Sunderland, Thomas ('Tom')
1863-1935; e.m. 1888

UMFC and UM minister, born at Warley, Halifax on 16 November 1863. He entered the ministry from Elland and trained at Victoria Park College, 1885-1888. He served in UMFC circuits in London for 19 years and then for 13 years as a UM minister in northern circuits. In 1920 he became Home Mission secretary and during his eight years in that office not only reduced trust debts but promoted much evangelistic co-operation between the various branches of Methodism, especially through co-ordinated missions. Campaigns led by teams of students from the theological college became a feature of UM evangelism under his leadership. During his two years (1920-1922) as Warden of the Deaconess Institute, the Institute became linked with the Mallinson Road UM Church, London, which provided more scope for practical training. As secretary of the [Ministers'] Superannuation and Beneficient Funds from 1928 to 1932, he much improved the lot of ministers' wives and widows and brought the Annuity regulations into line with those of the WM Church in preparation for Methodist Union in 1932. He died in London on 14 November 1935.

Sources
  • Smith, Swallow and Treffrey, The Story of the UM Church (1932) pp. 27-28, 60-61
  • E. Dorothy Graham, Saved to Serve: the Story of the Wesley Deaconess Order 1890-1978 (Peterborough, 2002), pp. 350, 448