Whitford, John (1811-1875)

Ministry

A transcription of the obituary published in the Primitive Methodist Magazine by J Mitchell is attached. He writes as follows.

‘The following testimony by the Rev. C.T. Harris will give a fair impression of his ministerial standing at this time. “Our late brother Whitford was a very useful man in the cause of God. I first became acquainted with him in Hereford, July, 1842. He was appointed to that station as my colleague, and at once we were united in Christian love as well as in Christian labour. He was sound in doctrine and earnest in manner, so that he soon made a good impression in all his stations and was successful in the conversion of souls. He generally spent some time every Saturday in conversation about the work of God and the best way to get it on. His judgment was sound, he was very fond of controversy and was a very fair and able disputant. As a colleague he was agreeable, kind, and upright in all his dealings; as a friend he was faithful. He was a good disciplinarian, and had a large share of discretion in business matters, and was very useful in our official meetings.” ‘

Family

John was born in March 1811 nr. Gwennap, Cornwall, to parents Richard and Barbara. He was baptised on 23 April 1811 at Gwennap.

After leaving the ministry, due to ill-health, John worked as a grocer and tea dealer in Penzance, Cornwall.

He married Mary Ann Cunnack (1821-1893) in the spring of 1845 at Penzance, Cornwall.

• James George Cunnack (1850-1851)
• John Cunnack (1850-1851)
• Mary Margaret  Cunnack(1853-1918) – married William Barnicott, a mason (1871), in 1874
• Meloney Cunnack (1855-1929) – married George James Bawden, an electrical engineer (1901), in 1882
• Alfred Cunnack (1860-1881)

John died on 9 August 1875 at Penzance, Cornwall.

Circuits

• 1839 Redruth
• 1840 St Ives
• 1842 Hereford
• 1843 Tredegar
• 1845 St Ives
• 1846 Bishop Waltham
• 1848 Marlborough
• 1850 ceased

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1877/240

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers