Wilkinson, William (1818-1905)

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1873

Early years

William was born in 1818 at Guide Bridge, nr Manchester, Lancashire to parents James and Mary. He was baptised on 22 April 1818 at Hooley Hill Wesleyan Chapel, Ashton under Lyme, Lancashire. When he was nine he started work in a Lancashire Cotton Mill and later worked for his father in hat making.

William was converted age 12 in Sunday School.

Ministry

William spent all his active ministry in the Liverpool and Manchester Districts.

His obituary records that he excelled in the work of pastoral visiting. He was a total abstainer for about 80 years. As a ‘Passive Resister’ he was firm and true (i.e. he refused to pay the church rate).

Family

William married Sarah Callister (1826-1907). Census returns identify two children.

  • Mary Jane (1855-1936) – married Nathaniel Adams, a grocer
  • Sarah Harriet Eleanor (1859-87) – married Henry Rigby Mason, an insurance broker

William died on 23 January 1905 at Liverpool, Lancashire.

Circuits

  • 1844 Warrington
  • 1846 Bury
  • 1847 New Mills
  • 1849 Preston Brook
  • 1850 Bradwell
  • 1852 Rochdale
  • 1853 Preston
  • 1855 Leigh
  • 1856 Congleton
  • 1857 Liverpool
  • 1859 Stalybridge
  • 1861 Ramsey
  • 1864 Peel
  • 1865 Preston
  • 1867 Rochdale
  • 1869 Liverpool ll
  • 1874 Chester ll
  • 1876 Buckley
  • 1877 Wrexham
  • 1879 Blackburn ll
  • 1881 Liverpool ll (S)
  • 1885 Pontypool
  • 1886 Liverpool lll

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1873 (portrait)

PM Minutes 1905/44

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers

Comments about this page

  • There is clearly a lot of work that has gone into this site! Thank you for your work regarding Primitive Methodist Ministers. I am delighted to be able to read something about a person of some reputation in our family folklore. This is the gentleman from whom my father gained his middle name (Keith Wilkinson Adams, b.1914, Liverpool). Nathaniel Adams (mentioned in your copy below), came to Liverpool from Antrim, North Ireland c.1870 and married Rev Wilkinson’s daughter Mary Jane Wilkinson – he was Keith’s grandfather. Nathaniel allegedly built a sizable business as a master grocer & provisioner, with some 5 outlets around Liverpool called Adams Brothers. I’m not sure what happened (c.1890), however, something happened to the market, resulting in a possible change in ownership of their house “The Seasons” 65 Anfield Rd, Anfield (opposite the football club gates) between Nathaniel Adams and William Wilkinson. As a matter of interest, family folklore states that Sarah Harriet Eleanor Wilkinson (1859-87) mentioned above, went to St Andrews University in Scotland, where she was allegedly became one of the first women to graduate with a law degree!

    By Mike Adams (22/03/2013)

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