Balls, William (1853-1914)

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1913
Primitive Methodist Magazine
This is actually Mrs Jarvis - see correction published in the Primitive Methodist Magazine 1913

Early years

William was born in 1853 at Southwold, Suffolk. His father died when William was a few months old and his mother, Sarah, was left to struggle hard to provide for herself and the orphaned children. She was a member of the little PM Society at Southwold.

William was converted in the Robert Street Chapel, Plumstead, after moving there. At seventeen, William was placed on the plan as a local preacher. Two years later, William became writing master at Elmfield College under the governorship of Rev Thomas Smith.

Intense application to study produced an early breakdown in health, and in 1877, William left the college for more active circuit work. He was sent as honorary lay preacher to Aylsham circuit, and was called into ministry from that circuit. Rev Mark Warnes was the superintendent of the Aylsham station at that time.

Ministry

His obituary records that William never cared for the glare of the footlights, but loved the quiet of the study and the plodding regular ministry of pastoral work. He delighted to present the great evangelical truths of the Gospel and his finest efforts were in a little village chapel on a week evening.

Family

William married Emma Susanna Warnes (1855-1918) in the summer of 1881 at Aylsham, Norfolk. Emma was a daughter of Rev Mark Warnes. Census returns identify two of three children.

  • Eleanor Fanny (b1882) – married John Robert Loveless, a commercial traveller
  • William Mark (1887-1968) – a grocer’s assistant (1911)

William died on 17 June 1914 at Norwich, Norfolk.

Circuits

  • 1877 Aylsham
  • 1878 Bury St Edmunds
  • 1879 Wymondham
  • 1882 Rockland
  • 1883 Colchester
  • 1884 Kirby le Soken
  • 1886 Aylsham
  • 1889 Briston
  • 1894 Rockland
  • 1896 Swaffham
  • 1898 N Walsham
  • 1902 Briston
  • 1905 Ely
  • 1908 Newmarket
  • 1910 Wallingford
  • 1913 Winchester

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1913/294; 1918/140

PM Minutes 1914/257

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Register

Correction printed in the Primitive Methodist Magazine

By a strange and some-hat amusing blunder in the sending of photographs a portrait of Mrs. Balls’ sister, Mrs. Jarvis, was substituted for that of Mrs. Balls in the sketch of Rev. W. Balls which appeared in our April number. Mrs. Jarvis is well worthy of a place in the “Aldersgate” as the daughter of the late Rev. M. Warnes, and the wife a a respected local preacher on the Aylsham station; but she is not the wife of Rev. W. Balls.

Her sister is, and we have much pleasure in giving her portrait in this issue of our Magazine.

It is not a case of Leah and Rachel, but of strange confusion nevertheless. Those who know Mrs. Balls will be glad to see her portrait here.

Reference

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1913/455

 

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