Middlemiss, John William (1866-1927)

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1922
Primitive Methodist Magazine 1922

Early years

John was born in 1866 at Coxhoe, Co Durham, to parents James and Mary Ann. James was a miner. John’s maternal great uncle was Rev J Clarke, a Baptist minister, who first took the gospel to Fernando Po. His mother’s brother was Rev M Clarke, a missionary to Australia.

John is described as a mason’s labourer in the 1881 census.

John was converted at the age of eight. When he was thirteen, he joined a class, and definitely allied himself with the Church. At seventeen, John was a class leader and a year later a local preacher.

Ministry

All John’s circuits were ‘wide’, involving long journeys and hard work, but his natural cheerfulness and sagacity, his stout heart, sane leadership and wise counsel helped him over the difficulties.

His own home was often shadowed by sickness and death took from him four boys, but his faith never faltered, his hope did not fail.

In the Hull District, John held the Offices of Treasurer and Secretary of the Orphanage Committee, and, at the time of his death, he was Secretary of the Equalisation Fund in the Sheffield District.

Family

John married Ann Elizabeth Maw (b1871) in the spring of 1896 at Malton, Yorkshire. Census returns identify three of five children.

  • John William (1897-1903)
  • James Arthur (1899-1905)
  • Ina Mary (1909-1986) – married Harry Pinder in 1934

John died on 25 April 1927 at Sheffield, Yorkshire.

Circuits

  • Hartley
  • 1892 Malton
  • 1896 Helmsley
  • 1899 Scotter
  • 1903 Driffield
  • 1906 Cockfield
  • 1911 Stokesley
  • 1916 Driffield
  • 1921 Doncaster
  • 1925 Sheffield VI

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1922/561; 1928/183

PM Minutes 1927/263

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers

No Comments

Start the ball rolling by posting a comment on this page!

Add a comment about this page

Your email address will not be published.