Packham, John Henry (1866-1948)

zoom

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1920

zoom

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1920

Early years

John was born in 1866 at Brighton, Sussex to parents John and Mary Ann. The 1871 census identifies John as a joiner and Mary Ann as an upholsterer.

John began to preach at the early age of fourteen. Before entering the ministry John worked as a lay agent on the Downham circuit.

Ministry

Whilst at Aylesbury in war-time, John acted as officiating minister to the Navy and Army Board, and pioneered the work done at the great camp at Halton Park. Moving to Ramsgate, he lived in the danger zone during the most trying raid period. There he carried on an uplifting, calming and strengthening series of services.

His obituary records that his preaching was simple, direct, and evangelical, dealing with those fundamental truths by which he lived. In all his duties he was painstaking, attentive to the details of business and living in close touch with his people.

Family

John married Ellen Amelia Hibberd (1870-1920) in the summer of 1894 in the Steyning Registration District, Sussex. Records identify five of seven children.

• Rowland Ivery (1896-1964)
• Stewart Esli (1900-1953) – a civil servant (1948)
• Nella Henrietta (b1906) – married George William Humphry in 1929
• Ivery May (1910-1976) – married Robert C Mundy in 1949.
• Irene Margaret (1915-2004) – married Denis W Davey in 1935

John married Louisa Kate Dew, nee Plucknett (1880-1967) in the summer of 1924 on the Isle of Wight.

John died on 8 March 1848 at Street Somerset.

Circuits

• 1890 Portsmouth
• 1892 Whitstable
• 1894 Goudhurst
• 1895 Dunstable
• 1898 Chertsey
• 1900 Aylesbury
• 1903 Maidenhead
• 1906 Sturminster New
• 1909 Chertsey
• 1912 Aylesbury
• 1916 Ramsgate
• 1918 Dartford
• 1921 Newport & Cowes
• 1924 Shaftsbury
• 1925 Bristol IV
• 1927 Blaenavon
• 1928 Glastonbury
• 1933 Glastonbury (S)

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1920/150

Methodist Minutes 1948/135

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers