Davies, Edward Augustus D.D, FRGS (1837-1905)

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Primitive Methodist Magazine 1890

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Primitive Methodist Magazine 1906

Early years

Edward was born in 1837 at Chester to parents Edward and Keziah. Both parents were local preachers in the Buckley circuit in North Wales. Keziah had been converted under the labours of John Wedgwood.

Edward was converted aged 17 under a sermon by Rev R Knill, who had been a missionary in Russia and India.

Ministry

Edward was read widely. Geology, Astronomy, and elocution were favourite studies. Edward was distinguished as a reader and elocutionist after studying under Professor Greenbank of Manchester. He was a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society for 20years.

Whilst at Port Erin and Ramsey, early in his ministry, Edward had the joy of witnessing remarkable revivals.

Edward was Secretary of the Manchester Theological Institute and the Manchester District Building Committee.

The 1890 biography records that Edward was popular on the Temperance platform. He was on the Executive of the Lancashire and Cheshire Band of Hope Union. He also took a deep interest in the UK Alliance and Sunday Closing Movements.

He was a diligent and painstaking pastor, a careful disciplinarian and a very acceptable pulpit man. His obituary records that his natural gift of speech was carefully cultivated and it was richly blessed by God to the conversion of many souls and to building up of believers.

Edward was awarded his D.D. by Gale University, Colorado, USA.

In politics Edward was a staunch liberal and a fearless opponent of the Boer War. At one stage his home was seriously vandalised by an infuriated Jingoistic mob.

Family

Edward married Emmeline Davies (1841-1873) in the summer of 1866 at Chester. Census returns identify three children.

• Charles Augustus (b1867) – a General Practitioner (medicine)
• Ernest Edward Dentith (1870-1939) – a Congregational Minister (1901); later Mathematics and Science teacher (1911)
• Emmeline Mona (1872-1904) – married Edmund Albert Goulden, a doctor

Edward married Catherine Jane Craine (1844-1896) of Lezayre, Isle of Man in 1874. Census returns identify two children.

• Catherine Annie (b1875)
• Effie Isabel (1879-1965) – a school teacher; married William Robert Reed, a PM Minister.

Edward married Agnes Rothwell (b abt 1842) in late 1897 at Peterborough.

Edward died on 27 January 1905 at Nelson, Glamorgan.

Circuits

• 1860 Liverpool
• 1862 Castletown
• 1863 Manchester l
• 1865 Bury
• 1866 Preston Brook
• 1867 Peel
• 1869 Ramsey
• 1872 St Helens
• 1874 Northwich
• 1878 Middleton, Lancs
• 1881 Stalybridge
• 1884 Marple
• 1885 Stalybridge
• 1886 Marple
• 1888 Stalybridge
• 1891 Rochdale
• 1894 Grays & Romford
• 1898 Leighton Buzzard
• 1900 Whitehaven
• 1904 Nelson, Glamorgan

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1873/179 (Emmeline); 1890/705; 1906/743

PM Minutes 1905/12

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers