Guy, John (1845-1924)

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1903
Primitive Methodist Magazine 1924

Early years

John was born on 2 October 1845 at Hertford to parents John Guy and Mary Sargeant. John senior was a PM Minister. John’s brother, James, became a PM Minister in New Zealand.

John was converted through a sermon to young people by Rev G Wilkinson, pastor of the Congregational Church at Chelmsford, a place or worship he was desired to attend occasionally by his employer. Shortly after conversion, John was bound as an apprentice to the drapery business for a term of five years. Despite opposition from those who deemed it expedient that he become a Congregationalist, John joined with the Chelmsford PM society which at the time was feeble and worshipped in an unpretentious building in Springfield. He worked in the Galleywood Common, PM Sunday School for about eight years.

John started the journey towards local preaching about a year after his conversion He was planned on none or ten Sundays per quarter, but never missed his attendance at the Sunday School, which required a six mile round trip in addition to other journeys on the Lord’s work on a Sunday.

Ministry

In May 1866, John was appointed by the General Missionary Committee as a special help for his father at Maldon. John senior had by that time fallen into poor health on an extensive station. The same station pledged John at the conference of 1867.

His obituary records that John was healthy and happy, a cheerful Christian, fond of music and song. He was methodical, orderly, and in some things, precise. Carefulness marked the man, in dress, in speech, in handwriting, in his whole deportment, in the preparation and delivery of his sermons, in all matters of detail, for small matters as for large, and for small congregations as for large ones.

Family

John married Maria Martha Green (1849-1938) in the summer of 1873 at Petersfield, Hampshire. Census returns identify three children.

  • Ernest William (1874-1952) – an organist and house furnisher (1911)
  • Arthur John (1877-1946) – an electrician engineer (1911)
  • Iverna Eveline P (1892-1979)

John died on 5 March 1924 at Mortimer, Hampshire (in the Silchester circuit).

Circuits

  • 1867 Maldon
  • 1868 Buriton
  • 1869 Liskeard
  • 1870 Plymouth
  • 1871 Sheerness
  • 1872 Lincoln
  • 1873 Sheffield III
  • 1874 Ashby de la Zouch
  • 1877 Ilkeston
  • 1878 Bottesford
  • 1880 Newark
  • 1882 Hasbury
  • 1884 Lydney
  • 1887 Hereford
  • 1889 Silchester
  • 1892 Maidenhead
  • 1894 Ashby de la Zouch
  • 1898 Thetford
  • 1900 Halesworth
  • 1902 Maldon
  • 1904 New Brampton
  • 1906 Canterbury
  • 1908 Canterbury (S)

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1903/927; 1924/360

PM Minutes 1924/272

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers

Comments about this page

  • Delighted to get this information – researching the Green family and had most of the census however not much about John Guy, many thanks, Marjorie

    By Marjorie Prictor (27/03/2022)

Add a comment about this page

Your email address will not be published.