Foizey, Edward (1796-1870)

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Primitive Methodist Magazine 1850

Edward was born in 1796 at Wellington, Shropshire.

Ministry

Edward was converted at Ragfield, Shropshire. He became a local preacher in 1823. He is a recognised pioneer of the work in North Wiltshire, where he and his colleagues suffered many persecutions in their work. He was particularly roughly treated at Malmesbury.

In or about the year 1831, during the superintendency of Edward Foizey, the last two societies that had clung to James Crawfoot and held aloof from Primitive Methodism, sought union with the Ramsor Circuit. The societies were at Waterfall and Caldon, and their co-lay-pastors were Thomas Mottram and Joseph Bratt. The event, interesting in itself as the healing of a breach, is still more so, because it gave to the Connexion Thomas Mottram, no ordinary man.

In Chippenham, Edward’s ministry was highly esteemed and very successful. Four chapels were built in his time in that circuit.

His obituary records that he was a good preacher, plain, practical and faithful. His discourses where characterised by originality, logical acumen and sparkling wit. Edward was a zealous and able advocate for the temperance movement. He wrote a number of hymns in the PM hymnbook.

Edward took the unusual step of ‘retiring’ rather than superannuating. The 1861 census records him as a grocer and local preacher.

Family

Edward married Sarah Attwood (1829-1895) in 1850 at Frome, Somerset. Records identify three children.

• Edward Attwood (1853-1876) – a printer compositor
• Rosa (1856-1856)
• Ellen (1863-1865)

In retirement Edward ran a grocery business with his wife.

Edward died on 7 January 1870 at Frome, Somerset.

Circuits

• 1825 Burland
• 1826 Shrewsbury
• 1827 Brinkworth
• 1828 Burland
• 1829 Ramsor
• 1831 Bath
• 1835 Salisbury
• 1837 Stroud
• 1839 Chippenham
• 1842 Aylesbury
• 1844 St Ives
• 1846 Frome
• 1847 Oxford
• 1848 Chippenham
• 1850 Bristol
• 1852 retired

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1831/291; 1850/257 (portrait); 1870/609

H B Kendall, Origin and History of the PM Church, vol 1, p538

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers