Emmett, George (1873-1959)

Transcription of obituary published in the Minutes of Conference

GEORGE EMMETT: born in 1873. He was accepted for the Primitive Methodist Ministry and after being trained at Hartley College he began his ministry in 1901. He served with considerable distinction in Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Stalybridge, Northwich, Stoke-on-Trent, Oldham, Walkden, Chorley, and Wigan. When he retired from the active work in 1938 he moved to Harrogate, where he was happy to continue preaching in that and neighbouring circuits. 

He possessed great business ability, sound judgement, and powers of leadership, which he consecrated to the service of his Church. He read widely and brought to his preaching a wealth of knowledge gained from his books, his insight into human nature, and his deep spiritual life. He had a great sense of humour which often lit up both his conversation and his sermons. As a preacher he was outstanding, and with great eloquence he expounded the Scriptures and related them to the present-day needs of his congregation. He took a lively interest in Church affairs right to the end. He died quite suddenly on 30 November 1959, in the eighty-sixth year of his age and the fifty-ninth of his ministry.

Family

George was born on 28 August 1873 at Burnley, Lancashire, to parents Leonard, a labourer in cotton mill (1881), and Nancy.

Before entering the ministry George worked as a cotton weaver.

He married Edith Windle (1875-1964) in late 1896 at Burnley, Lancashire. Census returns identify three children.

• Harold Edmund (1898-1939) – served in Royal Navy in WW1; a surgeon
• Doris (1904-1993) – married Laurence Cooke, a railway clerk (1939), in 1932
• Elsie (b1904)

George died on 30 November 1959 at Harrogate, Yorkshire.

Circuits

• Hartley
• 1901 Manchester IX
• 1902 Newcastle III
• 1907 Stalybridge
• 1912 Northwich
• 1918 Stoke & Longton
• 1920 Oldham III
• 1925 Walkden
• 1931 Chorley
• 1936 Wigan Station Rd
• 1938 Harrogate (S)

References

Methodist Minutes 1960/187

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers