Parkin, Samuel (1827-1897)

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Primitive Methodist Magazine 1878

Early years

Samuel was born on 5 March 1827 at Derby, Derbyshire. As a child, his parents moved to Ripley, where Samuel stayed until he was 22. Samuel’s parents became Primitive Methodists at Ripley and opened their house for regular preaching services.

Samuel had little or no schooling. At the age of 7, he was sent to work in a brickfield where he carried clay for the brick makers. Samuel was converted early in his life. He became a local preacher and laboured abundantly in the villages around where he lived. His labours were so acceptable that he received a call to ministry in 1850 from the Belper circuit.

Ministry

Samuel was deeply influenced in his appointment to Mansfield in 1851 by Samuel Antliff, his superintendent, and Joshua Rouse. These friendships deepened Samuel’s search for knowledge. His faovourite branches of study were metaphysics, the languages and Christian theology. He became proficient in Latin, Greek and Hebrew, and could read the bible in French and German.

Samuel was Secretary of the Preachers Friendly Society and also Secretary of the Candidates Examining Committee.

Soon after going to Lincoln, Samuel and his children were all down with typhoid fever. It was during that time that his wife, Maria, died. Two of his sons became local preachers.

His obituary records that as a preacher he was plain, concise, and serious. His sermons were fine productions. He excelled in expository preaching and did preach Christ crucified.

Family

Samuel married Maria Whysall (1825-1869) in the spring of 1855 at Old King St Chapel, Salford, Lancashire. James Macpherson officiated. Census returns identify six children.

• Ada (b1856) – married Robert Jackson, a clerk
• Thomas Cresswell (1858-1935) – a chartered accountant
• Annie Isabella (1860-1933) – married John Barrett Bolton, army sergeant, later tester at iron works
• Charles Samuel (1862-1919) – a cashier
• Arthur Joseph (b1864) – a surveyors clerk in 1891
• Adela Maria (b1865) – married Cornelius John Foster Parks; emigrated to Australia in 1887.

Samuel married Rebecca Merrin (a close friend of Maria) in 1870 at Nottingham, Nottinghamshire.

Samuel died on 18 July 1897 at Sheffield, Yorkshire.

Circuits

• 1851 Mansfield
• 1853 Barrowash
• 1854 Oxton
• 1856 Nottingham l
• 1858 Uttoxeter
• 1860 Donnington
• 1862 Leicester ll
• 1863 Bottesford
• 1865 Sleaford
• 1869 Lincoln
• 1871 Boston
• 1872 Sheffield l
• 1875 Sheffield lV
• 1877 Belper
• 1880 Portsmouth
• 1881 Jersey
• 1882 Baldock
• 1883 Sheffield lV (S)
• 1884 Plumstead
• 1885 Barton on Humber
• 1887 Guernsey
• 1889 Dartford
• 1890 Sheffield V

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1871/550 (Maria); 1878 (portrait); 1898/67

PM Minutes 1898/18

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers