Shipley, William (1850 -1930)

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1910
Primitive Methodist Magazine 1931
Primitive Methodist Magazine 1910

Early years

William was born in 1850 at Staindrop, Co Durham to parents William and Mary. William, senior, worked the land. William was converted in his youth and joined the Staindrop church.

Ministry

William possessed a striking personality; alert, sensitive, and strong, he upheld the dignity of his office without assuming the frigid dominance of the ecclesiastic. His sermons were not dry essays but passionate soul-stirring messages, born of conviction and spiritual experience, made effective by cogent reasoning, luminous illustration, and forceful utterance.

When Eyemouth lost one hundred and twenty nine brave fishermen by a disastrous gale, William’s sorrowful sympathy found eloquent expression in his two services of song, “Ocean Perils” and “My Mother,” and in his serial story, “Donald Cameron”.

His period of rest in 1890 was the result of suffering a nervous breakdown.

William held several district secretariats and in each justified the appointment. With his pen he attained considerable popularity, his style was vivid, racy and choice. At the time of his death he had a story of the stirring events that happened during his ministry at Filey going through the Christian Messenger.

Family

William married Sarah Ann Bramley (1846-1916) in the summer of 1876 at Sedbergh, Yorkshire.

William married Mary Annie Howell in early 1920 at Hull, Yorkshire.

William died on 17 October 1930 at Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire.

Circuits

  • Sunderland
  • 1872 Brough
  • 1875 Berwick
  • 1876 Eyemouth
  • 1878 Guisborough
  • 1883 Durham
  • 1885 Spenymoor
  • 1890 year’s rest
  • 1891 Tamworth
  • 1892 Whitby
  • 1896 Filey
  • 1901 Hartlepool
  • 1905 Liverpool
  • 1910 Halifax
  • 1913 Hull III
  • 1916 Hull (Sup)

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1910/297; 1931/123

PM Minutes 1931/318

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers

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