Dunham, Charles (1848-1942)

Transcription of obituary published in the Minutes of Conference

CHARLES DUNHAM: born at Barton-le-Cley in 1848. He entered the Primitive Methodist Ministry in 1876. His work often lay in wide country circuits. His great joy was in preaching the Gospel, and in his early days he sang it too. He made a special study of John Bunyan, and was very happy when lecturing or talking of his hero.

In 1911 he came to Stroud, and three years later became a Supernumerary, but continued to preach up till within a month of his death. On December 23, 1942, in the ninety-fifth year of his life and the sixty-seventh of his ministry, he left his sword to him who should succeed him and, carrying his marks and scars with him, went to Him who is now his Rewarder.

Family

Charles was born in 1848 at Barton in the Clay, Bedfordshire, to parents George, a shoemaker, and Mary. He was baptised on 10 March 1849 at the Wesleyan Chapel, Luton, Bedfordshire.

Charles also worked as a bootmaker before entering the ministry.

He married Lucy Jane Pedder (1860-1847) in the spring of 1881 at Reigate, Surrey. Census returns identify seven children.

Ernest Pedder (1882-1974) – an estate clerk (1911); an estate agent (1939)
Emmiline Mary (1884-1961) – a counter clerk and telegraphist (1911)
Harold Charles (1886-1988) – died at Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Oscar William (1888-1980) – a private secretary (1911); a commission agent (1929); died in Vancouver, Canada
Kathleen Hilda (1891-1979) – married Sampson E Allsop, a shop manager for pharmaceutical chemist (1939), in 1925
Eleanor Annie (1897-1983) – a school teacher (1939)
Nesta Lucie (1899-1973) – married Donald P Davies in 1926

Charles died on 23 December 1942 at Stroud, Gloucestershire.