McCready, Thomas Allen (1835-1914)

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1900
Primitive Methodist Magazine 1914

Early years

Thomas was born 10 October 1835 at Rathfriland, County Down, Ireland. His father died when he was very young.

Thomas moved to Armagh when aged eleven to learn a trade. Here, he came under the influence of the Wesleyan Church and was converted when about fourteen. Thomas became a class leader and exhorter. He walked miles to tell his fellow countrymen of the grace divine they needed to know. When he was twenty-five, Thomas sought to improve himself by going to school. It was whilst he was at school that he came into contact with the Primitive Methodists. Rev Thomas Russell pressed him for three years before he consented to become a PM Minister.

Ministry

His obituary records that for thirty-seven years he served in the active ministry. He witnessed hundreds of conversions, built new churches at Ripon and Nuneaton, and raised hundreds of pounds for debt reduction and other schemes.

In doctrine, Thomas was a Methodist Evangelical. None could hear him preach without learning what he must do to be saved. His sermons were well thought out, and were intentionally filled with what he thought would convince the ungodly, and feed with the finest wheat the saints of God.

Family

Thomas married Susan Clark (1834-1900) in the summer of 1868 at Gloucester. Census returns identify two children.

  • Amy Bell (1869-1874)
  • Annie (1870-1951)

Thomas married Annie Laycock (1854-1937) on 1 November 1905 at Wellington Rd Chapel, Dewsbury, Yorkshire.

Thomas died on 14 February 1914 at Bridlington, Yorkshire.

Circuits

  • 1864 Aberdare
  • 1865 Pilowell
  • 1866 Chippenham
  • 1868 Redruth
  • 1870 Warminster
  • 1872 Huddersfield
  • 1874 Burnley
  • 1876 Helmsley
  • 1879 Ripon
  • 1881 Whitby
  • 1884 Peel
  • 1887 Leeds V
  • 1888 Castleford
  • 1891 Dewsbury
  • 1892 Chester II
  • 1895 Hinckley
  • 1899 Nelson
  • 1901 Nuneaton

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1900/323; 1914/492

PM Minutes 1914/35

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers

Comments about this page

  • Thomas McCready was the brother of my wife’s great grandfather, Francis C McCready, who emigrated to America and fought in the American Civil War. He rose to the rank of Captain. He too was a lifelong Methodist, as were his family.

    By Prof. Brian Sloan (17/11/2022)

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