Newton, Dr John Anthony
1930- 2017; e.m. 1956
A church historian and ecumenist, born in Grantham on 28 September 1930. His varied ministry included teaching at Wesley College, Bristol (1965-1972; Principal, 1973-1978) and at Limuru Theological College, Kenya (1972-1973). In 1978 he became Superintendent of the West London Mission in succession to Donald O. Soper. As Chairman of the Liverpool District (1986-1995) and local Free Church moderator from 1987, he became a third member of the memorable partnership established by Bishop David Sheppard and Archbishop Derek Worlock. He was President of the Conference in 1981 and Moderator of the FCFC 1989-90 and 1993-94, and served on the EnglishRC-Methodist Committee and on the 7th international RC-Methodist Dialogue Commission (1996). His books include studies of Susanna Wesley (1969), Bishop Edward King of Lincoln (1977) and Marcus Ward (1984); and he was an honorary canon of Lincoln. He gave the 1985 WHS Lecture on Samuel Annesley. A festscrift in his honour was published in 2010 under the title A Thankful Heart and a Discerning Mind. He died peacefully on 27 March 2017.
- Methodist Recorder, 2 July 1981, 5 May 2017
- Henry Rack, in Epworth Review, 31:2 (April 2004) pp.8-16
- Henry Rack, in A Thankful Heart and a discerning mind (2010) pp.15-26
- John A. Hargreaves, in Wesley Historical Society Proceedings, Vol. 61 part 2 (2017) pp.51-4
- Andrew Bradstock, David Sheppard, Batting for the Poor, 2019
- ODNB