Bache, William Benjamin (1847-1929)

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1912
Primitive Methodist Magazine 1912

Early years

William was born in 1847 at Great Bridge, Staffordshire.

William joined the church when seventeen years old. Nine months after his conversion, his name was put on the preachers’ plan. In early 1870, William emigrated to America, and he was engaged as assistant to Rev G Parker, of Stubenville, Ohio. In the following year, William was accepted for the work of the ministry by the Primitive Methodist Conference of Pennsylvania.

Ministry

Whilst in America, William was stationed at Plymouth, Girardville and Hazelton. Whilst the work prospered, increases in numbers on each circuit, churches built and new missions opened, William had his domestic trials. Two children died and his wife’s health failed and she was advised to return to England. Dr S Antliff, in America on a visit, encouraged William to accept service under the PM Missionary Committee in the UK.

In the pulpit, William had an arresting style of address. He was a genial optimist, and used his rare gift of brightening up a service to good purpose. His method of expounding a passage was peculiarly his own, conversational, purposeful, experimental, practical and with illustrations from every day life.

His obituary records that William had powers of organisation and administration far above the average and he was often ‘called in’ by the Missionary Committee to take up work in centres where the PM Church had lost its first grip.

William lost his voice and had to superannuate in 1908. After three years rest he was able to resume active work at Burslem.

Family

William married Sarah Ann (1850-1892). Census returns identify one child.

  • Sarah Ann (b abt1874) – married Robert James Mayer, a butcher

William married Sarah Mayer (1849-1929) in early 1894 at Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire.

William died on 12 March 1929 at Newcastle under Lyme.

Circuits

  • 1870-7 in America
  • 1878 St Neots
  • 1880 Chichester
  • 1882 Newark
  • 1884 Hoxton
  • 1887 Tunbridge Wells
  • 1891 Newcastle under Lyme
  • 1895 Harwich
  • 1899 Church Gresley
  • 1902 Burton on Trent
  • 1905 Dudley
  • 1908 Newcastle under Lyme (S)
  • 1911 Burslem (Ac)
  • 1913 St Neots (S)

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1912/842; 1929/495; 1930/60 (Sarah)

PM Minutes 1929/255

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers

 

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