Tutor in Systematic Theology at Didsbury College, 1886-1902, born at Darwen, Lancs., on 7 April 1826. His Fernley Lecture on The Design and Use of Holy Scripture (1892) including a chapter predictably defending the Bible against the 'Higher Criticism' and was critical of Scott Lidgett's views on the Atonement. He was President of the Conference in 1896. He died on 4 July 1904.

His son, Sir John Scurrah Randlles (1875-1945), politician and industrialist was brn in Boston on 25 December 1875 and educated at Woodhouse Grove School. His business interests were in the coal and steel. He was a director of the Moss Bay Hematite Iron and Steel company, Workington Iron Company, and the Beckermet Mining Company, being the chairman of the former. (These would subsequently become part of the United Steel Company.)

A Unionist who believed that the Wesleyan Church should be politcally neutral,, he was elected for Cockermouth in 1900. He lost the seat in 1906 but regained it in a hy-election in the same year. Defeated in December 1910, He stood unsuccessfully for Manchester North West in a by-election in 1912. When the seat was abolished he was given the coupon and stood successfully as a coalition Unionist for Manchester Exchange, but resigned in 1922. He was also a member of Cumberland County Council.

Knighted in 1905, he served on the executive of the National Trust, donating to the Trust part of the Derwentwater shore. He also gave financial support to the purchase of land for Kingswood College. Kandy, Sri Lanka (now state-owned). He died at Keswick in February 1945.

Entry written by: DCD and JAV
Category: Person
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