Warner, Joseph (1834-1900)

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1880

Early years

Joseph was born in 1833 at Newton Longville, Buckinghamshire to parents John Warner and Mary Young. Joseph was baptised on 14 April 1833 at Newton Longville. John was a shoemaker, but died when Joseph was 10 years old.

Soon after he entered his teens, Primitive Methodists visited his village and Joseph was converted. He gave himself to reading and study and developed such gifts and graces that soon he was called to labour as a local preacher.

The 1851 census records Joseph working as a farm labourer before entering the ministry.

Ministry

Kendall writes; ‘Of all the names we have mentioned that of Joseph Warner will be most familiar to British Primitive Methodists, and it is a name deservedly held in high esteem by all who were privileged to know the sterling qualities of the man. For nearly sixteen years Mr. Warner did yeoman service in South Australia, and then returned to this country, where his wide experience and sober judgment of Colonial affairs were ever at the service of the Home authorities. Mr. Warner finished, as he had begun, his ministry at St. Austell in 1893, and died in 1900. One who knew him well wrote: “Had he been favoured with more robust health, a touch of brilliance and a dash of pushfulness, he would easily have reached a position in the front rank of our Connexional life.” Even as it was, despite these minus quantities, the more discerning could easily recognise in Joseph Warner “a still, strong man, . . . who could rule and dare not lie.”’

His obituary records that Joseph had rare gifts of silence, as well as considerable powers of speech. He never magnified his difficulties or trials. His consciousness of the unseen was so real and vivid that it gave him a sense of proportion, thus he was kept from thinking pin-pricks were sword thrusts. Peace prevailed in himself, and therefore all around him.

Family

Joseph married Mary Parnell (1829-1903) at St Austell in the summer of 1857.

Joseph died on 20 June 1900 at St Austell, Cornwall

Circuits

  • 1853 Donaghmore
  • 1855 Middleham
  • 1856 Richmond
  • 1857 Lancaster
  • 1858 under GC to Australia
  • 1859 Salisbury (South Australia)
  • 1862 S Adelaide
  • 1864 Kooringja
  • 1867 Kapunda
  • 1870 Wallaroo
  • 1873 Woodside
  • 1874 Portsmouth (Hants)
  • 1879 Plymouth
  • 1882 Kingston
  • 1883 Douglas ll
  • 1886 Knowlwood
  • 1887 Yeovil
  • 1889 St Austell (S)

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1880 (portrait); 1901/145

PM Minutes 1900/30

PM World 1900/593

The Primitive Methodist, 1900, p510

H B Kendall, Origin and History of the PM Church, vol 2, p432

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers

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Comments about this page

  • This page was modified on 27 March 2017 to add a transcription of his obituary published in the Primitive Methodist Magazine.

    By Geoff Dickinson (27/03/2017)

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