Williamson Lamplough (1854-1925) and his brother Edmund Sykes Lamplough (1860-1940) were successful steamship owners and underwriters, descended from Dr James Hamilton.

Williamson Lamplough was an enthusiastic supporter of overseas missions and of the Bible Society. His office was close to the Bishopsgate Mission House and he served as WMMS Treasurer for 27 years and also as President of the Laymen's Missionary Movement.

Edmund Lamplough, an underwriter and deputy-chairman at Lloyd's, was Vice-President of the Conference in 1935. An avid collector of Wesleyana (which he bequeathed to the Methodist Church) and President of the Wesley Historical Society from 1926, he was a generous benefactor of the New Room (to which he gave the equestrian statue of John Wesley) and of Wesley's Chapel, London. He was lay treasurer of the Wesleyan Theological Training Fund 1929-32. He contributed to the cost of the college chapel at Didsbury and paid for the chapel at Wesley House, Cambridge. He endowed chairs at four theological colleges: Pastoral Theology and Church Organisation at Didsbury; New Testament Language and Literature and Classics at Richmond; Pastoral Theology and Church Organisation and Hebrew at Headingley; and New Testament Language and Literature and Classics at Handsworth.

Sunfields Chapel, Blackheath (1902),was built as a memorial to their parents and for many years, Williamson was Sunday School Superintendent and Edmund was organist there. They had four sisters, including the mother of William Lamplough Doughty. The youngest, Jane Sykes Lamplough, married.John H. Ritson, who had been minister of the church in 1897-1899.

Entry written by: JAV and PLC
Category: Person
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