Kendall, Charles (1818-1882)

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1865
Primitive Methodist Magazine 1881

Early years

Charles was born on 19 February 1818 at Bishops Norton, Lincolnshire, to parents Thomas Kendall and Frances ‘Fanny’ Dennis. Thomas was the village carrier. Charles was one of eleven surviving children. Of the ten brothers six were preachers, three becoming PM Ministers (Charles, Thomas and Dennis) and three entered the ministry of other churches. As a young man, Charles was apprenticed to a shoemaker. He was converted at the age of 18 and also signed the temperance pledge in the same year. It is probable that he received his first membership ticket from Sampson Turner.

Following his conversion, Charles, like many others in his situation, set about getting an education. An old man gave him grammar lessons whilst he worked on shoes.

When starting as a local preacher, Charles accompanied Mr G Robinson of the Scotter circuit. His first appointment was at Northope.

Ministry

Kendall writes; ‘He was a capable administrator, a good manager of men, a careful and prayerful superintendent; a powerful preacher, with an unusually large vocabulary at command, from which he knew how to select the right word, as the books he left testify.

Charles was associated with several chapel building enterprises, notably at Scarborough he bought land for the Jubilee Chapel, the Bethel Chapel at Grimsby, a chapel at Filey and the Holdness Rd Chapel in Hull.

Charles was President of Conference in 1881 which was held in Hull. He was the only President of the PM Conference to die in office.

Literature

Charles was the biographer of Atkinson Smith and William Sanderson.

In conjunction with William Sanderson, he was the originator and editor of the first series of the ‘Primitive Pulpit’.

With his brother Henry he wrote ‘Strange footsteps: or Thoughts on the Providence of God’

‘God’s hand in the storm’ was published in 1870 as an account of the gales of October 1869 at Filey, Yorkshire.

Family

Charles married Sarah Bickerstaffe (1815-1901) on 12 July 1843 at East Parade Chapel, Leeds, Yorkshire. They had one son.

Charles died on 5 May 1882 in Hull.

Circuits

  • 1839 Hull
  • 1840 Lincoln
  • 1842 Leeds
  • 1844 Wakefield
  • 1845 Swinefleet
  • 1847 Alford
  • 1849 Bridlington
  • 1851 Wellow
  • 1852 Barton on Humber
  • 1854 Scotter
  • 1856 Louth
  • 1858 Scarborough
  • 1860 Grimsby
  • 1863 Hull ll
  • 1866 Driffield
  • 1869 Filey
  • 1872 Hull l
  • 1876 Hull lll
  • 1879 Driffield

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1865 (portrait); 1870; 1881; 1882/491

PM Minutes 1883/13

H B Kendall, Origin and History of the PM Church, vol 1, p431, p419; vol 2, p392

B A Barber, A Methodist Pageant, 1932, p112

Joseph Ritson, The Romance of Primitive Methodism , 1909, p255

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers

 

Comments about this page

  • Charles also wrote The smoker’s hand-book: or A dissuasive against the use of tobacco, under the pseudonym Anti Fumo http://www.google.com/books?id=uPEWAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover Maria

    By Maria Borrill (22/07/2013)
  • All six of the KENDALL of the brothers were originally Primitive Methodist Minister’s Thomas, Charles, Dennis, Joseph Henry and Amos. Joseph moved to the United Methodist’s, Henry the Congregational and Amos joined the Methodist Episcopal Church [south] in Mississippi/Tennessee. http://tinyurl.com/bry5rgg

    By Maria Borrill (17/03/2013)
  • For a more complete history of the Kendall family see the book by Maria Borrill entitled; The Kendall Family from Ashby Lincolnshire.

    By Geoff Dickinson (17/03/2013)

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