Booth, William (1870-1966)

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Primitive Methodist Magazine 1926

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Primitive Methodist Magazine 1926

Early years

William was born in 1870 at Coxhoe, Co Durham, to parents John and Ann. John was a tailor.

William was connected with the PM Church from childhood. His entry into the ministry was the answer to a definite call to preach.

William worked as a farm servant before entering the ministry. Before offering as a candidate for the ministry, William served the Whitechapel Mission under Thomas Jackson and later in Brampton and Lowick as a hired local preacher.

Ministry

His obituary records that William was a man of varied gifts and graces, he was apowerful preacher and an able administrator. With his true pastoral heart he gave expression to his fond love for his people by spending himself unstintingly in the task of pastoral visitation. In all his circuits he exercised a fruitful ministry combining a deep evangelical fervour with a scholarly mind and a delightful sense of humour. He possessed a singularly retentive memory and up to the last was a student of his Greek Testament.

Family

William married Margaret Coulson Armstrong (1867-1943) in the summer of 1902 in the Houghton le Spring Registration District. Census returns identify three of four children.

• Gladys May (1903-1987) – a school teacher
• Ella Armstrong (1905-1966)
• Alice Coulson (1908-1977)

William died on 27 February 1966 at Kirk Merrington, Spenymoor, Co Durham.

Circuits

• Hartley
• 1898 W Bromwich I
• 1901 Glasgow II
• 1902 Fakenham
• 1905 Selby
• 1907 Penrith
• 1909 Docking
• 1913 High Wycombe
• 1918 Shildon
• 1924 Westgate
• 1929 Brampton
• 1932 Lowick
• 1936 Kirkwhelpton (S)

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1926/446

Methodist Minutes 1966/208

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers