Durance, William (1836-1926)

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Primitive Methodist Magazine 1895

Early years

William was born in 1836 at Frisby on the Wreak, nr Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire to parents William Durance and Eliza Duffin. William senior worked the land. William was baptised on 5 March 1837 at Frisby on the Wreak.

When aged 17, William moved to Leicester and joined the George St Society. It was there he gave himself to the work of God and became, in turn, a prayer leader, class leader and local preacher.

He developed himself to have a working knowledge of biblical Hebrew and Greek.

Ministry

Many of William’s stations were beset by debt and William worked hard to improve their finances. He always preferred country stations and for the most part worked amid lessening populations, and agricultural and trade depression.

William filled several District Secretarial offices, was a General Committee delegate and on three occasions was elected to attend Conference.

His obituary records that he was a great preacher of the fundamental doctrines of the Bible and an exact expositor of its deepest teaching.

Family

William married Hannah Mason (1839-1929) in late 1865 at Leicester. Census returns identify seven of their eight children.

• Ernest William Antliff (1866-1895) – a PM Minister
• Annie Eliza (b1868) – married James Morton Goodrich, a colliery commercial manager (1911)
• William Arthur (1872-1935) – a general medical practitioner
• Edwin Joseph (1874-1890)
• Edith Laura (b1877) – married William Pennie
• Florence Gertrude (1879-1954) – married Richard Arthur Wilkes, a colliery agent
• Frederick James (1883-1977) – a mining engineer

William died on 10 March 1927 at Harpenden, Hertfordshire. He was buried at Bedford.

Circuits

• 1861 London I
• 1862 London IV
• 1863 Northampton
• 1865 London III
• 1866 Lincoln II
• 1867 Sheffield I
• 1869 Bolsover
• 1871 Burton on Trent
• 1874 Derby I
• 1877 Horncastle
• 1878 Alston
• 1880 Ilkeston
• 1883 Kimberley
• 1888 Sileby
• 1892 Staveley
• 1895 Bedford
• 1899 Bedford (S)

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1895/163; 1929/369 (wife)

PM Minutes 1927/254

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers