Warnes, James (1808-1886)

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1864

Early years

James was born in November 1808 at Litcham, Norfolk to parents Roger Warnes and Susanna Withers. He was baptised on 7 December 1808 at Litcham. Roger Warnes was an agricultural labourer. James was sent out to work at the age of seven.

In 1828, James attended an open air service where John Oscroft was the preacher. Following this, he started to attend the PM services, but he did not have his conversion experience until 1830. In 1834, he went on the plan and also took the role of class leader.

Ministry

In 1840, James led a team of three to mission St Albans and surrounding areas.

Patterson records that there was another revival in Brough in 1863-4, when James Warnes was there, and the whole circuit was stimulated to a remarkable extent.

The net increase on his stations during his itinerant ministry was 1179.

He was equally efficient in whatever he set his hand unto; he did not exhaust his energy in the study and pulpit, but would rally a prayer meeting in real old primitive fashion, and push the battle to the gate. He was equally at home on the platform; he could rouse a Westmorland audience to a pitch of red-hot enthusiasm, and there are many people that are easier to move than Dalesmen.

Family

James married Emma Dibben (1814-1882) at Reading in the spring of 1843.

James died on 5 October 1886 at Kirby Stephen, Westmorland.

Circuits

  • 1837 High Wycombe
  • 1839 Reading
  • 1841 Aylesbury
  • 1842 Luton
  • 1844 Camden
  • 1845 Tredegar
  • 1847 St Ives
  • 1849 Falmouth
  • 1850 Redruth
  • 1851 Pontypool
  • 1853 Chippenham
  • 1854 Swansea
  • 1856 Stockton
  • 1858 Alston
  • 1859 Berwick
  • 1861 Brough
  • 1865 Kendal
  • 1867 Guisborough
  • 1870 Whitby
  • 1874 Sunderland
  • 1878 Brough (Sup)

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1864 (portrait); 1887/307

PM Minutes 1887/6

W M Patterson, Northern Primitive Methodism, 1909, p116

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers

 

Comments about this page

  • One of the team of 3 who he lead to mission the St Albans area was Thomas Green of Watford who in Feb 1841 registered a place of worship at Ley Hill in Bucks.

     

    By Neil Rees (29/03/2016)

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