Kilner, William
1826-1893

WM layman, born at Hunslet, Leeds on 28 January 1826. Starting work at eight in his father's glass bottle-making business in Castleford, he built up a company which gave its name to the Kilner preserving jar. Converted at 15 during a revival in the Pontefract Circuit, he was a class leader for 35 years and a local preacher for 45 years. Moving to London in 1864, he joined the Liverpool Road church, Islington and was involved in mission work at Essex Hall. Later, as a member at Finsbury Park church, he helped in the building of chapels at Finsbury Park, Gillespie Road, Winchmore Hill, Southgate, New Southgate and Willoughby Road, Hornsey. He was one of the first lay representatives to the WM Conference, attending twelve between 1878 and 1893, and was President of the LPMAA in 1888. He died on 17 August 1893 and was buried in Highgate Cemetery.

Sources
  • Methodist Recorder, 14 June 1888; 24 Aug. 1893
  • G.E. Milburn & M. Batty, Workaday Preachers (Peterborough, 1995) p. 209