Humphris, Thomas (1850-1929)
Early years
Thomas was born on 21 December 1850 at King’s Sutton, Northamptonshire, to parents George and Joanna. George was a sawyer. Both parents were Primitive Methodist members.
Thomas was converted at fourteen and was a preacher within twelve months.
The death of George when Thomas was nineteen left him with the responsibility for the support of a family of twelve, of whom he was the eldest. This for a time seemed to block the way to his acceptance of a call to the ministry, but the way opened up a few years later by the re-marriage of his mother.
Ministry
Thomas superintended the building of the High Town Church at Luton and the Richmond Rd Church during his third term at Kingston.
Thomas was a gifted speaker, having a clear and ringing voice, and a bright and racy style. He had the power of setting up some subtle connection between the pulpit and the pew, and held his audience entranced, until he had infused into them some of the passion that filled his own soul.
At Bristol, Thomas became District Sunday School Secretary, President of the Bristol East C.E. Union and later the first President of the Bristol and District Federation of C.E. Unions.
Family
John married Sarah Ann Williams Penhorwood (1854-1926) in the summer of 1877 at Bideford, Devon. At the time of their meeting, Annie was the organist in the Wesleyan Church. Census returns identify three children.
- Emily Augusta P (1880-1884)
- Wallace Percy Alexander (1881-1964) – a PM minister 1904-9; emigrated to USA in 1909
- Emily Florence Penhorwood (1886-1960) – a teacher of music (1911); married Brian Alford Butt
John died on 25 February 1929 at Kingston upon Thames, Surrey.
Circuits
- 1873 Kingston
- 1874 Exeter
- 1877 Wishaw
- 1879 Truro
- 1881 Stroud
- 1882 Bath II
- 1885 Portsmouth
- 1886 Stepney Green
- 1888 Richmond
- 1892 Kingston
- 1895 Luton I
- 1899 Bristol III
- 1905 Bath
- 1908 Abertillery
- 1912 Kingston
- 1917 Kingston (S)
References
Primitive Methodist Magazine 1909/507; 1929/616
PM Minutes 1929/270
W Leary , Directory of Primitive Methodist Ministers and their Circuits , 1990
Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers
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