Nock, Joseph (1844-1891)

Ministry

A transcription of the obituary published in the Primitive Methodist Magazine by W Wardle is attached. Wardle sums Joseph up as follows.

“ Brother Nock was a saintly man. From his reading and reflecting on the memorials of Miss Havergal commenced a new era in his spiritual life, it led to a valuable correspondence with the Havergal family; it led also to a more experimental and practical ministry. He was transparently honest; rarely men questioned his prudence, but never his integrity of purpose. He was a Primitive Methodist minister to all intents and purposes, believing with all his heart both in its doctrine and discipline. The Connexion had done so much for him through its agency; he had been raised (using his own words) from the lowest social conditions to the highest positions a mortal man can occupy.”

Family

Joseph was born abt 1844 at Tipton, West Bromwich, Staffordshire. I have not been able to unambiguously identify his parents in online records.

He married Mary Godwin (1844-1923) in the summer of 1871 at Shrewsbury, Shropshire. Census returns identify five children.     

• Frederick Joseph (b1872) -a drug chemist (1901)
• William Henry (1873-1961) – a grocer’s assistant (1891); a grocer manager (1911)   
• Florence Mary (b1878) – a tailors (1901); married Watson Rayner, an organ builder (1911), in 1903     
• Nellie Louise (b1879)
• Annie (b1880) – a saleswoman in boot trade (1901); possibly married in 1903

Joseph died on 5 July 1891 at Leigh, Lancashire.

Circuits

• 1868 Darlaston
• 1869 Hay
• 1870 Shrewsbury
• 1871 Redditch
• 1872 Prees Green
• 1875 Oswestry
• 1876 Rhosymedre
• 1878 Nantwich
• 1881 Keighley II
• 1883 Winsford
• 1886 Bradley Green
• 1890 Leigh

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1893/690

PM Minutes 1892/12

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers