Hodgson, George Thomas (1893-1975)
Transcription of obituary published in the Minutes of Conference
George Thomas Hodgson: born in Brotherton, near Castleford, on 30th July 1893. He joined the Methodist Church when his parents moved to Castleford and served in the Army during the First World War, most of his time being with the Royal Engineers. He offered himself for the Primitive Methodist ministry after the war and, following a pre-collegiate year in the Appleby Circuit, was trained at Hartley College in the time of Dr. Peake.
After one year in Lowestoft and one in Melton Mowbray he went to Nigeria for a five-year term. The demanding style of missionary activity in those days left him with a deep and life-long concern for the overseas work of the Church. He returned to Britain in 1930 and then served in the following circuits: South Wales Mission, Rhondda (Ely Valley), Dawley and Madeley, Stour Valley Mission, Skegness and Wainfleet, Andover, Orrell, Shildon (Church Street), Mansfield (Central) and Stoke-on-Trent (Burslem, Clowes).
Two high points of his circuit ministry deserve special mention. In 1941 he went to Skegness and immediately became involved in part-time chaplaincy work with all three branches of the armed forces. This became a fruitful aspect of his ministry which he was able to continue when he moved to Andover after the war. Many look back with gratitude to those days in uniform when they shared his friendship and understanding. As a climax to his ministry he moved to Burslem in 1957 and with characteristic determination set himself to the provision of a new building to house the Hamil Road society. Largely due to his drive and persistence the new church was opened on 27th June 1959.
In all his circuits he was a faithful pastor, a good organiser and an earnest, well-prepared, preacher. He was a big man, both in stature and disposition. Sometimes blunt in expressing himself he could also deal tenderly with pastoral needs and to many he was a true friend. His wife shared fully in his various patterns of ministry right from the early days in Nigeria and in April 1975 they celebrated their golden wedding. On retirement they moved to the Sandbach and Alsager Circuit but illness soon prevented him from sharing in active church life. He was taken seriously ill in September and nursed for seven weeks by his family. He died on 24th October 1975 in the eighty-third year of his age and the fifty-fourth year of his ministry.
Family
George was born on 30 July 1893 at Brotherton, Yorkshire, to parents William, a colliery plate layer (1911), and Edna. he was baptised on 23 August 1893 in the Pontefract Circuit.
Before entering the ministry, George was a cabinet maker.
He married Helen Doreen Clements (1895-1981) on 21 April 1925 at Prospect Place PM Chapel, Swindon, Wiltshire. Birth records identify two children.
- Margaret Doreen (1928-2003)
- Janet E (b abt1934)
George died on 24 October 1975 at Church Lawton, Cheshire.
Circuits
- 1920 Appleby
- 1921 Hartley
- 1923 Lowestoft
- 1924 Melton & Oakham
- 1925 Nigeria
- 1930 S Wales Mission
- 1934 Dawley & Madeley
- 1938 Stour Valley Mission
- 1941 Skegness &c
- 1945 Andover
- 1948 Morrell
- 1952 Sheldon Church St
- 1954 Mansfield Cent
- 1957 Stoke, Burslem Cl
- 1962 Tunstall (Sup)
References
Methodist Minutes 1976/74
W Leary, Directory of Primitive Methodist Ministers and their Circuits, 1990
Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers
Note: Several artefacts relating to his time in Nigeria can be viewed at the Englesea Brook Chapel and Museum of Primitive Methodism including the wedding dress of Mrs Hodgson.
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