Evans, John Brace (1869-1942)

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1924
Primitive Methodist Magazine 1924
John Brace Evans outside the Greave Fold Sunday School
Supplied by Arthur Steevens

Early years

John was born in 1869 at Macclesfield, Cheshire to parents William Evans and Letitia Brace. William was a PM Minister.

John was educated at Bourne College, Birmingham, and proceeded to Westminster College, London, to be trained for the teaching profession. The pull of the church triumphed over the classroom and the Conference of 1895 stationed him at Blue Bell Hill, Nottingham.

Ministry

John’s obituary records that, blest with a sanguine temperament checked by a practical quality, he possessed through the years a buoyancy of spirit that neither age nor difficulty could wither. He radiated courage and hopefulness in pulpit and home, and his gospel was ever of the overcoming life.

Capable in business and wise in leadership, circuits prospered under his direction. In the larger life of his Church he was deeply interested and shared in district administration. John was elected as Conference Secretary in 1920 at Hull.

A serious breakdown of health in 1934 compelled retirement and he went to reside at Wolverley, nr Kidderminster.

Family

John married Minnie Carter (b1872) in the summer of 1899 at Leicester, Leicestershire.

John died on 9 February 1942 at Wolverley, nr Kidderminster, Worcestershire.

Circuits

  • 1895 Nottingham II
  • 1897 Burton on Trent
  • 1898 Gravesend
  • 1901 Balham
  • 1906 Woodley
  • 1911 Kidderminster
  • 1914 Lichfield
  • 1920 Stockport I
  • 1923 Heckmondwike
  • 1930 Burnley I
  • 1934 Kidderminster (Sup)

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1921/74; 1924/406

Methodist Minutes 1942/146

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers

Comments about this page

  • Postcard – c1919 – J Brace Evans outside Greave Primitive Methodist Sunday School – Romiley Cheshire

    My wife’s ancestors lived across the road from this Sunday school long before the Methodists came along and built the Sunday School and were some of the first and last to attend here. Her Grandmother, b1870 d1929 and Mother b1906 d1986 ended up attending as children and finished up teaching Sunday Schools here. They lived across the road in a house which eventually became part of the Forester’s Arms. The family have lived here in Greave for ten unbroken generations traced back to 1740.

    Her grandmother left a Bible presented to her as a child and a photograph of John Brace Evans standing outside the Sunday Shool Chapel in early July 1908.

    I can send you a copy of the postcard photo and a copy of the page inside the Bible as given to her Grandmother by the Preacher.

    Arthur

    By Arthur Steevens (29/10/2020)
  • John Brace’s house was named “Elmfield”. Did he go to Elmfield College?

    By John (04/01/2019)
  • Circumstances have not allowed me to access this site for some time so I was delighted to find the name of John Brace Evans added by Geoff Dickinson yesterday (the day before my birthday strangely).  John Brace Evans was a very close friend of my grandparents, William & Sarah Lawley of Highley in the Kidderminster Circuit and amongst the memorabilia I have inherited is a letter from “Uncle Brace” written to my mother from  his home in the Lichfield Circuit, welcoming her very affectionately into the world the day after she was born in 1915.  He is also pictured at my parents wedding in 1937, being one of the two ministers who married them in 1937.

     

    This is the second link I have made to my grandparents from this site, the first being an enquiry about Rev. Albert Cole, who was also a great friend of my grandparents and was I think the first Probationer Minister at Highley Primitive Methodist Church.  I am in touch with his daughter, now 90.

    I have been very pleased to find these links with my grandparents/parents.  Many thanks.

     

     

     

    By Ella Thomas (23/08/2014)

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