Stowe, Thomas (1830-1912)
Early years
Thomas was born on 11 June 1830 at Hadleigh, Suffolk to parents William and Hannah.
Thomas was educated in a British School in Hadleigh and received his early religious training at a Congregational Sunday School. He was converted among the Wesleyans in 1850 at Manningtree, Essex, became a Sunday School teacher and soon a local preacher. In 1851 Thomas was working as a fishmonger.
In 1854 Thomas moved back to Hadleigh and joined the Primitive Methodists. He was recommended for the ministry and pledged by the Norwich circuit.
Ministry
Home missions chapels were built at Kelsab, Catceth, Rudgway and Alveston during his superintendencies.
His obituary records that he was a hard worker, careful in detail, and very conscientious and painstaking. He carefully prepared his sermons. He was a diligent pastor looking well to the sick, the poor and those in trouble.
Family
Thomas married Hannah Kerridge (1833-1908) in the summer of 1860 at Loddon, Norfolk. Census returns identify six children.
- Thomas William (1862-1913) – a railway labourer
- Edward James (1864-1885) – a printer
- Hannah Edith (1866-1929)
- Alice Amelia (b1867)
- Catherine Mary (1870-1872)
- George Frederick (1872-1883)
Thomas died on 28 May 1912 at Walsall, Staffordshire.
Circuits
- 1856 Norwich
- 1857 Bury St Edmunds
- 1859 Ely
- 1860 Yarmouth
- 1862 Rockland
- 1864 Lynn
- 1866 Docking
- 1869 Diss
- 1871 Hertford
- 1872 Kelsale
- 1874 Chelmsford
- 1876 Redhill
- 1877 Yeovil
- 1879 Glastonbury
- 1881 Plymouth
- 1882 Liskeard
- 1884 Abergavenny
- 1886 Braintree
- 1889 Mangotsfield
- 1890 Bristol
- 1891 St Ives
- 1893 Darlaston (S)
- 1894 Redhill
References
Primitive Methodist Magazine 1885 (portrait); 1912/742
PM Minutes 1912/33
W Leary, Directory of Primitive Methodist Ministers and their Circuits, 1990
Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers
Note: The surname is usually spelt Stow in official records
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