Dall, Robert
1745-1828
Early itinerant, noted for his courage and simplicity, born in Dundee on 22 February 1745. Converted in 1760, he began to preach in 1768 and was admitted on trial in 1772. From Aberdeen and on foot he pioneered Methodist work along the Moray coast and to Inverness, Dingwall and Tain; after which he spent three years in Ireland. Returning via the Isle of Man in 1778, he married a widow there and left the itinerancy until 1787. He then he re-emerged, again on trial, at Dumfries, where for two years he pioneered Methodism and built a splendid chapel. He was admitted into full connexion in 1788. He was Chairman of the Whitehaven District in 1797 and 1806-1809 and of the Isle of Man 1801-1802. He retired to Whitehaven in 1810 and died in Manchester on 10 October 1828. His granddaughter Eliza married Joseph Fowler and was the mother of H.H. Fowler.
'Dumfries was much pressed on my mind and I went to it 60 miles on foot from Ayr. I got a room to lodge in, went through the town and invited many to the preaching on the banks of the Nith, a beautiful spot and preached all week morning and night. Many attended seriously and on Sabbath there at night a very great congregation there on the green, themselves made a collection sufficient for my expense and hearing me to speak of Mr. Wesley some who had heard him wrote to get my stay there. Conference accordingly ordered me and I brought my family from Glasgow, preached 6 months without doors but winter was very cold so I rented a large barn, got it seated and made a pulpit, but it had no proper window and needed candles even at midday. In spring I got a piece of ground in a New Street centre of the town, it was well filled with a good sensible people though the society small. I paid great attention to the building chapel comfortable...'
Diary of Robert Dall
- George W. Davis, The Robert Dall Story (Arbroath, 1995)
See also
Entry written by: MB
Category: Person
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