Ward, Arthur John (1879-1957)

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1932
Primitive Methodist Magazine 1932

Early years

Arthur was born in 1879 at Chesterfield, Derbyshire, to parents Arthur Ward and Alice Hannah Allsop Hurd. Arthur, senior, was a PM Minister.

Early in life, Arthur was called to preach and became a fully accredited local preacher at seventeen at Great Western Street, Manchester. Four years later, he entered Hartley College.

Ministry

Arthur was a forceful preacher, a keen debater, a generous supporter of Overseas Missions, and a man strongly interested in social work. He had a keen philosophical mind and was widely read.

Arthur moved to Sudbury circuit in 1940, and there the shadows feel upon him. He lost his only son, the victim of a motor accident in the black-out, and his wife died in distressing circumstances. Being a sick man, Arthur was compelled to retire from the active ministry in 1942. For some years he gave willing and able service as Lavenham until failing health prevented him.

Family

Arthur married Sarah Annie Dimelow (1883-1942) in the summer of 1908 at Gloucester, Gloucestershire. Census returns identify one child.

  • John Dimelow (Jack) (1909–1940) – an optician; later a clergyman

Arthur died on 1 August 1957 at Lavenham, Suffolk.

Circuits

  • 1902 Gloucester
  • 1904 Stoke Newington
  • 1907 Canning Town
  • 1908 Mere
  • 1911 Winchester
  • 1913 Dartford &c
  • 1915 Hereford
  • 1918 Macclesfield
  • 1922 Bradford IV
  • 1926 Huddersfield
  • 1930 Brighouse &c
  • 1935 Kings Lynn

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1932/379

Methodist Minutes 1958/171

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers

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