Brewer, Herbert George (1896-1974)

Transcription of obituary published in the Minutes of Conference

HERBERT GEORGE BREWER: born at Meadvale, Surrey, in 1896. He offered for the Primitive Methodist Ministry in 1920. After a year in the Isle of Wight, he studied at Hartley College. He then spent two years in the King’s Lynn Circuit before going to Eastern Nigeria where, with the help of his wife, he gave devoted service for twenty-two years. He was greatly loved and respected by the Ibo people, and became an expert in their language. He began with pioneer work in the Agbani Circuit, and later was appointed to Umuahia, where he had charge of a large wholesale book-store in addition to a circuit of some forty churches. He was, for a time, acting chairman of the district. On returning to this country, he was stationed in the Burton-on-Trent (Station Street), Wrexham and Winsford circuits. 

He became a supernumerary in 1963, returning to Wrexham, where he preached twice on almost every Sunday until his death. He was a man of deep humility and sensitivity, and his fine work as a pastor sprang from his love of people and his respect for personality. He was a keen gardener, loving the countryside and all growing things. He applied his gardener’s sense to his pastoral work, and laboured with great patience to nurture the life of the spirit in the souls entrusted to his care. He had a very special concern for the training of local preachers and leaders. He died on 8th February, 1974 in the seventy-ninth year of his age and the fifty-fourth year of his ministry.

Family

Herbert was born in 1896 at Meadvale, Surrey, to parents George Brewer, a cowman, and Selina Allingham.

The 1911 census return records him has a milk lad and his WW1 service record in 1916 describes his occupation as gardener.

Herbert married Alice Julia Curtis Parker (1895-1986).

Herbert died on 8 February 1974 at Wrexham.

Circuits

  • 1920 Newport & Cowes
  • 1921 Hartley
  • 1923 Lynn
  • 1925 Mission House
  • 1926 E Nigeria
  • 1947 Burton Station Rd
  • 1951 Wrexham Poy St
  • 1954 Wrexham
  • 1959 Winsford
  • 1963 Wrexham (Sup)

References

Methodist Minutes 1974/132

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers

No Comments

Start the ball rolling by posting a comment on this page!

Add a comment about this page

Your email address will not be published.