Bellingham, John Parry (1826-1909)

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1878

Early years

John was born in 1826 at Bickley, Cheshire to parents John and Mary. His father was the village schoolmaster and also a land surveyor.

In his early days, John was a regular attender of Church of England services and was confirmed by the Bishop of Chester. He was brought into the Primitive Methodists through attending a camp-meeting. He served as a local preacher for 5 years before becoming itinerant.

John had served a seven-year apprenticeship with his grandfather, a shoeing smith and veterinary surgeon. He declined a call to the ministry just as he was about to take over the business. A second call came before the transfer was completed which he accepted.

Ministry

John’s obituary records that it was largely owing to the diligence with which he applied himself to study in his early days that he became such a popular preacher and platform orator. On two occasions, John addressed the May Missionary Meetings held in London and on two other occasions addressed Missionary Meetings held in the Free Trade Hall at Manchester.

During his active ministry, John superintended the erection of eight chapels and two schools.

John was a Deed Poll Member of Conference.

A lover of nature from childhood, John was elected a member of Cardiff Naturalist Society. He wrote articles on Natural History, with his own illustrations, which ran in the PM magazine over two and a half years.

Family

John married Rebecca Jane Paul Bosence (1835-1898) in the spring of 1857 at Penzance, Cornwall. Census returns identify nine children.

  • Annie (b1858)
  • Mary (1859-1939)
  • Benjamin John (b1861)
  • Walter (abt1865-1941) – a jeweller
  • Frank Collyer (b1867)
  • Rebecca J (1870-1871)
  • Henry P (1873-1919)
  • Sydney (1875-1943) – ledger-keeper in ironworks in 1911
  • Ellen Louise (b1877) – married William Henry Dascombe, a grocer, and emigrated to USA

John died on 12 September 1909 at Cardiff, Glamorgan

Circuits

  • 1852 Newtown & Welshpool
  • 1853 Bridgewater & Glastonbury
  • 1854 St Ives
  • 1855 Pillowell
  • 1857 Abergavenny
  • 1858 Stroud
  • 1859 Bath
  • 1862 Swansea
  • 1864 Redruth
  • 1868 Hereford
  • 1871 Tredegar
  • 1874 Pontypool
  • 1878 Cardiff
  • 1883 Newport, Mon
  • 1884 Sheffield lll
  • 1887 Grimsby l
  • 1891 Cardiff ll (S)

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1878 (portrait)

PM Minutes 1910/16

H B Kendall, Origin and History of the PM Church, vol 2, p309

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers

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