Upright Family: Primitive Methodists of Milfield

Milfield Sunday school 1912

Rev. and Mrs Upright on the left
T. W. Weddell
Sunday School scripture examination success
T.W.Weddell

These two group photographs dated about 1912 are of Sunday School members of Milfield Methodist Church with which my family was associated. My grandfather (William Curry 1860-1924) was choirmaster there and lived in Rose Cottage in the centre of the village from which he also ran a joinery business.

On this first photograph, Rev Upright, the church minister, is seated in the second front row and his wife is standing beside him. Standing at the right of the photo are my mother (Hannah Curry 1891 – 1961) who was a teacher in the Sunday School and my aunt (Janet Young Curry 1893 – 1961) The third and youngest sister is in the second front row.

The second photograph is of a group from the Sunday School when they were successful in achieving first place and shield in a scripture examination. This shows Mrs Upright holding the shield, Miss Chrissie (Christian) Upright (with white blouse, minister’s daughter, in back row left-hand end) and also Hannah CURRY also in a white blouse on the right of the photo and in the back row.

The minister, Rev. Thomas Kelsey Upright features on a separate page under the section People: Primitive Methodist Ministers. There were three generations of Uprights who entered the ministry. The following extracts from the censuses give an initial impression of the extent to which the Uprights moved around the country, not only the four ministers when transferred from one circuit to another but also the father of the first Rev Upright.

1841: Morden Surrey William Upright (30) gardener

1851: Epsom Surrey William Upright (44) gardener born Crediton Devon

1861: Chapel Row East Thickley Shildon Durham William Upright (53) telegraph clerk born Crediton Devon

1871: Chapel Row Shildon Durham William Upright (63) signalman born Crediton Devon

William’s son, Thomas, was the first of the ministers …..

1861: Thomas Upright (10) scholar born Epsom Surrey

1871: Thomas Upright (19) blacksmith born Epsom Surrey

1881: Thornley Durham, Thomas K Upright (28) Primitive Methodist minister born Epsom Surrey

1891: Thornley Durham, Thomas Kelsey Upright (38) Primitive Methodist minister born Epsom Surrey

1901: Dent Yorkshire, Thomas Kelsey Upright (48) Primitive Methodist minister

1911: Hungerford Berkshire, Thomas Kelsey Upright (58) Primitive Methodist minister

….. and his son, William, trained for the ministry.

1891: William Upright (8) born Thornley Durham

1901: Withington Lancashire, William (18) student at Primitive Methodist Theological College

1911: Oldham Lancashire Wm Upright (28) born Thornley Durham

William’s son, Norman, pursued the family calling …..

1911: Norman Upright (3) born Seacombe Cheshire

National School Admissions Records and Logbooks on Findmypast

Milfield: Norman William Upright – removed to Lancashire 15.7.1913

(These records are a useful source of material, such as the occupation of the scholar’s father or where the family removed to eg left to help father with blacksmith’s work and flitted to Barnard Castle)

1939: Register Colwyn Bay Denbighshire, Norman Wright Methodist minister ….. as had his elder brother.

1891: Thornley Durham John Upright (5) born Bolam Northumberland

1901: Dent Yorkshire John Upright (15) student born Belsay Northumberland

1911: Wooler Northumberland, Rev John Upright (25) born Belsay Northumberland

Comments about this page

  • Came across this page today ( 5 March 2023). My grandmother was Kelsey Upright and Thomas Kelsey Upright is my great grandfather. Kelsey Upright married my grandfather Ralph Wright who was a pharmacist in Crawcrook. Kelsey was a teacher in Crawcrook.

    I would be grateful if you could send me any further information

    By Ralph Wright (05/03/2023)
  • I’m transcribing the baptism register for Belgrave Methodist Church, Leicester. This chapel became Claremont Street Methodist Church.
    Norman Upright performed baptisms from September 1956 to July 1962
    (I wasn’t sure whether the name was Wright or Upright but as it looked more like Upright I searched the name and found this site.)

    By Mary Bryceland (02/08/2021)
  • I have just stumbled across this web page and found photographs of my relatives I’ve never seen before. Could you please email me any further information about the Uprights and any pictures.

    many thanks.

    Roger Upright.Seaton Devon.

     

    By Roger upright (26/07/2018)

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