Green, Henry (1815-1882)

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1864

Henry was born on 21 January 1815 at Tichborne, Hampshire to parents George and Sarah. He was baptised on 30 January 1815. His boyhood was spent at Ovington, Hampshire. Henry joined the PM society in April 1832 and was appointed to preach in December 1832.

Ministry

The Sydney Street Primitive Methodist Church, Wellington, was founded in 1847, when the Robert Ward, the pioneer Primitive Methodist minister in the Colony, came down from New Plymouth to prepare the way for the first resident minister, the Henry Green. Thirty-four members were reported at the first Quarterly Meeting, held in September 1847. Mrs. Green established and taught a day-school. The original building was a sod church, which was shaken down by the earthquake of 1848. A weatherboard structure then erected did duty till 1858, when a more pretentious edifice was built.

In 1856, Henry’s health failed in New Zealand and he started the long journey home. However, after the voyage to Newcastle, NSW, his health was much improved. The necessities of the Newcastle station were pressing and Henry was induced to supply there for a time until proper arrangements could be made. The 1858 conference appointed him the Newcastle and his labours were acceptable and useful.

His obituary records that the enthusiasm of a missionary burned with a clear strong flame to the end of his days.

Literature

Henry wrote the following.

Memoirs of a Primitive Methodist: Eventide, Memories and Recollections, 1855

Family

Henry married Ann Goodwin (b abt 1809) in the spring of 1844. Ann was a female travelling preacher from 1832 until she married.

Henry became paralysed in 1869 leading to his superannuation. His wife Ann became blind in her later years, an affliction attributed to her missionary work.

Henry died on 25 December 1882 at Gravesend.

Circuits

  • 1837 Micheldever
  • 1839 Wallingford
  • 1840 Aylesbury
  • 1842 Windsor
  • 1843 Brentford
  • 1844 Trowbridge
  • 1846 New Plymouth (NZ) – sailed 24 March
  • 1848 Wellington
  • 1856 returned home
  • 1858 Newcastle, NSW
  • 1861 Gravesend
  • 1864 Guernsey
  • 1865 Brighton
  • 1868 Watford
  • 1870 Basingstoke (S)
  • 1873 Gravesend

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1864 (portrait); 1883/307

PM Minutes 1883/5

J Petty, The History of the Primitive Methodist Connexion, 1880, p481, P531

H B Kendall, Origin and History of the PM Church, vol 2, p440, p442

The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District], 1897

E Dorothy Graham, Primitive Methodist Women.

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

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers

 

No Comments

Start the ball rolling by posting a comment on this page!

Add a comment about this page

Your email address will not be published.