Manterfield, David (1864-1927)

Christian Messenger 1907

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1927

Transcription of ‘Sketch’ in the Christian Messenger

A local preacher of the Stanley Street Church. Born July 11th, 1864. Trained in the Sunday-school he became a teacher at an early age. Converted January 2nd, 1881, and was given a “note” the same year. Pressed to enter the ministry, but not satisfied of a Divine call, elected to serve the Church in other ways, and for twenty years he has taken a leading part in all its activities. Leaving school at the age of eleven years, he still devoted himself to study, and through evening schools, private classes and students’ unions he has attained an educational proficiency of some distinction. Like his father, a local preacher of great power, long since gone, but remembered, he has great spiritual insight and a marvellous knowledge of Scripture. Few men posses in a greater degree the gift of teaching. He is a voluminous reader, but his fertile mind gathers from every source. He sees sermons in everything. His difficulty is in selecting from the many subjects which press for treatment. Yet a hasty preparation is out of question. He is anxious that people should not only understand but remember, and in this he is remarkably successful. Each point contains the germ to be developed, and that development proceeds so naturally that the impression is well nigh perfect. In his delivery he is natural and energetic, but not having a particularly strong voice, he can only be heard to greatest advantage in the smaller chapels. He is a member of the District Training Committee and sub-tutor of Church history.

G.F.

Family and other information

David was born at Sheffield, Yorkshire, to parents John and Harriet. John was a coal merchant.

Census returns identify the following occupations for David.

1881 office boy
1891 coal merchant, market gardener, shorthand clerk, local preacher
1901 market gardener and seedman
1911 manager for iron and steel merchant

His obituary records that David was a prominent Liberal, and for many years was a Liberal agent.

At the time of his death, David was President of the Sheffield Free Church Lay Preachers’ Association.

David married Elizabeth Cawthorne (abt1867-1951) in late 1890 at Sheffield, Yorkshire. Census returns identify five children.

Edith (1891-1919) – married Wilfred Lawton in 1917
Fred (1892-1959) – a commercial clerk (1911); a local government official (19151)
David (1894-1967) – a junior clerk (1911); a metallurgical chemist (1951)
John Ernest (abt1896-1965) – a blacksmith’s striker (1911); a blacksmith (1915)
Harry (1901-1975)

David died on 27 January 1927 at Sheffield, Yorkshire.

References

Christian Messenger 1907/194

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1927/883

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers