Ratcliffe, Thomas (1808-1880)

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1858

Transcription of obituary published in the Minutes of Conference by H. Cooke

THOMAS RATCLIFFE began his mortal life on the 16th of December, 1809, at the small but pleasant village of Askwith, situate on the North side of Wharfedale, about three miles West of the town of Otley.

Although he owned himself greatly indebted to his maternal grandfather for his early religious impressions, yet he was not brought to the crisis of conversion till he sat under the ministry of that holy and devout man of God, the Rev. Atkinson Smith. This important event occurred at  the beginning of the year 1832, and in the year 1834 he entered upon the active duties of the itinerant ministry, which duties he continued to perform with varying success till the year 1867, when, by reason of bronchial affection and other infirmities, he was superannuated. 

A few months before his death he removed from Hull to Harrogate in the hope that he might derive some benefit from the mineral waters of the Iatter place; but from the time of his removal he gradually sank, until his spirit returned to God on the 11th of March, 1880, and his dust now sleeps in the beautiful little cemetery of the far-famed inland Yorkshire watering-place.

Family

Thomas was born on 16 December 1808 at Askwith, Yorkshire. His father was John Ratcliffe. He was baptised at Weston, Yorkshire on 15 January 1809.

He married Jane Brown (1810-1873) on 1 August 1851 in the Beverley Registration District, Yorkshire. They had one child.

  • Jane Elizabeth (1852-1864)

Thomas died on 11 March 1880 at Harrogate, Yorkshire.

Circuits

  • 1834 Hull
  • 1843 Brigg
  • 1843 Patrington
  • 1844 Hull
  • 1845 Tadcaster
  • 1847 Barton on Humber
  • 1849 Driffield
  • 1851 Hornsea
  • 1853 Pocklington
  • 1855 Market Rasen
  • 1857 Winterton
  • 1859 Epworth
  • 1862 Alford
  • 1865 Tadcaster
  • 1867 Hull II (S)
  • 1874 Hornsea

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1858 (portrait)

PM Minutes 1880/12

H B Kendall, Origin and History of the PM Church, vol 2, p75

J Petty, The History of the Primitive Methodist Connexion, 1880, p503

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers

Note: Thomas’ baptism record identifies he was born in 1808, not 1809 at stated in the obituary.

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