Wiseman, Sarah (nee Pritchard) (1823-1908)

Transcription of obituary published in the Primitive Methodist Magazine by James Tristram

Sarah Wiseman, the oldest and one of the most respected members of the Primitive Methodist Church, Newport, Salop, died on Sunday, March 15th, 1908, aged eighty-five years. The daughter of Mr. Thomas Pritchard, schoolmaster at Standford Bridge, a very acceptable local preacher, she was married to Mr. Thomas Wiseman on February 25th, 1855. While yet a girl, she was converted under the preaching of the early pioneers of the Primitive Methodist Church, and remained a devout and faithful member over seventy years. 

Throwing her whole heart and soul into religious work, she became a living stone in the temple. The vitality which our Newport Society now possesses it owes to the example she set, to the consistency of her life, to her devotion to the work, and to the self-denial she practised, for she was the last of the links between that church as it is to-day and as it was when the pioneers laboured in the face of opposition, persecution and ridicule. She was almost the mainstay of the old chapel in Stafford Road. That chapel was at one time deeply in debt, and for fifteen years she devoted her wages to paying the interest on the mortgage so as to prevent the place from being sold.

Such self-denial was nothing short of being apostolic. She was a successful class-leader and something more, she founded the Primitive Methodist Sunday School in Newport, and for some time that institution had its local habitation in her house.

The remains of the deceased were interred at the cemetery on Thursday, March 18th. The funeral cortege was headed by the children of the Sunday School and many members of the Society.

The burial service, conducted by Rev. J. Tristram, assisted by Rev. J. Sidebottom, was held in our own chapel, where there was a large congregation. Representatives of the Silvester family, from whose home the deceased was married fifty-three years ago, attended. Mr. Clifford Grail officiated at the organ.

Many beautiful floral wreaths were sent by friends. 

Family

Sarah was born abt 1823 at Chetwynd, Shropshire.

She married Thomas Wiseman (abt1829-1887), a provision dealer (1871), on 27 February 1855 at Newport, Shropshire. Census returns identify four children.

  • Robert Frederick (1857-1899) – a jewellers traveller (1881)
  • John Thomas (1859-1861)
  • Thomas James (abt1862-1934) – a draper’s assistant (1881); a machinery erector (1911)
  • Joseph Benjamin (b1865) – a carpenter and joiner (1901); a master builder (1911)

Sarah continued as a grocer and provision dealer after the death of her husband.

Sarah died on 15 March 1908 at Newport, Shropshire.

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1908/494

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers

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