Potts, Arthur Russell (1895-1965)

Transcription of obituary published in the Minutes of Conference

ARTHUR RUSSELL POTTS: born at Little Hereford in the year 1895. He began preaching at an early date in the Ludlow Circuit. Before entering Hartley in 1923 for his training, Mr. Potts served as a pre-collegiate at Spalding and Ipswich.

He came from farming stock and in his youth gained the reputation of an excellent ploughman. He kept his interest in agriculture and served in many rural circuits. These were Guildford, Welshpool, Church Stretton, Brownhills, Brynmawr, Newbury (seven years), Hitchin, Sudbury, Bishop’s Castle and Clun, Upwell and Manea, and Rhosymedre and Chirk. He served two terms at Bishop’s Castle, nine years in all, and became much beloved of his people here as elsewhere. 

Mr. Potts was a humble and gentle man, persistent in his Lord’s service. He gave whole-hearted and unstinted service to the Church; a man who putting his hand to the plough never looked back. Indeed it may be said his ministry was as a clean straight furrow with no deviations from his high calling. He was a faithful preacher, and in his pastoral work he identified himself with his people, rejoicing with those who rejoiced and a comfort to the sorrowful. He had wide social interests and served frequently as mayor’s chaplain, hospital chaplain and chaplain of the British Legion. There are many who thank God for this steadfast and faithful minister. 

Owing to ill-health he became a supernumerary in September 1964, intending to settle at Bishop’s Castle. Unfortunately he never recovered and, after a long sickness borne with patience and hopefulness, he died peacefully at Shrewsbury on Sunday, 7 March 1965, at the age of sixty-nine and in the forty-second year of his ministry.

Family

Arthur was born on 16 November 1895 at Little Hereford, nr. Ludlow, Shropshire, to parents James Potts, a farmer, and Harriett Russell. He was baptised on 1 December 1895 in the Shropshire South (Ludlow) PM Circuit by Rev. Charles Smallman.

Before entering the ministry Arthur worked on the farm (1911).

He married Nellie Parsons (1900-1991) in the summer of 1927 at Holbeach, Lincolnshire. Birth records identify three children.

• Gwendolen Margaret (b1928)
• Rosemary (b1930)
• Dorothy O (b1834)

Arthur died on 7 March 1965 at Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

Circuits

• 1921 Spalding
• 1922 Ipswich
• 1923 Hartley
• 1925 Guildford
• 1927 Welshpool
• 1930 Church Stretton
• 1933 Brownhills
• 1934 Brynmawr
• 1937 Newbury
• 1944 Hitchin
• 1947 Sudbury
• 1950 Bishops Castle &c
• 1955 Upwell &c
• 1958 Bishops Castle &c
• 1962 Rhosymedre &c

References

Methodist Minutes 1965/199

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers