Vl
  • 1900 Beverley
  • 1903 Hull ll
  • 1905 Hull l
  • 1906 Hull l (S)

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1885 (portrait); 1904/827 (Jessemine); 1912/570; 1930/248 (Sophia)

PM Minutes 1912/28

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers

 

Comments about this page

  • Francis had a brother Thomas who is my great grandfather. Francis died 1912; address 2 Rose Villas, Hessle. Sophia his 3rd wife died in Scarborough. Jessamine Robinson was his 2nd wife and had 8 children. His first wife was Rebecca Hannah Simpson and didn’t have any children. Fascinating family and I am very proud.

    By Joyce lawson née Rudd (13/05/2023)
  • Paul,

    The Primitive Methodist Minutes of Conference 1856 & 1857 give the correspondence address for the Louth Circuit as;

    C Kendall, Lee Street, Louth

    Rev Charles Kendall was the superintendent minister in the circuit. As Francis was a new probationer when at Louth, it is possible he lodged with his superintendent.

    By Geoff Dickinson (21/03/2015)
  • I am a great grandson of Francis and recently moved to Louth, Lincolnshire, does anyone know his Louth address?

    By Paul Rudd (13/03/2015)

Add a comment about this page

Your email address will not be published.