Rose, Richard (1876-1968)

Transcription of obituary published in the Minutes of Conference

RICHARD ROSE: born in Abercarn, Monmouthshire, in 1876. He served for some years as a ‘Hired Local Preacher’ before acceptance for the Primitive Methodist Ministry. After two years at Hartley College he travelled in the following circuits: Grassington, Abergavenny, Peaton Strand, Knighton, Nottingham V, Lydney, Warrington, Bradford III, Minsterley, Dawley and Madeley, Lydney (second term), Wolverhampton (I and Lord Street), Bradfield, Birmingham (Regent Street), Bromsgrove (Birmingham Road), and Rhymney Valley. Not content with so long a service, he became an Active Supernumerary at Romford for ten years, retiring finally to Bromsgrove where he had previously ministered. 

His ministry was marked by his pastoral care and leadership. His frequent visits to the homes of his people were characterized by informality, friendliness, and homeliness, his humour putting young and old at ease. His caring and interest in people was shown in his retentive memory for personal details concerning them. Although Methodism was his life, he was well known outside the Church, and in Birmingham and Bromsgrove he was a keen member of Rotary, where his ease in conversation, his fund of humorous anecdotes and his ready speech was much appreciated by his fellow members. He was very proud that his two sons both became ministers. 

He died on 27 November 1968, in the ninety-third year of his age and the sixty-fifth of his ministry.

Family

Richard was born on 2 October 1876 at Abercarn, Monmouthshire, to parents William Rose, a coal miner (1891), and Mary Ann Richards.

He married Edith Maud Kemp (1880-1909) in the summer of 1908 in the West Ham Registration District.

He married Constance Mary Clee (1884-1973) in the summer of 1910 at Knighton, Radnorshire. Birth records identify two children.

• John Ashley (1911-1989) – a minister
• Glyn Clee (1916-2002) – a secondary school assistant master (1939); later a minister

Richard died on 27 November 1968 at Bromsgrove, Worcestershire.

Circuits

• Hartley
• 1904 Grassington
• 1907 Abergavenny
• 1908 Keaton Strand
• 1909 Knighton
• 1912 Nottingham V
• 1914 Lydney
• 1917 Warrington
• 1918 Bradford III
• 1922 Minsterley
• 1925 Cawley
• 1929 Lydney
• 1931 Wolverhampton I
• 1934 Bradfield
• 1936 Birmingham Regent
• 1940 Bromsgrove Birm Rd
• 1945 Rhymney Valley
• 1948 Romford (Sup)

References

Methodist  Minutes 1969/193

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers