Smith, Alfred John (1858-1939)
Transcription of ‘Sketch’ in the Christian Messenger
BRO. ALFRED JOHN SMITH, Society Steward at Sutton-in-Ashfield, was born at Thurmaston, near Leicester, fifty-one years ago, and has been a member of our church thirty-four years. It is twenty-eight years since he came to reside at Sutton, and the Society at Reform Street, in this town, owes much to his devoted and faithful services. The writer had the pleasure of presenting his diploma of Honour for thirty-two years work as a Sunday-school teacher. For a quarter-of-a-century he has been a Band of Hope worker, holding the office of treasurer for fifteen years. He has also for several years been a class-leader and secretary to the Trustees. The position of Society steward he has held eleven years, and has been most painstaking and attentive in discharging the duties thereof. Bro. Smith is essentially a man of prayer, and has a consuming passion for souls. He has deep spirituality and intense yearnings after the blessings of the consecrated life. His kindly smile and sympathetic hearing is a great help to all the preachers. A class-meeting, prayer-meeting, preaching-service, or business- meeting without his presence is an exceptional event. Members of the church who are sick are sure to find him making kindly enquiries, and kneeling in their home in prayer. Such men are the strength of our church, and may their number be multiplied! Mrs. Smith is also a life-long member, and their children are growing up to call them blessed, and are already sharing the joy of service in the church to which their parents belong. Our brother is well worthy of a place in this gallery of workers; having so long shared in the work, he deserves such honours as the church may give him.
Family and other information
Alfred was born in 1858 to parents Hezekiah and Eliza. Hezekiah was a frame-work knitter.
Alfred followed the same trade as his father making hosiery.
Alfred married Ada Maria Brailsford (abt 1865-1932) in late 1886 at Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire. Census returns identify three of four children.
- Lily (b1890) – a school teacher (1911)
- Alfred (b1892) – a house painter’s apprentice (1911)
- John (b abt1895) – a colliery clerk (1911)
Alfred died in early 1939 at Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire.
References
Christian Messenger 1910/104
Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers
Comments about this page
Thank you, this man is my distant uncle on my Dad’s side of the family, we were able to find him due to his fathers unusual first name. There are still plenty of my Dad’s side of the family in Leicester. So interesting to read about the Methodist movement.
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