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This paper was published in Proceedings of the Wesley Historical Society, Volume 63, Part 5, Summer 2022, pages 208-222. The Appendix did not form part of that published version, which included a note (not reproduced here) inviting readers to contact the writer to obtain a copy. The Appendix included here is the version sent in response to such requests.

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In a paper published in the May 2001 issue of this Journal, Martin Wellings stated: “It is seldom realised that lay representatives were not admitted to the Wesleyan Methodist Conference until 1878.” In that paper “Making Haste Slowly: The Campaign for Lay Representation in the Wesleyan Conference, 1871-8”,[1] Dr Wellings gave an account of the campaign for lay representation in the 1870s, examined the points at issue in the debate and discussed the character of the representation achieved.[2] Towards the end of the paper Dr Wellings made some observations regarding the 240 men who attended the 1878 Conference as the “first batch of lay representatives”, using as his source two articles published in the Methodist Recorder which provided brief biographical sketches of 106 of the 240. He prefaced his observations: “It has not been possible to analyse the group in any detail”.[3]

This paper represents an attempt to provide a supplement to Dr Wellings’s 2001 paper, in the shape of some additional ‘profile’ material on the first cohort of 240 Wesleyan Methodist Conference Lay Representatives. Section one provides information on the demographic profile of that cohort. Section two reports the results of an investigation of their wealth-at-death, and also provides some broad summary statistics regarding the occupational distribution of the cohort. Section three is more speculative and reports my reasoning for suspecting that Robert William Perks (1849-1934) may have been the writer of the July 1878 Methodist Recorder articles referred to above. Perks was elected unanimously as the first vice-president when the Wesleyan, Primitive and United Methodists merged to form the Methodist Church in 1932.[4] In 1878 Perks had travelled from London to Bradford as the second youngest of the first cohort of Wesleyan Methodist Lay Representatives.

I          Age Profile and Family Relationships

As noted above, the Methodist Recorder published brief biographical sketches of 106 of the 240 representatives in two articles that appeared on 23 July 1878 (the day the Conference commenced) and 26 July 1878. These articles provided the year of birth for 97 of those 106. The Methodist Recorder continued this series of biographical sketches in three further articles, published on 30 July, 6 August, and 13 August 1878 (four days after the Conference closed).[5] A total of 100 additional names appeared in those articles, but with one case of double-counting.[6] These articles provide the year of birth for 83 of the additional 99 representatives covered.

To summarise: those five articles in the Methodist Recorder of July/August 1878 give years of birth for 180 of our cohort of 240, plus a good deal of biographical information to help trace dates-of-birth for 25 more. That leaves 35. Using the Dictionary of Methodism in Britain and Ireland, and the Findmypast website (in particular, the British Newspapers section of that site), I believe I have succeeded in identifying years-of-birth of all but one of the 240. For the full information, see the Appendix.

The median year of birth of those 239 representatives was 1827, implying a median age at the time of the 1878 Conference of 51-to-52. The cut-off years for the youngest and the eldest quartiles were 1831 and 1817. Thus, fifty per cent of the representatives were between the ages of 47 and 62 at the time of the Conference. The cut-off years of birth for the youngest and eldest deciles were 1836 and 1809 indicating that eighty per cent of the representatives were between the ages of 42 and 70 in August 1878. Four were under 30 at the time of the Conference. At the upper end of the distribution, four were born in 1802 or earlier, the oldest in 1798.

The 240 lay representatives can be divided into three categories: 12 attended the 1878 Conference on an ex officio basis, being the lay treasurers, at the national level, of the principal Wesleyan Methodist Funds; 18 had been elected by the 1877 Conference; and 210 were elected on a District-by-District basis as representatives of the 34 Districts which comprised the Wesleyan Methodist Connexion in Britain. The number of representatives each District was entitled to elect was based on its membership level, and the elections took place at the May 1878 District meetings, with voting restricted to those laymen entitled to attend their District meetings.[7]

It crossed my mind that categories one and two might display a different age profile compared with category three, in the form of both a higher average age and a more compact age-dispersion. The data seem to bear this out regarding the second point. But the picture regarding the average ages of the three groups is more complex. In category one the range of years of birth is 1801 to 1834. For category two the range is smaller, 1806 to 1831. That 25-year age range is less than half the figure for category three (52 years). Category two also displays the lowest average age, with a median year of birth of 1827-28. That compares with 1824 for category three and 1818-1819 for category one. The laymen elected to attend the 1878 Conference by the Wesleyan Ministers attending the 1877 Conference were thus, on average, a somewhat younger group than the representatives elected by their lay peers at the May 1878 District meetings.

The three youngest lay representatives to attend the 1878 Conference were elected by three of the four Districts with the highest number of locally elected representatives to that Conference: George Steward Hazlehurst (born 28 February 1850) by the Liverpool District (13 representatives); Robert William Perks (born 24 April 1849) by the London First District (12); and George Hayter Chubb (born 29 August 1848) by the London Second District (15). But a preliminary check failed to find evidence of a pattern of the Districts with the smaller numbers of members displaying a tendency to elect older representatives than the Districts with greater numbers of members. The nineteen Districts entitled to elect six representatives or less to the Conference were examined separately from the fourteen Districts entitled to elect seven representatives or more.[8] The median year of birth of the 74 representatives elected by the Districts in the first group was 1824. The median year of birth of the 135 representatives elected by the group of higher-membership Districts was also 1824.

Among the full 240 lay representatives at the 1878 Conference, there were three pairs of father and son, eight pairs of brothers and one case of a ‘trio’ of brothers.[9] That trio was comprised of the three Vanner brothers, whose brother-in-law Charles Early was also a lay representative at the Conference. There were two cases of uncle and nephew, and five pairs of father-in-law/son-in-law.[10] All three of the youngest lay representatives found themselves in the company of their fathers-in-law when the Conference convened. The fourth youngest, Samuel Rathbone Edge, was unmarried until 1888, when he married Eliza Marion Holden (1864-1936), whose grandfather had been a lay representative at the 1878 Conference.[11] In addition to Charles Early and the Vanner brothers, there were six other pairs of brothers-in-law[12] and a number of other instances of family relationships through marriage.[13]

II         Wealth at Death and Occupational Profile

Dates of death have been identified for all of the 239 lay representatives at the 1878 Conference for whom we have year of birth. The median year of death for the full 239 was 1898. Edward Allen died on 9 August 1878, having been taken ill during the final day of the Conference. A further four of the lay representatives at the 1878 Conference died prior to the 1879 Conference.[14] Three of the lay representatives at the 1878 Conference survived beyond 1922: Robert William Perks; Samuel Rathbone Edge; and George Hayter Chubb. As noted in Section I, these three were among the four below thirty years of age at the time of the 1878 Conference. The twelve ex officio lay representatives of 1878 had a median year of death of 1894. For the eighteen elected by the 1877 Conference, that median was 1904-5. Returning to the data for the full 239, ninety per cent had died before the end of 1913; seventy-five per cent before the end of 1907.

Using these data on dates of death, an attempt was made to obtain probate calendar information regarding the wealth-at-death of the 239. Entries were found for 228 of the 239 in the probate calendars for England and Wales, and Scotland, available on the Ancestry website. Of the remaining eleven, one (Edward Nicolls 1830-1900) died in Vancouver, where he had lived since 1889. If probate calendar information for British Columbia is publicly accessible, it should be possible to reduce the ‘missing’ eleven to ten.[15] Similarly, information from the Isle of Man and the Jersey probate jurisdictions might allow that figure to be reduced further, to eight.[16] Of those eight, it seems likely that the most common explanation of the absence of probate calendar entries is that their personal wealth-holdings at the time they died were too modest to warrant the costs of the required legal processes. The comments made below are based on treating all those eight as having had wealth-holdings of zero at the time they died.[17]

The probate calendar figures are for the ‘gross’ value of the person’s estate, meaning that any personal debt outstanding has not been deducted. This probably means that in some cases business debt may also not have been deducted, particularly for individuals operating small-scale enterprises without partners. For a summary of the principal features of probate valuations during this period, see: “Probate Valuations, A Tool for the Historian”, by William D. Rubinstein and Daniel Duman, Local Historian, Vol XI (1974), pp 68-71.

For the 236 lay representatives included in this segment of the study, the median wealth-at-death was just above £11,500. Fifty per cent of those 236 had wealth-at-death of between £3,750 and £50,000. Eighty per cent had between £800 and £150,000. These figures represent a ‘snapshot’ of the 236 centred upon the year 1898. As a starting point, it would seem reasonable to postulate that, other things being equal, the greater the number of years that had elapsed between 1878 and the year of the individual`s death, the smaller the likelihood that the individual’s wealth-at-death reflects an accurate indication of their level of wealth in 1878. On the other hand, the effects of financial shocks (either adverse or beneficial) can be ‘evened-out’ with the passage of time. But there are additional questions that should be considered. Firstly, did the individual’s death occur a significant time after their retirement? Over the years prior to retirement, one might expect to see most adults in full employment attempting to increase their wealth level (i.e. “saving for their retirement”). Secondly, where the individual did live for a significant period beyond their retirement date, what was their wealth-level at retirement? The lower that figure had been, the greater the statistical likelihood that the person’s wealth-level would run-down year-by-year post-retirement. The economics literature suggests that the strength of the motive for an individual to plan to leave bequests tends (ceteris paribus) to be greater the higher the wealth-level of the individual.[18] Thirdly, while it seems reasonable to argue that the years 1878 to 1914 represent a fairly homogeneous period in the broad sweep of British economic and social history, it is much more questionable to treat data from the World War I wartime years and the post-1918 period as being directly comparable with the pre-1914 data. Only three of our 236 lived beyond 1922, but the data for the twenty who died between 1915 and 1922 should also be treated with caution.

The caveats summarised above suggest that prior to stating with any great degree of confidence what the wealth-at-death data tell us about the socioeconomic profile of the 1878 lay representatives, one would want to see the results of statistical work which attempted to make systematic allowance for differences in age-at-death and year-of-death. Nevertheless, it is useful to look at the ‘raw’ data, as a preliminary step.

The twelve ex officio lay representatives at the 1878 Conference displayed substantially greater wealth-at-death than the 236 taken as a whole. While this itself is hardly surprising, the sheer size of the median wealth-at-death of this group does seem worthy of attention: £136,831. That is almost twelve times the median for the full 236 in the data set. Among the twelve, the lowest figure (“less than £25,000”) was that recorded for John Meek (1811-1879). Two others were in the £45,000 to £49,999 bracket, and the remaining nine all above £95,000. The two with the highest wealth-at-death figures were William Mewburn (1817-1900) with £477,589; and James Smith Budgett (1823-1906) with £208,533. William Mewburn was the father-in-law of Robert William Perks, his daughter Edith having married Perks in April 1878. Whilst that 1900 figure cannot be taken to mean that Mewburn was in 1878 the wealthiest of the 240 first cohort of lay representatives, other evidence indicates he was already very wealthy by 1878.[19]

Turning to the eighteen representatives elected by the 1877 Conference, the median wealth-at-death was £58,958: somewhat over 43 per cent of the median for the twelve ex officio representatives, but still more than five times the median for the full 236 in the data set. The dispersion of the figures for these eighteen seems to suggest a lesser degree of homogeneity than among the twelve ex officio representatives. At the top of the distribution was Isaac Holden (1807-1897) with a figure of £315,884. The lowest in the distribution was Samuel Budgett (1831-1904), with a figure of £66.10s. Samuel Budgett made an acknowledgement of insolvency in July 1892.[20] But he appears to have been in financial difficulties from the time he lost his Appeal in 1888 against the Chancery Court decision in the protracted, complex and high-profile case of Billing v. Brogden. Budgett had been appointed one of the three trustees of two trusts established by his father-in-law for the benefit of Budgett’s wife’s younger sister. His fellow trustees were his brothers-in-law, Alexander Brogden (1825-1892) and James Brogden (1832-1907). When Alexander and James filed for bankruptcy in 1884 it was revealed that the funds of the two trusts had been invested in their business ventures, in contravention of the stipulations of the trust deeds. Budgett provided evidence that he had protested about that on a number of occasions, but with his two fellow trustees ignoring his protests. The verdict in Billing v. Brogden was that as the sole remaining solvent trustee Budgett was liable to make full restitution of all the lost trust monies and also to pay all of the legal costs of the case.[21]

We have 206 observations in the wealth-at-death data set for the lay representatives elected at the May 1878 District meetings. The median for these representatives was £9,517. But in this category were two of the five representatives at the 1878 Conference whose wealth-at-death exceeded £250,000. These were Emerson Muschamp Bainbridge (1817-1892) with £407,715, and William Tunstill (1828-1903) with £333,869. A further four members of this category of the representatives left estates valued in the £200,000 to £249,999 bracket. A preliminary check was made as to whether the Districts entitled to elect smaller numbers of representatives to the Conference returned individuals displaying a different wealth-at-death profile compared with the representatives elected by the higher membership Districts. The median wealth-at-death of the 70 representatives in the data set elected by the Districts entitled to return six representatives or fewer to the Conference was £5,932. Of those 70 representatives 75 per cent left estates of below £10,000. Among the 136 elected by the fourteen higher-membership districts, the proportion leaving estates below £10,000 was much lower: 39.7 per cent. These figures seem to suggest this is a matter it would be interesting to pursue further.

Whereas the wealth-at-death figures are giving us information that dates in most cases from many years after the 1878 Conference was held, the occupational status data we have are affected by a time-bias in the opposite direction. The biographical sketches published in the Methodist Recorder in July/August 1878 provide in most cases a few words about the occupation from which the individual earned their living, or from which the individual had earned their living prior to retirement from remunerative employment. In some cases the occupation cited is prefixed by the word “retired”. But it seems clear that for many of those who are known from other sources to have retired from remunerative employment prior to 1878, this fact is not mentioned in the sketches. The present study attempts to sidestep this issue by simply ignoring the word “retired” where it appears in the Methodist Recorder sketches and treating the information from that source as being: “occupation in 1878, or occupation most recently held”. Data compatible with that definition was sought for the lay representatives not covered by the Methodist Recorder sketches, using other sources, principally contemporary newspaper reports and census records.

The Appendix provides occupational status data thus defined for 236 of the 240 lay representatives. The missing four are Thomas Briggs and three men who appear to have been without remunerated employment, either in 1878 or before: William Shepherd Allen (1831-1915); Samuel Rathbone Edge (1848-1936); and George Steward Hazlehurst (1850-1918). All three were of “independent means”, in the sense of having sufficient inherited wealth to be able to choose whether or not to engage in income-generating employment. In August 1878, Allen had been Member of Parliament for Newcastle-under-Lyme for a continuous period stretching back to 1865. He was one of only five of the 240 representatives to be serving MPs at the time of the Conference – the other four combining this non-remunerated occupation with a continued engagement in professional or private business activities.[22] Hazlehurst, as noted earlier, was the youngest of the 240 representatives. He was the sole surviving son of Thomas Hazlehurst (c1818-1876), a soap and alkali manufacturer in Runcorn, who had donated about £60,000 towards the erection of Wesleyan Methodist chapels during the last twelve years of his life.[23] Thomas had been an equal partner in the business with his younger brother Charles, but appears to have retired from active participation in the firm`s management. Upon Thomas`s death, Charles became “the sole member of the firm of Hazlehurst and Sons”.[24] Samuel Rathbone Edge was the only son of Stephen Edge (1817-1885), a corn merchant. Samuel was a graduate of Oxford University (M.A. conferred 1875) and became an MP shortly after the 1878 Conference concluded, winning a by-election held on 23 August 1878.

Only two of the lay representatives at the 1878 Conference fit the description “government employee”. A further ten appear to have worked in employee status for private sector employers, although in two of these cases their “employer” may have been an entity which they in effect owned and controlled. The remaining 224 in our data set can be divided into two broad categories: self-employed professionals working on a fee-for-service basis (34); and owner-operators of private sector business enterprises (190).

Looking at those in employee status first: the two government employees were John Ainsworth (1817-1895), an officer of the Inland Revenue, and Samuel Hicks (1823-1916) who was Clerk and Steward to the Cornwall County Lunatic Asylum. In the private sector there was one manager of a railway company, three bank managers and six employed in educational institutions. That ‘educator’ group included Thomas George Osborn (1843-1910), headmaster of Kingswood, Thomas Sibly (1813-1892), headmaster of the Wesleyan College at Taunton, and William Sugden (1819-1881), headmaster of the Wesleyan Training College at Westminster.[25]

Solicitors and barristers formed the largest single sub-category of self-employed professionals. There were two barristers and fourteen solicitors. Among the latter were Robert William Perks and his senior partner Henry Fowler (1830-1911).[26] There were six accountants, six architects, four engineers and two medical professionals.

Attempting to provide a meaningful breakdown of the 190 owner-operators of private sector business enterprises is a more daunting task. As a first step we can try to distinguish among the various enterprises in terms of the traditional broad categories of industry. Even here there are frequent cases of two types of enterprise being reported for an individual and the pair falling into different broad categories. This problem is accentuated when one tries to go deeper and sub-divide into narrower categories. I have identified sixteen of our 190 as operating in the primary production sector, 65 in manufacturing, eight in building and construction, and the remaining 101 in the services sector. The primary producers comprise ten recorded as either farmers, nurserymen or seed growers; plus six recorded as colliery owners.

Almost two-thirds of those in the manufacturing sector operated businesses which I have termed “textiles, clothing and footwear” (41 out of 65). I have included in this sub-category glove-makers, umbrella-makers and hat manufacturers. One of the remaining 24, William Phillips (1817-1898), was a brewer and maltster. He was one of those representatives not to have a biographical sketch in any of the five Methodist Recorder articles. Ten of the representatives operated businesses in the metals area; in addition to which one was a manufacturer of locks and safes, viz George Hayter Chubb. Six were in chemicals-manufacturing, three in the making of building materials, and one each in coach-building, glass bottles and biscuit making.

Of the 101 representatives in the broad category of owner-operators of services sector enterprises, two were shipowners, five were in the financial sector, and one was a “house and estate agent”. All of the remaining 93 appear to have been principally employed in the operation of businesses in the retail and wholesale trade sectors. But the available descriptors make it difficult in many cases to distinguish between retailers and wholesalers or between small-to-medium scale enterprises and large-scale enterprises. In 35 cases the word “merchant” is stressed as the person’s occupation, which may indicate wholesale trade on a reasonably large scale.

I conclude this section with a brief word on the possibility of attempting to re-construct the occupation data so as to focus on the occupation in which the individual was employed for the bulk of their pre-1878 working life. That would lead to a rather interesting outcome in the case of James Daniel (1839-1896). He was ordained a Wesleyan Minister in 1860 and served on the usual basis up to his appointment by the 1874 Conference (renewed by the 1875 Conference) as a supernumerary minister. At some time during 1875-76 he retired from the ministry. This alternative definition of “occupation” would thus result in James Daniel being recorded as a Wesleyan Minister. As far as I am currently aware, this is the sole instance of this among the 240.

III       R.W. Perks and the Methodist Recorder Articles

In May 1887, Perks carried out one of the earliest examples of modern political opinion polling. An account of this exercise formed part of David Bebbington’s 1984 paper, “Nonconformity and Electoral Sociology, 1867-1918”.[27] To summarise: In April 1887, Lord Salisbury’s Unionist government published a Coercion Bill to restore order in Ireland, denounced by Gladstonian Liberals as representing a policy of repression. George Hayter Chubb had a letter published in The Times supporting the government and asserting that a large majority of Wesleyans supported the Coercion Bill.[28] Perks set out to demonstrate that Chubb was wrong in that assertion, by carrying out a statistical survey of the views of his fellow Wesleyan laymen on the issue. To quote Bebbington:

The group that Perks chose to circularise consisted of the laymen who had been elected to the Wesleyan Conference [from the 1878 Conference to that of 1886]. The sample was of a good size, rather over one thousand in number. … Their views as laymen were more representative of the mass of denominational opinion than those of ministers, whose attitudes to public issues were more often canvassed during this period. … The sample was representative in another sense, for it covered the whole nation.[29]

Over 900 of those circularised by Perks responded, and 69 per cent of those stated they were prepared to sign a petition against the Coercion Bill. Perks drafted a summary of the results of the survey. This was printed and copies posted out to all the laymen on Perks’s address list on. Copies were also forwarded to newspapers and to Reuter’s Agency. On 3 June 1887, this circular was reproduced in full in The Times.[30]

In order for him to be able to conduct his postal opinion poll in this time frame, it seems clear that Perks must have had at hand, an address list for all the Wesleyan laymen who had served as lay representatives at the nine Wesleyan Conferences held between 1878 and 1886, probably in the form of a card index. In the construction of such a card index, the five “biographical sketches” articles published in the Methodist Recorder in July/August 1878 would have represented a useful starting point. That leads to a question I believe to be an interesting one: might Perks have been the writer (or a co-writer) of those five Methodist Recorder articles? And, if so, might Perks’s 1887 card index have started its life as the card index used to facilitate the writing of those articles?

The biography of Perks published in 1909 stated that during the period Perks was training to become a solicitor, he had supported himself financially by working as a freelance journalist:

It was now that his training in essay writing under Dr Brewer [at King’s College] stood him in good stead; for during the next four years he received no remuneration and had perforce to support himself by journalism. … The young law student was possessed of a crisp, epigrammatic style, which he was now able to turn to good account in articles and reviews contributed to various newspapers. … During each of these strenuous years, he calculates, he earned in this way fully two hundred pounds.[31]

In his posthumously published “Notes for an Autobiography”, Perks provided confirmation to this passage, albeit with a more plausible figure for his annual earnings from this early journalistic work.

To Dr Brewer, the Lecturer in English History and Literature, I owe more than I can ever express. He was with John Morley, then the Joint Editor of the Pall Mall Gazette. Every week he made me write a short article on some current subject of the day – political, economic, or social. This habit, or art, proved in days to come a most valuable acquisition, for it enabled me subsequently for three years, during the time I was a law clerk, to earn £100 to £150 a year by writing for the Reviews and the Press.[32]

In an article published in 1906, Perks wrote: “in my younger days I was a frequent writer for the London Quarterly Review, the Watchman newspaper, and the Methodist Recorder.[33]

It seems unlikely that by 1878 there was any remaining pecuniary imperative for Perks to maintain his ‘sideline’ as a journalist. But it is possible that he continued to produce pieces for newspaper publication from time to time, particularly where the subject was one he felt strongly about and viewed as deserving a boosted level of publicity. And we know that Perks had a powerful motive for wanting to see the inauguration of lay representation at the Wesleyan Conference lauded as a major achievement and a successful one: namely his love for his father.

Perks’s father, the Rev. George Thomas Perks, President of the Wesleyan Conference in 1873, had died in May 1877 at the age of 57. He had been a strong supporter of the campaign for lay representation at the Conference. He was one of the ministerial members of the “mixed committee” which met in London in June 1876 and settled the principal features of the scheme put to the 1876 Conference.[34] He was held in high esteem across the Wesleyan Connexion. The May 1878 election of R.W. Perks at the top of the poll, for representatives of the First London District at the 1878 Conference, may well have been influenced by the high regard for G.T. Perks felt among those voting.

On 20 May 1878, a few days after that poll had been held, Dr James Harrison Rigg (who in July was elected President of the 1878 Conference) chaired the second convention of “The Metropolitan Union of Wesleyan Methodist Literary and Mutual Improvement Associations” at the Centenary Hall. In his opening address, Rigg was applauded when he praised the Union’s “excellent secretary Mr R.W. Perks” (who was beside him on the platform). Dr Rigg went on to say:

It was gratifying to know that Mr Perks had during the past week been elected by the district to which he belonged to represent them at the Conference to be held in Bradford next July. It was a very promising augury when one of the young men of the Church received such an expression of the confidence not only of the younger but also of the elder amongst his lay brethren (Applause). He trusted that was but the beginning of a course of public life and service in connection with the institutions of Methodism which would be prolonged for many years and be increasingly bright and successful. He could not help thinking that if his honoured father and his beloved friend the late Rev. G.T. Perks had been permitted to live to that hour, nothing perhaps in his whole family history would have given him so much joy and pleasure as his son’s election last week.[35]

It is hard to miss the element of challenge among those words. And it seems likely that other friends and admirers of G.T. Perks would have been expressing similar sentiments at this time. All of those Wesleyan laymen elected to represent their Districts at the 1878 Conference were no doubt eager to play their part in making the introduction of lay representation a success. But in the case of R.W. Perks, the degree of that eagerness may have been particularly high. And he may have decided to volunteer his talents in the field of journalism towards that goal. A series of biographical sketches published in the Methodist Recorder would help the representatives to get to know one-another more rapidly in Bradford. At the same time it would serve to lift awareness among the broader readership of the Methodist Recorder and beyond. If Perks did volunteer to write (or co-write) such a series of articles, his track-record in journalism would have enhanced the probability of his offer being accepted, particularly if it were made on a zero-fee basis.

Do I have any evidence to support this speculation (or ‘hypothesis’)? The answer, I have to admit, is ‘virtually none’. But I think the five Methodist Recorder articles themselves provide two small scraps. Firstly there is the way in which the three youngest of the 240 lay representatives are described in the articles. None of the three appear in either of the first two of the articles.[36] Hazlehurst is covered in the third article (30 July 1878) which describes him as “one of the youngest laymen elected to the Mixed Conference” but does not give his age. Chubb appears in the fourth article (6 August 1878) which gives his year of birth, 1848, and adds “with two exceptions is the youngest layman returned to the Mixed Conference”. Perks also appears in that fourth article, which gives his year of birth as 1849 but makes no further comment on his age. The writer of these articles was clearly aware that Perks was one of the two representatives younger than Chubb but chose not to comment on that fact. This strikes me as compatible with Perks being the writer. Secondly, there is a statement in the 26 July article commenting on the scarcity of men aged below 40 among those representatives covered in the first two sets of biographical sketches.

“[This] will strike terror to the heart of the gentleman who, signing himself ‘A Member of the Methodist Left’ wrote to the Spectator a few years ago to say the minds of Methodists become stereotyped at 40”.

I think that suggests the writer of the Methodist Recorder articles was significantly below the age of 40, but sufficiently self-confident to risk the introduction of a touch of humour. For the present, my speculation that it was Perks who was the writer (or co-writer) of these five Methodist Recorder articles is no more than an hypothesis. Where personal papers of lay representatives who attended the 1878 Conference have survived, it is possible that these might contain information about who contacted them regarding the proposed preparation of biographical sketches for the MR.

Concluding Remarks

The May 1878 Wesleyan District Meetings were in many cases the subject of reports in local newspapers. In a number of cases these reports contain information on the voting for the Conference representatives, such as the number of candidates nominated, and the number of votes cast for each of the successful candidates. This type of information helps shed further light on a statement made by H.H. Fowler in June 1877 after a proposed increase in the lay membership of District Meetings had been voted down. According to Dr Wellings:

Fowler declared in disgust that ‘their provision for lay representation had shrivelled down to the merest shred, with which he would never be satisfied, nor would the Connexion.’[37]

Under the ground rules set by the Conference for the conduct of these District elections, voting was restricted to those laymen entitled to attend the District meetings – circuit stewards plus District-level treasurers of the principal Connexional common funds. The pool of laymen eligible to be nominated was broader.

Any trustee of Connexional property, local preacher, member of a quarterly meeting or of the district committee may be nominated provided he has been a member of the society for the last 5 years and at the time of nomination is a member within the boundary of the district he is nominated to represent.[38]

Each voter was allotted a number of votes equal to the total number of representatives (n) their District was entitled to elect to the Conference. The voter was not permitted to cast more than one vote for any given nominated candidate and was free to abstain from using all of his votes if that was his wish. After the votes had been counted, the n candidates who had received the highest numbers of votes were declared elected.[39]

For sixteen of the Districts we have figures for the total number of candidates nominated. I have not seen any newspaper reports of uncontested District elections, although in the case of the election of the Isle of Man’s sole lay representative at the Conference, it was reported that William Shimmin had been “elected unanimously”, which may mean his was the only nomination.[40] If we assume the sixteen Districts we have figures for constitute a reasonably representative sample of the total 33, it would follow that more than 420 nominated candidates contested the May 1878 District elections for lay representatives to the August 1878 Wesleyan Conference.[41]

Liverpool’s was the only District election for which we have a newspaper report giving the number of laymen who were present and voted. That figure was 69.[42] But for four other Districts we have reports of the votes cast for each of the unsuccessful candidates as well as for each of the successful ones. In these cases, by adding up the total number of votes cast and dividing by the number of votes each voter was allocated, we can estimate the number of laymen voting in that election. The results of this exercise are: 42 voters in the election for the Newcastle District; 48 voters for the North Wales District election; 31 voters for the Portsmouth District; and 39 voters for the Whitby&Darlington District. For three further Districts a means is available for calculating a rough upper-bound for the number of voters participating in the elections. This consists of looking at how many votes in total would have been cast if each and every unsuccessful candidate had received just one vote short of the number received by the least well-supported successful candidate in that District. Pairing the results of this exercise with the lower-bound figures evident from the votes received by the candidate who topped the poll, we can say that in the Bristol District the number of voters was somewhere between 43 and 56; in the Sheffield District between 17 and 19; and also in South Wales between 17 and 19.[43] Putting together the various figures given here, it would seem reasonable to estimate that a total of between 306 and 323 laymen participated in the elections held for 51 lay representatives in 8 out of the overall 33 Districts. Simply scaling that estimate up by a multiple of 4.12 would give a total of between 1,260 and 1,615 participating voters in the elections for the full 210 District-elected representatives.[44]

As noted above, one of the requirements for eligibility to be nominated for election in these May 1878 District elections was that at the time of nomination the nominee needed to be “a member of the society … within the boundary of the district he is nominated to represent.” Had the marriage of R.W. Perks to Edith Mewburn been timed for a few weeks earlier than was in fact the case, this might have caused complications for Perks being elected to attend the 1878 Conference.

Edith Mewburn celebrated her 21^st birthday on 1 July 1875, and not long after this her father gave his consent to it being announced that she and Perks were engaged to be married. The diaries of John Hartley Perks (1841-1912), a cousin of R.W. Perks, are held at Wolverhampton Archives. The entry for 20 November 1875 reads: “… Robert W. Perks writes me he is engaged to Miss Mewburn of Banbury.”[45] The marriage took place in Banbury on 24 April 1878. Up to that point, Perks was living with his mother, and three of his younger siblings at 9 Leigh Road, Highbury, the house his father had bought after being appointed General Secretary of the Foreign Missionary Society in 1867. Perks was a member in the Highbury circuit of the Wesleyan Connexion, in the London First District. During the period of his engagement to Edith, Perks bought a house in Lubbock Road, Chislehurst, Kent, and the couple made arrangements to enable them to move into that house after their wedding. Chislehurst was in the London Second District.

Following their wedding, Perks and Edith went to Ventnor on the Isle of Wight for their honeymoon, which lasted ten days.[46] They would therefore have moved into their new home in Chislehurst on about 4 May 1878, eleven days prior to the date on which nominations were due to be lodged for the elections of lay representatives for the two London Districts. That seems too short a period of residence in Chislehurst to render Perks an ‘electable’ candidate for the London Second District, despite his good standing and credentials. On the other hand, eleven days was probably a short enough period for it not to raise eyebrows that Perks had not severed his membership links in the Highbury circuit. But if the wedding date had been set for just a few weeks earlier, might the situation have been more complex? For the record, the May 1879 elections for lay representatives to the 1879 W.M. Conference saw Perks elected to represent the London Second District. The 1879 Conference Minutes suggest that he came fourth in the polling.[47]

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[1]           Proceedings of the Wesleyan Historical Society, Volume 53, May 2001, pp 25-37.

[2]           ibid, p 25.

[3]        ibid, pp 36-7. The two Methodist Recorder (MR) articles were published 23 July 1878, pp 412-3 and 26 July 1878, p 421.

[4]        Clive D. Field, “Perks, Sir Robert William, first baronet”, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2004. (This is a revised version of the original DNB entry on Perks written by O.A. Rattenbury for the 1931-1940 Supplement Volume.)

[5]        Methodist Recorder 30 July 1878, p 438 (50 names); 6 August 1878, p 463; 13 August 1878, p 489.

[6]        Robert Alcock, who appeared in both of the last two articles.

[7]           See Martin Wellings, op. cit. p. 36.

[8]           The District of Zetland did not have a lay representative at the 1878 Conference.

[9]        For details see the Appendix: entries 31&32, 62&63, and 157&158 (for the fathers and sons); and entries 29&30, 40&41, 71&72, 98&99, 136&137, 141&142, 169&170, and 206&207 (for the pairs of brothers).

[10]       See Appendix entries 59&60 and 69&70 (for the uncles/nephews); and 35&67, 52&96, 72&97, 147&166, and 171&207 (for the fathers-in-law/sons-in-law).

[11]          Isaac Holden (see Appendix entry 104).

[12]          See Appendix entries 5&18, 8&29, 8&107, 31&132, 61&210, and 210&239.

[13]          See, for example, Appendix entries 37&147 and 92&167.

[14]          See Appendix entries 5,83,171, and 61.

[15]       Nicolls was a solicitor, and in September 1881 was adjudicated bankrupt. He attributed his failure to losses incurred in the promotion of railway projects (Cornish and Devon Post, 8 Sept 1888, p 2). Nicolls was struck-off the solicitors’ roll for Britain, but in 1890 passed the necessary examinations to permit him to practice in Vancouver (Vancouver Daily World, 6 Dec 1890, p 1). Later he branched out, becoming “a real estate and mining broker”. His obituary in the Victoria Daily Times, 21 Sept 1900, p 7, described him as “a highly respected citizen”.

[16]       William Shimmin (1830-1894) was born in Liverpool, but his family were living in Ramsey by late 1833 and he spent the rest of his life as a resident of the Isle of Man. For one of the two Channel Islands representatives, we do have an England and Wales probate record (see Appendix entry 86). But for Charles Gallie (1832-1878) of Jersey, we do not.

[17]       The eight referred to were: Thomas Bateson (1833-1909), Thomas Chrispin (1832-1901); John Richardson Cossons (1833-1913); Moses Emanuel Farwell (1841-1914); Francis Wyatt Gedye (1834-1913); John Lake (1818-1909); Tom Milburn (1832-1921); and Thomas Trew (1829-1912). We know that the business enterprises of both Lake and Milburn had got into difficulties. Milburn was adjudicated bankrupt in 1892, and Lake’s family company was put into liquidation in 1898. Cossons and Farwell had ended their business careers under happier circumstances, both having made the decision to become Wesleyan ministers.

[18]       For an interesting discussion of “the bequest motive”, see the Spring 1988 special issue of the prestigious Journal of Economic Perspectives.

[19]       In 1878 William Mewburn was the largest shareholder in the South Eastern Railway Company and played a crucial role in helping Sir Edward Watkin retain the chairmanship of that company. For more on this and on Mewburn’s other business activities at this time see Owen E. Covick, “Watkin’s Struggle at the S.E.R. Board 1876-79, and R.W. Perks”, published as an e-supplement to the Journal of the Railway and Canal Historical Society, 2019.

[20]       Samuel Budgett’s son Samuel Arnold Budgett stated this during his own examination in the London Bankruptcy Court. See Liverpool Mercury, 16 March 1893, p 8.

[21]       See The Times, 10 August 1887, p 3; and 9 May 1888, p 4. One of the three Appeal Court judges expressed his belief that Budgett “had acted throughout in perfect good faith”.

[22]       Those four were the two McArthur brothers, John Creemer Clarke, and Samuel Danks Waddy. All of the five were Liberals.

[23]       Warrington Examiner, 22 July 1876, p 3. This obituary stated that his liberality “earned for him the title of a prince of Methodism”. He left an estate of “under £80,000”.

[24]       Liverpool Weekly Courier, 21 December 1878, p 7.

[25]       For the other educators see Appendix entries 81,176 and 196. For the railway company manager see entry 33; and for the bank managers see entries 14,94 and 181.

[26]       A number of sources (including the DMBI website at the time of writing) cite Perks as having become a partner of Fowler’s in 1876. This error seems to date back to the original DNB entry for Perks written by O.A. Rattenbury. Fowler and Perks were already in partnership, with offices at 147 Leadenhall St, London, by November 1875 when the required notice was published for the Methodist Conference Bill for the 1876 session of Parliament (see London Gazette, 23 November 1875, pp 5836-7). Other legal documents indicate that the partnership was already in existence by early June 1875 (see Owen E. Covick, “R.W. Perks: From ‘Son of the Manse’ to ‘Man of the City’”, Paper presented to the 2009 Conference of the Association of Business Historians, footnote 55).

[27]       D.W. Bebbington, “Nonconformity and Electoral Sociology, 1867-1918”, The Historical Journal, Vol. 27 (1984), pp 633-656.

[28]          The Times, 14 April 1887, p 3.

[29]       D.W. Bebbington, op. cit., p 642. Bebbington added: “in another respect the group was unrepresentative … Those chosen to attend Conference had to be free from work in order to stay for at least a week in a distant town, and so were almost always men of means – often men of considerable means like Perks and Chubb themselves. They were commonly businessmen and professionals, the top social grade in the denomination.”

[30]       The Times, 3 June 1887, p 5. It was prefaced: “Through Reuter’s Agency: The Wesleyans and the Crimes Bill.”

[31]       Denis Crane, The Life Story of Sir Robert W. Perks, Baronet, M.P., Robert Culley, London, 1909, p 56. “Denis Crane” was the penname of Walter Thomas Cranfield (1874-1946) who himself had turned to freelance journalism following being “compelled to resign from the ministry” [Primitive Methodist] in 1905, through ill health. (London Daily Times, 23 May 1905, p 3; and Denis Crane, Journalism as a Career, Isaac Pitman, London, 1930, p 67). Although Cranfield refers to the period that Perks was in training to become a solicitor as “four years”, it was in fact five years (see footnote 32).

[32]       R.W. Perks, Sir Robert William Perks, Baronet, The Epworth Press, London, 1936, pp 49-50. Further into page 50, Perks states “[I] was articled for three years to a well-known old City firm [of solicitors]”. That is true, but when three years had passed and Perks had not completed his London University B.A., it was necessary for him to continue as an articled clerk for a further two years in order to meet the requirements of the Incorporated Law Society. Perks performed well in the first round of his B.A. examinations (see Morning Post, 2 September 1870, p. 2) but appears never to have sat for the finals.

[33]       R.W. Perks, “My Methodist Life”, Wesleyan Methodist Magazine, Vol CXXIX (1906), pp 94-98; p 97.

[34]       Methodist Recorder, 16 June 1876, pp 339-346.

[35]       Methodist Recorder, 24 May 1878, p. 301.

[36]       The fourth youngest, Samuel Rathbone Edge, was one of those not to have a biographical sketch appear in any of the five articles.

[37]          Martin Wellings, op. cit., p. 36.

[38]       Birmingham Daily Post, 16 May 1878, p. 8.

[39]       The rules set by the Conference did permit Districts to opt for “the single vote alternative”, but the system described here appears to have been that employed in all the District elections for which we have detailed information.

[40]          See Isle of Man Times, 25 May 1878, p. 4.

[41]       Across the sixteen Districts we have data for there were 241 nominations for 117 positions: a ratio of 2.06 to 1.

[42]          Liverpool Mercury, 16 May 1878, p. 6.

[43]          We have “lower-bound” only figures for Cornwall (33), and Bristol (36).

[44]       The multiple 4.12 is arrived at by dividing 210 by 51. Using the figures for the number of Districts in the sample would result in a multiplier only marginally greater (4.125).

[45]       Wolverhampton Archives, DX-327/2/7.

[46]       Daily News (London), 24 April 1928, p. 9.

[47]       See 1879 W.M. Conference Minutes, p. 195. One of those who polled higher than Perks was T.P. Bunting who had attended the 1878 Conference as one of the 18 representatives elected by the 1877 Conference.

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Appendix

The Lay Representatives

This Appendix lists all 240 of the lay representatives at the 1878 W.M. Conference in alphabetical order. And an “entry number” has been allotted to each. The title “Sir” is given here only in the two cases for which this title was appropriate as at August 1878. Other titles (such as “Alderman” or “Councillor”) have been omitted. Five pieces of information are given for each representative:

• Year of birth (plus additional detail where this has been found in reliable sources);
• Whether an ex officio representative or elected (plus, if the latter, the “constituency” elected by);
• Date of death;
• Wealth at death (taken from Probate Calendars, and rounded to the nearest £); and
• Occupation (see text for sources and “definition”).

Where family connections between the lay representatives have been identified these are noted at the end of the relevant entries. Connections through marriage as noted here only if the relevant marriage took place prior to the 1878 W.M. Conference.

1	John Ainsworth Born March 1817              baptised 3 August 1817 One of seven representatives elected for Macclesfield District Died 9 March 1895 Wealth at death: £2,170 Inland Revenue Officer
2	Robert Alcock Born 1831 One of seven representatives elected for Nottingham and Derby District Died 22 November 1909 Wealth at death: £6,805 Hosiery Manufacturer
3	Edward Allen Born 11 September 1813    baptised 12 September 1813 One of five representatives elected for Lincoln District Died 9 August 1878 (at Bradford, during the Conference) Wealth at death: “less than £25,000” Grocer
4	William Shepherd Allen Born 22 June 1831 One of 18 representatives elected by 1877 W.M. Conference Died 15 January 1915 Does not appear to have had a remunerative occupation Wealth at death: £99,681
5	Thomas Andrew Born 1819                         baptised 17 December 1819 One of three representatives elected for Swansea District Died 17 September 1878 Wealth at death: “less than £4,000” Ironmonger and Brick Manufacturer His sister Mary was married to Samuel Bevan (entry 18)
6	Thomas Andrew Born 1831 One of five representatives elected for Exeter District Died 14 September 1902 Wealth at Death: £4,280 High Bailiff of Exeter County Court and Accountant
7	Thomas Argyle Born 1815                         baptised 5 March 1815 One of seven representatives elected for Nottingham and Derby District Died 9 August 1898 Wealth at death: £9,114 Solicitor
8	Henry John Atkinson Born circa 1828                 baptised 7 May 1828 One of 18 representatives elected by 1877 W.M. Conference Died 2 March 1913 Wealth at death: £41,012 Shipowner Was a brother-in-law of James Smith Budgett (entry 29), their wives being sisters. His first wife (who died in 1863) was a sister of Thomas Barton Holmes (entry 107)
9	Henry Avis Born 1818                         baptised 2 August 1818 One of 15 representatives elected for London Second District Died 6 February 1893 Wealth at death: £11,194 Solicitor
10	Emerson Muschamp Bainbridge Born 25 August 1817         One of six representatives elected for Newcastle District Died 21 February 1892 Wealth at death: £407,715 Draper
11	Abraham Barlow Born circa 1823 One of eight representatives elected for Bolton District Died 2 November 1885 Wealth at death: £45,005 Bleacher, Dyer and Finisher
12	James Barlow Born 23 April 1821 One of 18 representatives elected by 1877 W.M. Conference Died 16 August 1887 Wealth at death: £150,410 Cotton Spinner and Manufacturer
13	Thomas Barnsley Born 1831 One of 11 representatives elected for Birmingham and Shrewsbury District Died 20 June 1909 Wealth at death: £79,972 Contractor
14	Charles Bassett Born 1818                         baptised 14 September 1818 One of eight representatives elected for Bristol District Died 1 April 1887 Wealth at death: £3,076 Bank Manager
15	Thomas Bateson Born 1833                         baptised 23 June 1833 One of three representatives elected for Carlisle District Died 12 June 1909 No Probate Calendar entry found Pharmaceutical Chemist
16	George Bazeley Born 17 September 1826 One of four representatives elected for Cornwall District Died 27 November 1886 Wealth at death: £20,468 Merchant
17	John Beauchamp Born 1829 One of 12 representatives elected for London First District Died 21 December 1890 Wealth at death: £18,460 Saddler and Ironmonger
18	Samuel Bevan Born circa 1817 One of three representatives elected for Swansea District Died 22 December 1904 Wealth at death: £9,970 Ironmonger Was married to a sister of Thomas Andrew (entry 5)
19	Henry Blundell Born 31 January 1834 One of six representatives elected for Bedford and Northampton District Died 29 January 1907 Wealth at death: £82,901 Straw Hat Manufacturer and Draper
20	Samuel Bobby Born 1829 One of four representatives elected for Norwich and Kings Lynn District Died 24 November 1908 Wealth at death: £3,951 Silk Mercer and Draper
21	William Botterill Born 1820                         baptised 18 March 1820 One of seven representatives elected for Hull District Died 2 April 1903 Wealth at death: £22,767 Architect and Surveyor
22	Henry Richard Bowers Born circa 1821                 baptised 13 July 1821 One of 13 representatives elected for Liverpool District Died 20 May 1902 Wealth at death: £13,889 Brick and Tile Manufacturer
23	Matthew Braithwaite Born 1824                         baptised 13 September 1824 One of five representatives elected for Whitby and Darlington District Died 8 March 1904 Wealth at death: £2,488 Printer, Bookseller and Stationer
24	John Brewer Born 1827                         baptised 17 May 1827 One of 11 representatives elected for Birmingham and Shrewsbury District Died 13 April 1896 Wealth at death: £14,982 Timber Merchant
25	Ralph Bower Brierley Born circa 1826                 baptised 28 December 1826 One of 11 representatives elected for Manchester District Died 4 December 1895 Wealth at death: £193 Shipping Merchant
26	Thomas Briggs Year of birth not known One of 11 representatives elected for Manchester District Date of death not known No Probate Calendar entry found Occupation not known
27	Samuel Brown Born 1838 One of six representatives elected for Bedford and Northampton District Died 21 March 1899 Wealth at death: £8,732 Farmer
28	Joshua Bryant Born 26 October 1822       baptised 28 October 1822 One of five representatives elected for Lincoln District Died 3 June 1893 Wealth at death: £1,940 Draper
29	James Smith Budgett Born 20 May 1823             baptised 15 June 1823 Was an ex officio representative (as Treasurer of the W.M. Missionary Society) Died 10 February 1906 Wealth at death: £208,533 Wholesale Provision Merchant Was a brother-in-law of Henry John Atkinson (entry 8), their wives being sisters. Was brother of Samuel Budgett (entry 30)
30	Samuel Budgett Born 3 May 1831 One of 18 representatives elected by 1877 W.M. Conference Died 26 December 1904 Wealth at death: £67 Wholesale Provision Merchant Was brother of James Smith Budgett (entry 29)
31	Percy William Bunting Born 1 February 1836 One of 12 representatives elected for London First District Died 22 July 1911 Wealth at death: £8,117 Barrister Son of Thomas Percival Bunting (entry 32). His wife was a sister of George Lidgett (entry 132)
32	Thomas Percival Bunting Born 19 October 1810 One of 18 representatives elected by 1877 W.M. Conference Died 16 December 1885 Wealth at death: £258 Solicitor Father of Percy William Bunting (entry 31) His sister was stepmother of George Hayter Chubb (entry 35)
33	Henry Cattle Born 1830                         baptised 4 February 1831 One of 13 representatives elected for Liverpool District Died 13 June 1905 Wealth at death: £3,660 Manager of Cambrian Railway
34	Thomas Chrispin Born 1832                         baptised 13 March 1832 One of 13 representatives elected for Halifax and Bradford District Died 15 November 1901 No Probate Calendar entry found Ironmonger
35	George Hayter Chubb Born 29 August 1848 One of 15 representatives elected for London Second District Died 7 November 1946 Wealth at death: £82,366 Lock and Safe Manufacturer Was son-in-law of Charles Early (entry 67) His stepmother was a sister of Thomas Percival Bunting (entry 32)
36	Robert Monk Church Born 25 June 1817 One of four representatives elected for Portsmouth District Died 18 May 1890 Wealth at death: £28,890 Gas Engineer
37	John Creemer Clarke Born 30 May 1821 One of four representatives elected for Oxford District Died 11 February 1895 Wealth at death: £86,662 Manufacturing Clothier A daughter of his was married to the son of William Mewburn (entry 147)
38	Robert Cleminson Born circa 1826                 baptised 30 July 1826 One of seven representatives elected for Macclesfield District Died 6 January 1893 Wealth at death: £5,883 Land Agent and Surveyor
39	Robert Clough Born circa 1832                 baptised 22 April 1832 One of 13 representatives elected for Halifax and Bradford District Died 18 June 1911 Wealth at death: £49,370 Worsted Spinner and Manufacturer
40	Skelton Cole Born circa 1827                 Baptised 27 February 1827 One of 18 representatives elected by 1877 W.M. Conference Died 3 April 1896 Wealth at death: £17,293 Draper Was brother of Thomas Cole (entry 41)
41	Thomas Coles Born 1824                         baptised 27 June 1824 One of seven representatives elected for Sheffield District Died 8 November 1902 Wealth at death: £129,243 Draper Was brother of Skelton Cole (entry 40)
42	Joseph Mawer Collingham Born 21 October 1832       baptised 5 January 1833 One of five representatives elected for Lincoln District Died 29 March 1902 Wealth at death: £109,435 Draper
43	Joseph Cook Born 22 November 1827    baptised 25 December 1827 One of 13 representatives elected for Liverpool District Died 22 November 1884 Wealth at death: £21,681 Iron-founder and Engineer
44	William Cook Born 29 February 1832 One of seven representatives elected for Hull District Died 27 February 1921 Wealth at death: £5 Ironmonger
45	John Cooper Born circa 1828                 baptised 4 June 1828 One of 11 representatives elected for Manchester District Died 15 February 1916 Wealth at death: £2,705 Solicitor
46	Richard Corner Born 1816 One of five representatives elected for Exeter District Died 16 March 1885 Wealth at death: £7,286 Yeoman farmer
47	John Richardson Cossons Born 29 April 1833            baptised 28 July 1833 One of four representatives elected for Norwich and King’s Lynn District Died 1913 (registered June quarter in Suffolk) No Probate Calendar entry found Draper and Clothier
48	Thomas William Baynton Cox Born 1823                         baptised 16 November 1823 One of four representatives elected for Bath District Died 7 September 1905 Wealth at death: £5,940 Grocer and Provision Merchant
49	John Coy Born 12 April 1826 One of seven representatives elected for Nottingham and Derby District Died 16 January 1905 Wealth at death: £21,479 Draper
50	Elias Crapper Born 11 September 1807    baptised 18 October 1807 One of 11 representatives elected for Birmingham and Shrewsbury District Died 18 April 1885 Wealth at death: £3,023 Colliery Owner
51	Thomas Dale Born 6 June 1824              baptised 1 July 1824 One of 13 representatives elected for Liverpool District Died 16 February 1890 Wealth at death: £4,489 Physician and Surgeon
52	James Daniel Born 26 May 1839             baptised 29 September 1839 One of six representatives elected for Bedford and Northampton District Died 8 February 1896 Wealth at death: £5,631 Farmer and Seed grower Was son-in-law of Richard Haworth (entry 96)
53	William Davidge Born 15 May 1821             baptised 13 June 1821 One of 15 representatives elected for London Second District Died 26 November 1902 Wealth at death: £5,562 Woollen Merchant and Government Contractor
54	Charles Brown Davidson Born 14 August 1837         baptised 17 September 1837 One of four representatives elected for Edinburgh and Aberdeen District Died 29 April 1900 Wealth at death: £15,462 Solicitor
55	Delta (or David) Rees Davies Born 26 February 1826 One of three representatives elected for South Wales District Died 13 September 1907 Wealth at death: £679 Draper
56	Thomas Davies Born 22 January 1810 One of 11 representatives elected for Manchester District Died 18 October 1885 Wealth at death: £804 Flour Dealer/Provision Dealer
57	Thomas Denton Born 6 October 1821 One of eight representatives elected for Bristol District Died 26 August 1896 Wealth at death: £8,610 Silk Mercer and Linen Draper
58	Thomas Dewhirst Born 30 November 1825 One of 13 representatives elected for Halifax and Bradford District Died 20 April 1902 Wealth at death: £5 Worsted Spinner and Manufacturer
59	John Dingley Born 29 November 1828    baptised 17 March 1829 One of four representatives elected for Devonport District Died 30 October 1885 Wealth at death: £19,416 Banker (a partner in the Launceston Bank) Was a nephew of William Dingley (entry 60)
60	William Dingley Born 1798                         baptised 6 November 1798 One of four representatives elected for Bath District Died 13 December 1883 Wealth at death: £5,078 Draper and Silk Mercer Was an uncle of John Dingley (entry 59)
61	Adam Dugdale Born 8 November 1828 One of eight representatives elected for Bolton District Died 2 August 1879 Wealth at death: “less than £12,000” Farmer His second wife (married 1869) was Anne, sister to James Smith Sutcliffe (entry 210)
62	James Duncan Born 1805 One of 15 representatives elected for London Second District Died 24 August 1889 Wealth at death: £25,270 Umbrella Manufacturer Was father of William Aver Duncan (entry 63)
63	William Aver Duncan Born 1841 One of 15 representatives elected for London Second District Died 7 March 1910 Wealth at death: £7,590 Umbrella Manufacturer Was son of James Duncan (entry 62)
64	Jonathan Dunn Born 31 August 1833         baptised 23 September 1833 One of seven representatives elected for York District Died 4 April 1892 Wealth at death: £4,254 Farmer
65	William Dyer Born 19 February 1821 One of 13 representatives elected for Halifax and Bradford District Died 4 March 1895 Wealth at death: £5,962 Chemist and Druggist
66	John Dyson Born 16 October 1813       baptised 5 November 1813 One of seven representatives elected for Sheffield District Died 26 February 1895 Wealth at death: £18,382 Steel Wire Manufacturer
67	Charles Early Born 29 December 1824 One of four representatives elected for Oxford District Died 17 May 1912 Wealth at death: £80,668 Blanket Manufacturer Was father-in-law of George Hayter Chubb (entry 35) His wife was a sister of the three Vanner brothers (entries 222,223, and 224)
68	William Thomas Eastman Born circa 1816 One of 15 representatives elected for London Second District Died 2 January 1899 Wealth at death: £17,844 Dyer and Silk Printer
69	Joseph Edge Born 14 July 1805 One of seven representatives elected for Macclesfield District Died 21 May 1893 Wealth at death: £7,181 Earthenware and Encaustic Tile Manufacturer His brother was father of Samuel Rathbone Edge (entry 70)
70	Samuel Rathbone Edge Born 22 May 1848 One of seven representatives elected for Macclesfield District Died 27 September 1936 Wealth at death: £22,024 Does not appear to have had a remunerative occupation His father was brother of Joseph Edge (entry 69)
71	Henry Edmunds Born 1823                         baptised 27 August 1823 One of 13 representatives elected for Halifax and Bradford District Died 4 September 1904 Wealth at death: £301 Iron Merchant Was brother of Richard Edmunds (entry 72)
72	Richard Edmunds Born 1822 One of four representatives elected for Oxford District Died 18 December 1894 Wealth at death: £7,051 Seed and Corn Merchant Was brother of Henry Edmunds (entry 71) Was father-in-law of George Steward Hazlehurst (entry 97)
73	Charles Ensor Born 11 November 1836    baptised 17 May 1837 One of four representatives elected for Bath District Died 24 April 1888 Wealth at death: £9,596 Glove Manufacturer
74	Sir James Falshaw Born 21 March 1810 One of 18 representatives elected by 1877 W.M. Conference Died 14 June 1889 Wealth at death: £88,582 Civil Engineer
75	Moses Emanuel Farwell Born 1841 One of four representatives elected for Portsmouth District Died 7 December 1914 No Probate Calendar entry found Draper and Outfitter
76	John Field Born June 1831 One of 11 representatives elected for Birmingham and Shrewsbury District Died 24 August 1913 Wealth at death: £19,467 Mining Engineer
77	John Jacob Flitch Born 19 February 1819 One of 10 representatives elected for Leeds District Died 4 January 1900 Wealth at death: £84,580 Leather Manufacturer
78	James Floyd Born 1838 One of four representatives elected for Norwich and King’s Lynn District Died 8 May 1910 Wealth at death: £2,866 Chemist and Wholesale Druggist
79	Jacob Forrest Born 11 May 1830             baptised 11 July 1830 One of 13 representatives elected for Liverpool District Died 4 February 1897 Wealth at death: £3,137 Coal owner
80	Henry Hartley Fowler Born 16 May 1830 One of 18 representatives elected by 1877 W.M. Conference Died 25 February 1911 Wealth at death: £93,968 Solicitor
81	Henry French Born 1 May 1831 One of five representatives elected for Exeter District Died 12 April 1919 Wealth at death: £1,919 Teacher of Mathematics
82	John Wild Gabriel Born 7 June 1805 One of 12 representatives elected for London First District Died 16 August 1885 Wealth at death: £11,731 Wholesale Druggist/Manufacturing Chemist
83	Charles Gallie Born 1832                         baptised 30 December 1832 One of two representatives elected for Channel Islands District Died 3 October 1878 (at Jersey) No Probate Calendar entry found Master Bootmaker
84	George Galloway Born 30 December 1809    baptised 13 January 1810 One of four representatives elected for Edinburgh and Aberdeen District Died 7 August 1894 Wealth at death: £4,559 Chemist
85	Francis Wyatt Gedye Born 11 June 1834             baptised 10 August 1834 One of eight representatives elected for Bristol District Died 9 May 1913 No Probate Calendar entry found American Produce Merchant
86	John Francis Giffard Born 25 December 1846    baptised 24 February 1847 One of two representatives elected for Channel Islands District Died 7 August 1919 Wealth at death: £5,898 Solicitor
87	Robert Gill Born 6 October 1807         baptised 18 December 1807 One of five representatives elected for Whitby and Darlington District Died 9 April 1893 Wealth at death: £300 Solicitor
88	William Fiddian Green Born 24 November 1831    baptised 27 November 1831 One of 11 representatives elected for Birmingham and Shrewsbury District Died 23 March 1901 Wealth at death: £59,015 Brassfounder and Metal Merchant
89	Richard Greenway Born 6 April 1820 One of eight representatives elected for Bristol District Died 3 December 1891 Wealth at death: £11,168 Solicitor
90	William Peter Griffith Born 7 March 1822 One of 15 representatives elected for London Second District Died 12 May 1892 Wealth at death: £41,037 Printer
91	Thomas Groom Born 1816                         baptised 13 October 1816 One of 11 representatives elected for Birmingham and Shrewsbury District Died 19 October 1889 Wealth at death: £13,564 Timber Merchant
92	Alfred Hall Born 1844 One of eight representatives elected for Bristol District Died 8 April 1882 Wealth at death: £10,176 Glass Merchant His brother John Wesley Hall (1842-1919) had married a daughter of Thomas Pethick (entry 167)
93	Joseph Handley Born 1827                         baptised 9 January 1828 One of eight representatives elected for Bolton District Died 20 February 1899 Wealth at death: £13,786 Grocer
94	Henry Bowers Harrison Born 4 September 1830 One of 11 representatives elected for Manchester District Died 17 May 1895 Wealth at death: £19,277 Officer of Manchester and Salford Bank
95	Thomas Morgan Harvey Born 2 January 1835 One of 12 representatives elected for London First District Died 21 December 1913 Wealth at death: £49,943 South African Merchant
96	Richard Haworth Born 9 March 1820           baptised 21 June 1820 Was an ex officio representative (as one of the two Treasurers of the General Chapel Fund) Died 30 November 1883 Wealth at death: £187,517 Cotton Spinner and Manufacturer Was father-in-law of James Daniel (entry 52)
97	George Steward Hazlehurst Born 28 February 1850 One of 13 representatives elected for Liverpool District Died 22 November 1918 Wealth at death: £1,222 “No Profession or Trade” (in 1881 Census) Was son-in-law of Richard Edmunds (entry 72)
98	Elkanah Healey Born circa 1815                 baptised 17 November 1815 One of 13 representatives elected for Liverpool District Died 31 August 1893 Wealth at death: £21,248 Coach Builder Was brother of Samuel Robert Healey (entry 99)
99	Samuel Robert Healey Born circa 1813                 baptised 28 June 1815 Was an ex officio representative (as one of the two Treasurers of the General Chapel Fund) Died 17 April 1881 Wealth at death: “less than £50,000” Stockbroker Was brother of Elkanah Healey (entry 98)
100	Charles Heaton Born 1829                         baptised 15 March 1829 One of eight representatives elected for Bolton District Died 26 June 1919 Wealth at death: £63,723 Cotton Spinner
101	Samuel Hicks Born 1823                         baptised 2 November 1823 One of four representatives elected for Cornwall District Died 5 November 1916 Wealth at death: £6,969 Clerk and Steward to Cornwall County Lunatic Asylum
102	John Richard Hill Born 1839 One of seven representatives elected for York District Died 26 February 1919 Wealth at death: £111,213 Leather Merchant and Currier
103	William Hinson Born 11 September 1820    baptised 11 February 1821 One of 13 representatives elected for Liverpool District Died 8 April 1903 Wealth at death: £23,628 Iron, Marble and Stone Merchant
104	Isaac Holden Born 7 May 1807 One of 18 representatives elected by 1877 W.M. Conference Died 13 August 1897 Wealth at death: £315,884 Wool-Comber
105	John Holden Born 1822                         baptised 15 July 1822 One of four representatives elected for Kent District Died 19 December 1899 Wealth at death: £38,550 Plumber
106	William Holland Born circa 1823 One of 11 representatives elected for Manchester District Died 11 November 1892 Wealth at death: £211,319 Cotton Spinner
107	Thomas Barton Holmes Born 25 March 1836 One of seven representatives elected for Hull District Died 11 September 1913 Wealth at death: £27,739 Tanner His sister was the first wife of Henry John Atkinson (entry 8). She died 1863
108	William Hornsby Born 25 December 1838 One of seven representatives elected for Nottingham and Derby District Died 10 December 1907 Wealth at death: £241,929 Agricultural Engineer
109	Henry William Horsfall Born 23 March 1830          baptised 23 May 1830 One of 13 representatives elected for Halifax and Bradford District Died 25 December 1884 Wealth at death: £12,798 Cotton Spinner and Manufacturer
110	George Horsley Born 22 June 1836             baptised 8 July 1836 One of five representatives elected for Whitby and Darlington District Died 2 December 1895 Wealth at death: £83,147 Timber Merchant
111	Frederick Howard Born 28 September 1827    baptised 25 October 1827 Was an ex officio representative (from his being one of the two Treasurers of the Education Fund) Died 6 January 1915 Wealth at Death: £196,792 Ironfounder
112	John Howorth Born 14 January 1831 One of eight representatives elected for Bolton District Died 20 December 1911 Wealth at death: £36,735 Worsted Spinner
113	Isaac Hoyle Born 4 January 1828 One of 18 representatives elected by 1877 W.M. Conference Died 2 September 1911 Wealth at death: £251,354 Master Cotton Spinner and General Merchant
114	William Hunt Born circa 1827 One of eight representatives elected for Bristol District Died 21 September 1904 Wealth at death: £79,232 Solicitor
115	John Brouncker Ingle Born 9 July 1829 One of 15 representatives elected for London Second District Died 15 September 1915 Wealth at death: £27,219 Solicitor
116	Henry Ingram Born 20 May 1836 One of four representatives elected for Portsmouth District Died 16 October 1894 Wealth at death: £2,464 Land Agent and Builder
117	Joseph Isard Born 1827                         baptised 3 February 1828 One of 15 representatives elected for London Second District Died 10 November 1904 Wealth at death: £5,353 Draper
118	George Hannibal Isitt Born 9 February 1821        baptised 27 August 1821 One of 13 representatives elected for Halifax and Bradford District Died 14 February 1902 Wealth at death: £3,550 Grocer and Provision Merchant
119	John Jackson Born 27 November 1815 One of four representatives elected for Norwich and King’s Lynn District Died 22 April 1892 Wealth at death: £1,407 Manufacturer of Ladies’ Underclothing
120	Isaac James Born 1807                         baptised 4 October 1807 One of three representatives elected for Carlisle District Died 22 April 1891 Wealth at death: £4,823 Iron Merchant
121	Isaac Jenks Born 1816                         baptised 17 March 1816 One of 11 representatives elected for Birmingham and Shrewsbury District Died 29 January 1888 Wealth at death: £141,874 Iron and Steel Manufacturer
122	Charles Frederick Jepps Born 27 March 1810          baptised 15 April 1810 One of 15 representatives elected for London Second District Died 24 January 1901 Wealth at death: £10,066 House and Estate Agent
123	John Harrison Jones Born 1835                         baptised 16 August 1835 One of three representatives elected for North Wales District Died 10 June 1917 Wealth at death: £4,989 Chemist, Druggist and Grocer
124	William Kilner Born 20 January 1826        baptised 26 March 1826 One of 12 representatives elected for London First District Died 17 August 1893 Wealth at death: £91,698 Glass-bottle Manufacturer
125	Joseph Jackson King Born 3 January 1828          baptised 4 February 1828 One of four representatives elected for Edinburgh and Aberdeen District Died 23 October 1918 Wealth at death: £3,031 Commercial Traveller (oil and colour)
126	William King Born 1822                         baptised 11 November 1822 One of five representatives elected for Whitby and Darlington District Died 8 September 1897 Wealth at death: £154 Draper
127	John Lake Born 5 November 1818      baptised 5 December 1818 One of four representatives elected for Cornwall District Died 27 August 1909 No Probate Calendar entry found Corn Merchant and Miller
128	Alexander Lauder Born 27 July 1835 One of five representatives elected for Exeter District Died 9 November 1921 Wealth at death: £3,829 Architect
129	William Leak Born 1817 One of seven representatives elected for York District Died 20 March 1887 Wealth at death: £66,994 Draper
130	John Wesley Lewis Born 6 July 1827 One of seven representatives elected for Nottingham and Derby District Died 9 November 1890 Wealth at death: £23,437 Iron Merchant
131	Thomas Lewis Born 4 October 1829 One of three representatives elected for North Wales District Died 16 July 1922 Wealth at death: £80 Corn and Flour Merchant
132	George Lidgett Born 19 November 1831 One of 18 representatives elected by 1877 W.M. Conference Died 19 July 1907 Wealth at death: £2,699 Shipowner His sister Mary married Percy William Bunting (entry 31)
133	John Emanuel Lightfoot Born 28 April 1802 One of eight representatives elected for Bolton District Died 24 April 1893 Wealth at death: £46,063 Calico Printer
134	Robert Lomas Born 1818 One of 11 representatives elected for Manchester District Died 29 November 1904 Wealth at death: £16,811 Corn Merchant
135	Sir Francis Lycett Born 22 April 1803 Was an ex officio representative (as one of the two Treasurers of the Metropolitan Chapel Building Fund) Died 29 October 1880 Wealth at death: “less than £250,000” Glove Manufacturer
136	Alexander McArthur Born 10 March 1814 One of 18 representatives elected by 1877 W.M. Conference Died 1 August 1909 Wealth at death: £3,309 Merchant in Australian Trade Was brother of William McArthur (entry 137)
137	William McArthur Born 6 July 1809 Was an ex officio representative (as one of the two Treasurers of the Metropolitan Chapel Building Fund) Died 16 November 1887 Wealth at death: £120,937 Merchant in Australian Trade Was brother of Alexander McArthur (entry 136)
138	Joseph Maltby Born 21 September 1830    baptised 14 October 1830 One of five representatives elected for Lincoln District Died 7 March 1900 Wealth at death: £9,583 Chemist
139	George Marsden Born 29 December 1805    baptised 31 January 1806 One of 11 representatives elected for Manchester District Died 30 January 1881 Wealth at death: “less than £2,000” Canal Agent and Accountant
140	Thomas Martin Born 26 December 1814 One of five representatives elected for Whitby and Darlington District Died 12 August 1896 Wealth at death: £4,626 Farmer
141	John Hawe Mason Born 26 July 1817             baptised 3 November 1817 One of 18 representatives elected by 1877 W.M. Conference Died 27 August 1907 Wealth at death: £14,786 Grocer Was brother of Philip Hawe Mason (entry 142)
142	Philip Hawe Mason Born 5 December 1827      baptised 1 February 1828 One of four representatives elected for Oxford District Died 21 January 1908 in Auckland, New Zealand Wealth at death: £201 for British probate Grocer and Provision Merchant Was brother of John Hawe Mason (entry 141)
143	William Mawe Born 9 September 1830 One of seven representatives elected for Sheffield District Died 2 May 1888 Wealth at death: £25,129 Draper and General Furnisher
144	John Robert May Born 31 December 1810    baptised 5 February 1811 One of four representatives elected for Kent District Died 20 March 1886 Wealth at death: £5,795 Bootmaker
145	Thomas Francis Christopher May Born circa 1830                 baptised 27 October 1830 One of 18 representatives elected by 1877 W.M. Conference Died 9 August 1905 Wealth at death: £56,340 Timber Merchant
146	John Meek Born 1 November 1811      baptised 3 December 1811 Was an ex officio representative (as Treasurer of the Schools Fund) Died 14 November 1879 Wealth at death: “less than £25,000” Mercer and Draper
147	William Mewburn Born 17 May 1817             baptised 19 May 1817 Was an ex officio representative (as Treasurer of the Children’s Fund) Died 25 May 1900 Wealth at death: £477,549 Stockbroker Was father-in-law of Robert William Perks (entry 166) His son was married to a daughter of John Creemer Clarke (entry 37)
148	John Middlebrook Born 31 May 1822             baptised 7 July 1822 One of 10 representatives elected for Leeds District Died 10 March 1889 Wealth at death: £9,726 Woollen Manufacturer
149	Tom Milburn Born 1832                         baptised 16 September 1832 One of 11 representatives elected for Manchester District Died 1921 (death registered in March quarter) No Probate Calendar entry found Iron-founder
150	Henry Mitchell Born 1824 Was an ex officio representative (as Treasurer of the Theological Institution Fund) Died 27 April 1898 Wealth at death: £139,804 Merchant
151	Thomas James Moore Born 1840 One of 11 representatives elected for Birmingham and Shrewsbury District Died 26 December 1922 Wealth at death: £87 Stockbroker
152	Joshua Moss Born 30 April 1801 One of seven representatives elected for Sheffield District Died 6 September 1879 Wealth at death: “less than £45,000” Manufacturer of Steel Files, and Merchant
153	John Napier Born 10 September 1801    baptised 7 October 1801 Was an ex officio representative (as Treasurer of the Auxiliary Fund) Died 20 October 1890 Wealth at death: £96,847 Master Spinner and Manufacturer, and Merchant
154	Edward Nicolls Born 3 November 1830      baptised 31 December 1830 One of four representatives elected for Devonport District Died 18 September 1900 (in Vancouver, British Columbia) No Probate Calendar entry found Solicitor
155	William North Born 1813                         baptised 28 March 1813 One of 11 representatives elected for Birmingham and Shrewsbury District Died 26 November 1883 Wealth at death: £15,179 Coal Owner and Mining Engineer
156	William Creswick Lomas Oliver Born 7 January 1826 One of seven representatives elected for Macclesfield District Died 29 September 1890 Wealth at death: £15,763 Cotton Spinner
157	John Osborn Born 27 July 1811 One of four representatives elected for Cornwall District Died 9 September 1882 Wealth at death: £2,881 Linen Draper Was father of Thomas George Osborn (entry 158)
158	Thomas George Osborn Born 19 September 1843    baptised 7 January 1844 One of four representatives elected for Bath District Died 7 April 1910 Wealth at death: £38,438 Headmaster of Kingswood School, Bath Was son of John Osborn (entry 157)
159	John Causton Padman Born 15 September 1817 One of seven representatives elected for York District Died 8 June 1888 Wealth at death: £2,544 Draper, Nurseryman and Farmer
160	George Parkinson Born 1807 One of 13 representatives elected for Halifax and Bradford District Died 20 August 1885 Wealth at death: £3,535 Silk Mercer
161	George Parkinson Born 1828                         baptised 8 June 1828 One of six representatives elected for Newcastle District Died 18 January 1913 Wealth at death: £1,304 Grocer and Grease Manufacturer
162	John Pattinson Born 1814                         baptised 30 December 1814 One of three representatives elected for Carlisle District Died 9 March 1887 Wealth at death: £8,513 Draper
163	William Kirkby Peace Born 2 April 1821 One of seven representatives elected for Sheffield District Died 26 February 1898 Wealth at death: £27,468 Steel and File Manufacturer
164	William Pearce Born 15 June 1809 One of 12 representatives elected for London First District Died 13 June 1891 Wealth at death: £3,630 Chemical Manufacturer
165	Thomas Perkins Born 23 March 1822 One of six representatives elected for Bedford and Northampton District Died 3 April 1880 Wealth at death: “less than £7,000” Nurseryman and Seed-grower
166	Robert William Perks Born 24 April 1849            baptised 20 May 1849 One of 12 representatives elected for London First District Died 30 November 1934 Wealth at death: £74,947 Solicitor Was son-in-law of William Mewburn (entry 147)
167	Thomas Pethick Born circa 1806                 baptised 16 March 1806 One of 18 representatives elected by 1877 W.M. Conference Died 23 February 1884 Wealth at death: £61,575 Hide Merchant and Currier His youngest daughter had been the first wife of John Wesley Hall (brother of entry 92)
168	William Phillips Born 1817 One of three representatives elected for South Wales District Died 15 March 1898 Wealth at death: £5,924 Brewer and Maltster
169	Thomas Willmer Pocock Born 7 May 1817              baptised 2 June 1817 One of 15 representatives elected for London Second District Died 5 December 1889 Wealth at death: £46,326 Surgeon Was brother of William Willmer Pocock (entry 170)
170	William Willmer Pocock Born 14 December 1813    baptised 18 May 1814 One of 15 representatives elected for London Second District Died 18 September 1899 Wealth at death: £51,101 Architect Was brother of Thomas Willmer Pocock (entry 169)
171	Henry Pooley Born 4 January 1803 One of 13 representatives elected for Liverpool District Died 1 September 1878 Wealth at death: “less than £14,000” Iron-founder and Engineer Was father-in-law of Thomas Walton Stead (entry 207)
172	John Potts Born 1829                         baptised 17 May 1829 One of seven representatives elected for Macclesfield District Died 24 May 1898 Wealth at death: £5,955 Coal Merchant and Colliery Owner
173	William Price Born 1808 One of eight representatives elected for Bristol District Died 7 February 1891 Wealth at death: £10,292 Draper and Clothier
174	William Frederick Pygott Born 13 August 1824         baptised 12 September 1824 One of four representatives elected for Kent District Died 3 July 1912 Wealth at death: £77 Principal of the Royal Terrace School, Ramsgate
175	William Oliver Quibell Born 1833                         baptised 1 November 1833 One of seven representatives elected for Nottingham and Derby District Died 30 August 1897 Wealth at death: £30,446 Agricultural Merchant and Manufacturer
176	John Radmall Born 20 March 1803 One of 15 representatives elected for London Second District Died 30 June 1885 Wealth at death: £4,277 Provision Merchant
177	John Raynar Born 15 June 1828 One of 10 representatives elected for Leeds District Died 11 November 1917 Wealth at death: £92,290 Sharebroker
178	John Ramsden Redman Born 19 August 1824         baptised 9 January 1825 One of 13 representatives elected for Halifax and Bradford District Died 28 September 1897 Wealth at death: £15,959 Worsted Manufacturer
179	Rowland Rees Born 1815 One of four representatives elected for Kent District Died 22 July 1902 Wealth at death: £1,851 Architect and Civil Engineer
180	Edward Richardson Born 25 May 1821             baptised 21 June 1821 One of six representatives elected for Newcastle District Died 27 August 1882 Wealth at death: £16,145 Paper Manufacturer and Iron Merchant
181	Christopher Walton Rippon Born 1815 One of 11 representatives elected for Manchester District Died 29 January 1895 Wealth at death: £8,744 Bank Manager
182	Israel Roberts Born 23 December 1827 One of 10 representatives elected for Leeds District Died 12 July 1881 Wealth at death: £98,963 Cloth Manufacturer
183	Thomas Lloyd Roberts Born 1820 One of three representatives elected for North Wales District Died 27 August 1905 Wealth at death: £4,735 Timber Merchant
184	Robert Robson Born 5 October 1804         baptised 16 December 1804 One of six representatives elected for Newcastle District Died 1 December 1886 Wealth at death: £989 Master Builder
185	Edward Schofield Born circa 1835 One of 13 representatives elected for Halifax and Bradford District Died 22 January 1896 Wealth at death: £3,990 Cotton Yarn Merchant
186	Alfred Sharp Born 12 June 1823 One of 13 representatives elected for Halifax and Bradford District Died 1 June 1896 Wealth at death: £183,793 Worsted Manufacturer
187	William Turner Shaw Born circa 1819                 baptised 18 July 1819 One of seven representatives elected for Nottingham and Derby District Died 23 September 1896 Wealth at death: £72,157 Solicitor
188	Joseph Shepheard Born 8 January 1824 One of four representatives elected for Devonport District Died 7 November 1909 Wealth at death: £6,697 Chemical Manure Manufacturer
189	James Castleman Sheppard Born 1823 One of six representatives elected for Bedford and Northampton District Died 25 January 1901 Wealth at death: £6,685 Nurseryman, Seedsman and Florist
190	William Shimmin Born 1830                         baptised 21 February 1830 The single representative elected for the Isle of Man District Died 13 September 1894 (at Ramsey, Isle of Man) No Probate Calendar entry found Draper
191	Thomas Sibly Born 6 February 1813 One of five representatives elected for Exeter District Died 9 November 1892 Wealth at death: £3,021 Headmaster of Taunton Wesley College
192	John Simpson Born 16 September 1821    baptised 23 October 1821 One of 13 representatives elected for Liverpool District Died 19 December 1906 Wealth at death: £9,450 Colliery Proprietor and Coal Merchant
193	William Sissons Born 17 September 1807    baptised 29 November 1807 One of seven representatives elected for Hull District Died 22 December 1890 Wealth at death: £13,619 Contractor and Surveyor
194	George John Sizer Born 24 October 1825       baptised 26 October 1825 One of 12 representatives elected for London First District Died 17January 1893 Wealth at death: £206 Miller, Corn Dealer and Farmer
195	Richard Wilson Skilbeck Born circa 1839                 baptised 26 May 1839 One of 10 representatives elected for Leeds District Died 12 February 1912 Wealth at death: £15,819 Farmer
196	John Slack Born 8 July 1834 One of 11 representatives elected for Birmingham and Shrewsbury District Died 20 November 1910 Wealth at death: £3,810 Headmaster of Midland Collegiate School
197	Jeremiah Slater Born circa 1826 One of 10 representatives elected for Leeds District Died 10 March 1890 Wealth at death: £374 Cloth Manufacturer
198	Joseph Harpham Small Born 1821 One of five representatives elected for Lincoln District Died 25 August 1895 Wealth at death: £15,023 Draper
199	Benjamin Smith Born 1808 One of seven representatives elected for York District Died 17 October 1898 Wealth at death: £10,381 Builder
200	Lancelot Smith Born circa 1833                 baptised 3 May 1833 One of 12 representatives elected for London First District Died 3 June 1889 Wealth at death: £58,709 Lace Manufacturer
201	Thomas Smith Born 1828 One of 10 representatives elected for Leeds District Died 7 February 1896 Wealth at death: £5,249 Builder
202	William Bickford Smith Born 10 November 1827 One of 18 representatives elected by 1877 W.M. Conference Died 24 February 1899 Wealth at death: £80,579 Fuse Manufacturer
203	William Farrar Smith Born 17 June 1817 One of 10 representatives elected for Leeds District Died 18 August 1891 Wealth at death: £29,944 Woollen Cloth Merchant
204	William Taylor Spearman Born 26 July 1837 One of four representatives elected for Devonport District Died 13 December 1911 Wealth at death: £24,554 Draper
205	Thomas Coke Squance Born 29 March 1826          baptised 13 August 1826 One of six representatives elected for Newcastle District Died 29 April 1897 Wealth at death: £2,068 Chartered Accountant
206	James Fishwick Stead Born 12 August 1823         baptised 20 January 1824 One of 13 representatives elected for Liverpool District Died 11 December 1901 Wealth at death: £16,717 Cotton Broker Was brother of Thomas Walton Stead (entry 207)
207	Thomas Walton Stead Born 5 September 1825     baptised 17 November 1825 One of 13 representatives elected for Liverpool District Died 26 May 1892 Wealth at death: £12,019 Chartered Accountant Was brother of James Fishwick Stead (entry 206) and son-in-law of Henry Pooley (entry 171)
208	William Haswell Stephenson Born 15 May 1836 One of six representatives elected for Newcastle District Died 7 May 1918 Wealth at death: £85,602 Manufacturer and Coal Owner
209	William Sugden Born 1819 One of 15 representatives elected for London Second District Died 5 May 1881 Wealth at death: “less than £2,000” Headmaster of Wesleyan Training College, Westminster
210	James Smith Sutcliffe Born 21 December 1834    baptised 15 December 1835 One of eight representatives elected for Bolton District Died 25 May 1891 Wealth at death: £242,615 Corn Miller and Cotton Manufacturer His wife was a sister of James Wood (entry 239) His sister Anne was married to Adam Dugdale (entry 61)
211	Henry Swaffield Born 2 May 1834 One of 15 representatives elected for London Second District Died 13 January 1912 Wealth at death: £209,892 Accountant
212	Richard Hallett Tamsett Born 1830                         baptised 28 August 1830 One of four representatives elected for Portsmouth District Died 25 October 1911 Wealth at death: £7,633 Provision Merchant
213	John Thorp Taylor Born 3 May 1827              baptised 26 December 1836 One of 13 representatives elected for Halifax and Bradford District Died 24 June 1911 Wealth at death: £16,958 Woollen Cloth Manufacturer
214	William Taylor Born 11 January 1823 One of four representatives elected for Edinburgh and Aberdeen District Died 21 June 1893 (at Edinburgh) Wealth at death: £49,686 Spice Merchant
215	Charles James Thomas Born 1840                         baptised 7 June 1840 One of 12 representatives elected for London First District Died 23 May 1917 Wealth at death: £10,397 Feather Merchant
216	Luke Thompson Born 30 October 1806 One of seven representatives elected for York District Died 29 June 1886 Wealth at death: £1,541 Solicitor
217	Josiah Tildesley Born 15 March 1811          baptised 4 April 1811 One of 11 representatives elected for Birmingham and Shrewsbury District Died 5 July 1899 Wealth at death: £18,283 Draper
218	William Richard Todd Born 16 December 1806 One of seven representatives elected for Hull District Died 29 March 1890 Wealth at death: £11,607 Paint, Colour and Varnish Manufacturer and Merchant
219	Henry Jenkins Tomlinson Born 1821                         baptised 21 October 1821 One of seven representatives elected for Hull District Died 13 May 1905 Wealth at death: £7,765 Chemist
220	Thomas Trew Born 5 December 1829      baptised 14 March 1830 One of three representatives elected for Swansea District Died 24 August 1912 No Probate Calendar entry found Biscuit Manufacturer
221	William Tunstill Born circa 1828                 baptised 13 April 1828 One of eight representatives elected for Bolton District Died 13 April 1903 Wealth at death: £333,869 Cotton Spinner, Cotton Manufacturer and Coal Proprietor
222	James Engelburt Vanner Born 25 October 1831 One of 18 representatives elected by 1877 W.M. Conference Died 12 May 1906 Wealth at death: £213,765 Silk Manufacturer Was brother of John Vanner (entry 223) and William Vanner (entry 224) His wife Maria was a sister of Charles Early (entry 67)
223	John Vanner Born 21 September 1822 Was an ex officio representative (as Treasurer of the Home Mission and Contingent Fund) Died 20 October 1902 Wealth at death: £45,045 Silk Manufacturer Was brother of James Engelburt Vanner (entry 222) and William Vanner (entry 224) His late wife Elizabeth (d. 1874) was a sister of Charles Early (entry 67)
224	William Vanner Born 7 April 1834 Was an ex officio representative (as one of the two Treasurers of the Education Fund) Died 3 August 1900 Wealth at death: £133,858 Silk Manufacturer Was brother of John Vanner (entry 223) and James Engelburt Vanner (entry 222). His sister was married to Charles Early (entry 67)
225	Charles Vinter Born circa 1810                 baptised 14 October 1810 One of 12 representatives elected for London First District Died 12 May 1881 Wealth at death: £3,600 Tailor and Robe Maker
226	Samuel Danks Waddy Born 27 June 1830 One of 18 representatives elected by 1877 W.M. Conference Died 30 December 1902 Wealth at death: £10,407 Barrister
227	Jonah Waites Born 1811                         baptised 26 December 1811 One of seven representatives elected for York District Died 14 January 1903 Wealth at death: £29,802 Farmer
228	Robert Waller Born 1820                         baptised 29 September 1820 One of seven representatives elected for Hull District Died 19 December 1886 Wealth at death: £1,863 Surveyor and Builder
229	Joshua Ward Born 1818                         baptised 13 December 1818 One of seven representatives elected for Macclesfield District Died 29 June 1899 Wealth at death: £2,268 Stone Merchant and Contractor
230	William Ward Born circa 1813                 baptised 2 May 1813 One of six representatives elected for Bedford and Northampton District Died 14 April 1893 Wealth at death: £3,517 Coal and Slate Merchant
231	William Thomas Webster Born 1814 One of 12 representatives elected for London First District Died 6 July 1899 Wealth at death: £38,765 Hosier
232	Jonathon Haigh Wice Born 27 December 1827 One of 10 representatives elected for Leeds District Died 26 March 1901 Wealth at death: £17,958 Pharmaceutical Chemist
233	Henry Wigfield Born 17 January 1815 One of seven representatives elected for Sheffield District Died 10 April 1888 Wealth at death: £7,366 Draper and Woollen Merchant
234	Lewis Williams Born 1842 One of eight representatives elected for Bristol District Died 3 March 1909 Wealth at death: £5,447 Iron Merchant
235	Thomas Williams Born circa 1831                 baptised 4 July 1831 One of three representatives elected for South Wales District Died 8 May 1887 Wealth at death: £263 Accountant/Cashier
236	Thomas Willshaw Born 6 April 1822             baptised 18 August 1822 One of 11 representatives elected for Manchester District Died 30 April 1901 Wealth at death: £20,294 Builder
237	George Wilton Born 1831                         baptised 7 August 1832 One of seven representatives elected for Sheffield District Died 19 December 1911 Wealth at death: £2,531 Drysalter
238	James Wood Born 1824 One of 13 representatives elected for Halifax and Bradford District Died 7 March 1889 Wealth at death: £38,029 Worsted Spinner and Manufacturer
239	James Wood Born 5 March 1844           baptised 19 May 1844 One of 13 representatives elected for Liverpool District Died 15 February 1899 Wealth at death: £167,711 Ironfounder His sister Lucy was the wife of James Smith Sutcliffe (entry 210)
240	Jabez Woolley Born 26 April 1823 One of 10 representatives elected for Leeds District Died 15 September 1897 Wealth at death: £16,770 Builder and Contractor