Hodson, Joseph John M.A. (1878-1937)

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1929
Primitive Methodist Magazine 1929

Early years

Joseph was born on 13 October 1878 at Fishlake, near Doncaster, Yorkshire, to parents Joseph John and Rose Ann. His father served in the PM ministry for three years, when rheumatic fever, contracted through sleeping in a damp bed, caused his retirement. Joseph, senior, later worked as a farmer.

His grandmother was Harriet Hodson, a noted evangelist in the early days of the PM Church, who along with George Lamb, missioned South Yorkshire and parts of Lincolnshire.

Joseph was led into the Church by the influence of Rev James Keightley. He became a local preacher while quite young. Joseph was educated at Thorne Grammar School and then attended Durham University where he graduated in Arts. Through the instrumentality of Rev John Wilson, Joseph gave himself to the ministry and went to Hartley College.

Ministry

Some of Joseph’s best work was done during the war years, when he exerted a fine influence amongst the soldiers stationed at Prees Green.

His obituary records that Joseph was essentially a scholar being endowed with high critical faculties. He made it a daily habit to translate afresh some part of the original text, and studied the Word with loving persistence. This had a profound influence on his sermons, and he revealed a genius for the development of pulpit messages, his exegesis being always interesting and sometimes brilliant. For many years he was an examiner of Candidates and Probationers.

Family

Joseph married Alice Grantham (1879-1962) on 13 September 1905 at St John’s Wesleyan Chapel, Langworthy Road, Weaste, Salford, Lancashire. Census returns and birth records identify six children.

  • Alice Marjorie Josephine (1906-1996) – married John F Scott in 1933
  • Kathleen Joan (1908-1985) – married Frederick Sydney Cole in 1935
  • Roma Augusta (1909-1928)
  • Joseph John (1912-1983) – a dentist (1937); later Professor of Oral Pathology, Sheffield University
  • Eric Alfred (1914-1989) – schoolmaster (1962)
  • Enid Rosemary M (1918-2006)

Joseph died on 27 January 1937 at Halesowen, Worcestershire.

Circuits

  • Hartley
  • 1901 Eastbourne
  • 1903 Pembroke Dock
  • 1905 Hasbury & Hales
  • 1906 Birmingham V
  • 1908 Bristol V
  • 1909 Rhondda
  • 1913 Yeovil
  • 1916 Prees Green
  • 1920 Hull IV
  • 1922 Driffield
  • 1926 Patrington
  • 1929 Ripon
  • 1932 Hasbury & Hales
  • 1935 Birmingham (S)

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1920/386; 1929/436

Methodist Minutes 1937/197

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers

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