Laidler, Ralph (1872-1952)
Early years
Ralph was born in 1872 at New Herrington, Co. Durham, to parents James and Ann Maria. James was a coal miner.
Ralph worked as a coal miner before entering the ministry.
Ministry
His obituary records that in all his circuits, Ralph left a worthy record and a gracious memory. A shrewd judge of character and wise in the handling of men, gifted also with sound business aptitude, he was destined to take a full share in District administration. For some years, before union, he served with devotion and efficiency as District Secretary, and held other offices, but the preacher and pastor were never lost in the administrator. It was in the spoken utterance that his power was realised. His fine address, his clear incisive speech, his devout deportment and forceful appeal made him the effective medium in cultured evangelism. He was an inveterate optimist; at the age of seventy he had all the idealism of thirty. Possessed of a rich fund of humour, he allowed it full play in the social circle, but his strokes were always tempered by deft kindly touches that left no rankling feelings.
On retirement to Middlesbrough, he was an active supernumerary for five years, and for a still longer period he served and lived among the people to whom he had endeared himself.
Family
Ralph married Louisa (b abt 1873) at the end of his ministerial probation. Census returns identify one child.
Lorna (1903-1976) – married John M Blenkin in 1928
Ralph died on 6 January 1952.
Circuits
- Hartley
- 1896 Whitehaven
- 1900 Sheffield II
- 1903 Mexborough
- 1906 N Shields
- 1911 St Helens Auckland
- 1918 Bishop Auckland
- 1924 Shildon
- 1929 Hartlepool
- 1934 Stockton
- 1937 Middlesbrough (S)
References
Methodist Minutes 1952/136
W Leary, Directory of Primitive Methodist Ministers and their Circuits, 1990
Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers
Note: I have been unable to find marriage and death records for Ralph in the England and Wales Marriage and Death Registers. Can anyone point me in the right direction?
Comments about this page
In reference to the note from the author, Geoff Dickinson.
Ralph Laidler was born on 10 May 1872 in New Herrington or Newbottle, Houghton-le-Spring, Co Durham. The date was taken from the 1939 register with birthplace Newbottle being mentioned in census records.
Ralph apparently married Louisa McCutcheon (born 1872 in Washington, Co Durham) around 1900, just prior to the 1901 census. As you stated, they had one child, Lorna who was born in an area of Sheffield in early 1903. The maiden name of Louisa came from a birth record for Lorna, that stated the mothers name. The 1911 census states that Ralph and Louisa had been married 10 years and had only one child at this time. Louisa however, died in 1917 and registered at Auckland, aged 46. Louisa’s parents were William Henry McCutcheon and Ann Temple.
By the 1921 census, Ralph had remarried to Annie Jane Mein who was born 15 August 1885 in Howden-le-Wear, Co Durham. Hamsterley was also mentioned as a birthplace in census records, and is located not far from Howden-le-Wear, with both being within the Bishop Auckland area. The couple were married in early 1921, registered in Auckland, just prior to the census of that year. Annie was recorded as an assistant teacher in the 1901 census, but had no recorded occupation for the 1911 census.
The couple had one son called Henry J Laidler born 12 September 1922 in Auckland district, with the birth registration confirming Annie’s maiden name, Mein. Birth dates were from the 1939 register. Annie Jane’s parents were Henry Johnson Mein and Annie Collier.
Additionally, Ralph Laidler was the minister for Henry Pringle’s second marriage, to Jane Ann Clark (nee Laidlaw) on 18 October 1909 at the Primitive Methodist Church on John Street, in Cullercoates, Tynemouth. I hope some of this information is useful, as some records do appear to be missing.
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