Lees, Edward William (1873-1963)

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1926
Primitive Methodist Magazine 1926

Early years

Edward was born in 1873 at Burntwood, nr Lichfield, Staffordshire, to parents Ambrose and Sarah. Ambrose was a coal-miner.

Edward was converted before he was sixteen and two years later was authorised to preach. He spent a few months as a hired local preacher before entering Hartley College in 1896. Before entering the ministry, Edward worked as a coal-miner on Cannock Chase.

Ministry

Edward’s obituary records that during his ministry he gave splendid service to rural Methodism. He had a well-stocked library, and was a real lover of books, and, in a small way, a collector of special editions. His pulpit preparation was undertaken with the greatest care. In fact he was equally at home in the pulpit and in the open-air where his urgent Gospel messages sought and won verdicts for his Lord.

He was a pastor to his people. He was always their dependable friend. These intimate contacts together with his sound management of church and circuit affairs, and his keen support of every movement for co-operation between the churches, and his special activities in connection with Free Church Councils, combined to make his ministry consistently effective.

When he retired, Edward lived in his old home at Burntwood. He gave valuable civic help to the local authority (at one period during the war (WW2) he assisted in the storage and distribution of foodstuffs), and in the society which set him on his pilgrim way.

Family

Edward married Amy Lucy Leigh (abt 1874-1922) in the summer of 1902 at Manchester.

  • Edward Ambrose (1903-1981) – a school teacher (1926)
  • Arthur James (1906-1910)
  • Albert William (1913-1985)
  • Joseph Clifford (1917-1999) – a headmaster (1963)

Edward married Ruth Birch (1874-1960) in the summer of 1923 at St Neots, Huntingdonshire.

Edward died on 22 October 1963 at St Michaels Hospital, Lichfield, Staffordshire.

Circuits

  • Hartley
  • 1898 Sheerness
  • 1900 Brighton
  • 1901 Clayton West
  • 1904 Manea
  • 1906 Peterborough I
  • 1909 Yeovil
  • 1913 Bleanavon
  • 1915 Motcombe
  • 1919 Wem
  • 1922 St Neots
  • 1926 Harwich
  • 1931 Ludlow
  • 1934 Brinkworth
  • 1938 Lichfield (S)

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1926/521

Methodist Minutes 1964/195

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers

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