Roberts, Christopher (1866-1940)

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1918
Primitive Methodist Magazine 1918

Early years

Christopher was born in 1866 at Preston, Yorkshire to parents William and Elizabeth. William was a miner (1871) and later a greengrocer (1881) when the family had moved to Leeds. The 1881 census records Christopher as working as a stringer at a glue works.

His early associations were with the Meanwood Road Church in the Leeds I circuit. Christopher started to preach at the age of sixteen, accompanying Mr Thomas Smith.

Ministry

As a preacher, Christopher’s strength lay in the art of exposition and his utterances were rendered luminous by apt and telling illustrations.

His obituary records that Christopher was fearless and independent, having no room for compromise where principles were involved. In his lighter moods he displayed a lively sense of humour tinged with satire. He concentrated on his work and won the hearts of his people. He had sympathy and a first hand knowledge of the hard facts of life, and knew how to speak a word in season.

Christopher served as Secretary of District Building and Candidates’ Examining Committees.

Family

Christopher married Eliza Driver (1867-1938) in the summer of 1892 at Chorlton, Lancashire.

Christopher died on 9 April 1940 at St Annes-on-the-Sea, Lancashire.

Circuits

  • Hartley
  • 1888 Grassington
  • 1890 Andover
  • 1892 Kilburn
  • 1893 Greetland & Sowerby Bridge
  • 1894 Heckmondwike
  • 1896 Stokesley
  • 1898 Saltburn
  • 1902 Westgate
  • 1908 Shildon
  • 1911 Glasgow II
  • 1914 Leeds III
  • 1915 Rhymney Valley
  • 1919 Stokesley
  • 1923 Preston III
  • 1928 St Annes (Sup)

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1918/742

Methodist Minutes 1940/179

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers

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