Robson, Tom (1872-1957)

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Primitive Methodist Magazine 1923

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Primitive Methodist Magazine 1923

Early years

Tom was born in 1872 at Easington Lane, Co Durham to parents John and Eleanor. John was a coal miner.

From a religious home, Tom passed without any great crisis quietly and naturally into the life of the Church.

Ministry

His obituary records that Tom constantly prepared himself for his pulpit and pastoral duties by keeping abreast of the finest literature, reading widely in Biblical interpretation, history of religion, Greek drama, philosophy and sociology. With a fresh and versatile mind and a rare and deep knowledge of human nature, he ministered to his people. He knew them intimately and loved them, but never permitted himself to be deflected from his duty by the weaknesses and frailties of the human heart. Tolerance and warm understanding, born of his own experience, endeared him to many folk.

Tom was happy in all business affairs and had a knowledge of Church history and polity seldom excelled. Tom was appointed Secretary of the final PM Conference in 1932.

Tom served as District Missionary Secretary and District Building Committee Secretary. Post Methodist Union Tom served for eight years as chairman of the Middlesbrough and Darlington District.

Family

Tom married Sarah Jane Chapman (1874-1904) in the summer of 1898 at Easington Lane, Co Durham. Census returns identify four children.

• Dulcie Primrose (1899-1995) – married John Thomas Scott in 1929
• Aubrey Lionel (b1900)
• Alma Beryl (1901-1921)
• Tom Rodney C (1904-1988)

Tom married Mary Lydia Buddle (1880-1954) in late 1908 in the Auckland Registration District, Co Durham. Census returns identify one child.

• Arthur Newark (1909-1989)

Tom died on 2 March 1957 at Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland.

Circuits

• Hartley
• 1894 Bradford I
• 1896 Bradford V
• 1898 Hull VI
• 1901 Blyth
• 1907 Crook
• 1911 Shildon
• 1915 Sunderland II
• 1920 Newcastle II
• 1925 Newcastle III
• 1930 Stockton Par R
• 1935 W Hartlepool
• 1936 The Hartlepools
• 1943 The Hartlepools (S)

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1923/742; 1924/391; 1932/273

Methodist Minutes 1957/206

R Newman Wycherley, The Pageantry of Methodist Union, 1932, p313 & 347

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers