Wall, William Edward (1905-1967)

Transcription of obituary published in the Minutes of Conference

WILLIAM EDWARD WALL: born in 1905 at Station Town, Wingate, Co. Durham. He received his early education at Wingate Council School and at West Hartlepool Secondary School. In 1928 he offered for the Primitive Methodist Ministry and was trained at Hartley College. He travelled in Chesterfield, Hay and Staithes and Luton circuits before the war and then became a Chaplain in the Army. This service took him to many places in the Middle East and he had many opportunities to visit the Holy Land. This made a lasting impression on him and its influence was seen throughout his ministry. It was during the war that he met his future wife and when it ended and they were married he travelled in the following circuits—Stoke-on-Trent, Longton, St Columb and Padstow and Marazion. 

During his time in Cornwall he faced severe illness necessitating more than one major operation which he accepted with characteristic courage. He had a happy knack of getting into easy conversation with people unconnected with the Church who came to regard him as a good friend. They trusted and respected him and found that he was really interested in them and their families. He was an ever welcome visitor in the homes of his people. His preaching had an arresting power and the Old Testament came alive because of his knowledge of places and customs referred to in the Bible. Illness compelled him to become a supernumerary early but he continued preaching and his services were in great demand. 

He died peacefully in hospital after further operations on 11 August 1967, in the sixty-second year of his age and the thirty-sixth of his ministry.

Family

William was born on 24 October 1905 at Wingate, Co. Durham, to parents William Charles Wall, a coal miner, and Dorothy Ellen Marshall.

I have not been able to identify William’s wife in online records.

William died on 11 August 1967 at West Cornwall Hospital, Penzance, Cornwall.

Circuits

• Hartley
• 1931 Chesterfield
• 1935 Hay
• 1936 Staithes
• 1939 Luton High
• 1941 Chaplain, H.M. Forces
• 1946 Stoke – Longton
• 1951 St Coulomb &c
• 1955 Marazion
• 1962 Marazion (S)

References

Methodist Minutes 1968/175

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers