A merchant of Yarm on Tees. From the late 1740s he was an active promoter and generous patron of Methodism, especially within the extensive Yarm Circuit. He provided a hayloft behind his house as the first Methodist meeting place in Yarm, and later supported the building of the Yarm Octagon (1763), besides contributing to the connexional appeal for extinguishing chapel debts in 1867. He was a good friend to John Wesley and the itinerants, while retaining independence of mind on connexional policies. Many letters to him from Wesley and leading itinerants were preserved by his daughter, Mrs Naylor of Darlington. The latest surviving reference to him is in 1805.

Entry written by: GEM
Category: Person
Comment on this entry