Waite, John (1834-1886)
Early years
John was born on 2 June 1834 at Leeds, Yorkshire.
John attended Rehoboth PM Sunday School in Leeds as a child. He was converted through the efforts of his Sunday School teacher, Mrs G W Armitage (who later became Mrs Parrott). He soon became a Sunday School teacher himself.
John became a local preacher quite young and was recommended for ministry aged 20 by Rev. Charles Smith.
Ministry
His obituary records that John was a hard working, industrious minister, and made the most of his gifts and opportunities.
He was never a strong man physically and suffered attacks of asthma. Nevertheless he rarely missed an appointment. He very carefully prepared his sermons and was attentive to the business of his station.
As a man, Mr Waite was kindly in his disposition, though at times he was stern and could be very severe when denouncing duplicity or cant. Manly and outspoken himself, he hated duplicity in others and denounced it in no measured language. His outspokenness might sometimes give offence, but more commonly it won the confidence of the people and procured their respect.
Family
John married Mary Allen (b 1836) in 1859 at Leeds, Yorkshire. Census returns identify four children.
- John Allen (b1864) – a drapers apprentice in 1881, emigrated to Canada in 1884 and farmed.
- Albert J (1866) – a book-keeper (1901)
- Arthur Stanhope (b1870)
- Lilian (b1872) – an embroiderer (1901)
John died on 8 August 1886 at Stanley, Co Durham. Following his death, John’s widow and family moved to Toronto, Canada to live with his eldest son.
Circuits
- 1855 Berwick
- 1856 Whitehaven
- 1858 Allendale
- 1860 Sunderland
- 1863 Thornley
- 1867 Kendal
- 1869 Westgate
- 1870 Blyth
- 1873 Crook
- 1876 Middlesborough
- 1879 Penrith
- 1881 Darlington
- 1884 Stanley
References
Primitive Methodist Magazine 1884 (portrait); 1887/370
W Leary, Directory of Primitive Methodist Ministers and their Circuits, 1990
Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers
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