Shropshire

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• Thank you Alison for pointing out the broken links to Delia Garratt’s thesis. I have replaced them with the current link. I’ve also made a comment which bears repeating here: the most secure links to any thesis are provide by the British Library’s Ethos service, which may be found at https://ethos.bl.uk/

  By Philip Thornborow (19/02/2021)

• Besford Wood and Paper Mill are covered in Moston Chapel entry. In a slightly different direction and whether there might be a connection or not, the following extract is from the Clive Methodist Chapel Centenary Booklet 1859-1959: “John Pye came to Hill Farm in 1916 and had been a keen worker at Moston Chapel in the Prees Green Circuit. Joining the Methodist Church at Clive, he was appointed Sunday School Superintendent in 1917, which office he held until 1950. He was sent as a delegate from the Shrewsbury District to the Leeds and Derby Conferences. One of his proudest possessions was an original plan of the Primitive Methodist Church in the Tunstall Circuit, dated 1812. He and his wife Hannah were devoted to Clive Chapel.” His family remained actively involved in the Clive Chapel until it closed in the 1960’s. Delia Garratt includes a copy of the 1874 Prees Green Circuit Preaching Plan in her PhD Thesis ‘Primitive Methodism in Shropshire 1820 – 1900’, Univ. Leicester, 2000, in her appendices. T. Pye, Besford Wood is listed as a preacher (supernumerary). This work is referenced under ‘Research Resources’ on this site, but neither of the links seem to be working. It might be possible to find it through another route. The Prees Green Circuit records are in Shropshire Archives.

  By Alison Shepherd (18/02/2021)

• Helen, thank you so much for your comment. I am intending to do some research into people, like your ancestor, who felt that being a Local Preacher was so important that they had to record it on the Census as well as their day job. In Thomas Pye’s case he only seems to have done so in 1861, which raises more questions. What you would need to do is look at the records of Besford Wood chapel (if they exist). They would be in Shropshire Archives. You are more likely to find information about his preaching career from the records of the Circuit. It looks like this would be Prees Green. Again, they would be in Shropshire Archives: you need to find the Preaching plans and records of the Local Preachers Meeting. There is a scan of an 1851 Preaching plan for Press Green on this site, and it reveals that in 1851 Thomas was a prayer leader. So he was clearly involved in the life of the church. That plan reveals that there were preaching places at Besford Wood and Paper Mill, so as he lived next door tat second place may be where he wrorshipped. Thanks again, and let’s hope you are able to find out more once we come out of lockdown.

  By Philip Thornborow (17/02/2021)

• Hi Philip, I have been doing some family history research and find that my great great grand dad may have been a preacher at the Besford Wood Chapel. He is listed as living next to the Paper Mill and as a Methodist Preacher on the Census of 1861. His name was Thomas Pye. If you have any more information, I would be delighted to find out. Thanks. Helen Owen (Nee Pye)

  By Helen Owen (12/02/2021)