Wesleyan Methodist Missionaries

[osprey]

Yes, the BA after his name would be for Bachelor of Arts.

[snowqueen]

If he was a Methodist Lay Preacher information can be very hard to come by.  My 5xgrandfather was a Methodist Lay Preacher from the mid-1700's to early 1800's.  Despite knowing that he worked under John Wesley and had met him several times I've never found him in any official Methodist records, not surprisingly, but he did pop up in a local history booklet and in another more prominent Methodist's life story. 

Perhaps it would be worth checking local archives to see if they have anything that might shed light on his service.

Lyn

[osprey]

It's a bit odd that the children are baptised in the parish church
St Austell
7 Nov 1858 William James son of William Sydney, labourer, & Harriet Hosking
16 Feb 1863 Elizabeth Jane daughter of William Sidney, labourer, & Harriet Hoskin
24 Dec 1865 Emily May daughter of William Sidney, labourer, & Harriett Hosking
2 June 1867 Sidney son of Sidney, labourer, & Harriet Hoskin
5 April 1871 Mary Ellen daughter of William Sydney, labourer & Harriett Hoskin

[granthoskin]

It's a bit odd that the children are baptised in the parish church
St Austell
7 Nov 1858 William James son of William Sydney, labourer, & Harriet Hosking
16 Feb 1863 Elizabeth Jane daughter of William Sidney, labourer, & Harriet Hoskin
24 Dec 1865 Emily May daughter of William Sidney, labourer, & Harriett Hosking
2 June 1867 Sidney son of Sidney, labourer, & Harriet Hoskin
5 April 1871 Mary Ellen daughter of William Sydney, labourer & Harriett Hoskin

What do you mean when you say it was odd they were baptised in the parish church? Would a different practice usually be followed?

The son Sydney mentioned here born 1867 is the one family member I have most questions about. I’ve linked him to this family based on information obtained from his marriage and death certificates where it lists his mother’s and fathers full names and father’s profession. (Sydney Hoskin, Wesleyan Missionary/minister depending on the certificate, and Harriet Woolcock/Wilcox depending on the certificate). I think his last marriage certificate lists his mother as Harriet Revell formerly Hoskin m.s. Woolcock.

Is there a possibility I have the wrong family? Anything else I might be missing?

[snowqueen]

Perhaps not odd if there wasn't a Wesleyan Chapel near by. Or perhaps his wife was Anglican.  There could be several reasons for the childrens' baptisms.  My family were very early Methodists but events i.e. baptisms, marriages and burials were all held in the local Church despite them having a Methodist Chapel from the late 1700's.

Lyn

[osprey]

before civil registration in 1837, marriages would not have been legal in a Methodist church. Quite often, Methodist churches had no burial ground, so burials had to be in the parish ground before cemeteries became common.
It seemed odd to me that the children of someone who may have been a Methodist lay preacher were baptised in the parish church. There were several Methodist churches in St Austell at the time.

https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/CON/StAustell#ChurchRecords

[PrawnCocktail]

The snag with the parish churches was that they used to refuse a burial service to unbaptised members of the community - unbaptised by them, of course. The funeral cortege was stopped at the church gate, and had to carry on with only the coffin and mourners, no minister.

I found this in the Northampton Mercury, where a local Baptist pastor took on the parish church:

Northampton Mercury
Saturday 08 August 1874
Interment of an Unbaptised Child
On Tuesday afternoon an infant of parents, one of whom is a member of the Baptist Church, under the pastoral care of Rev W Fidler, was buried in the churchyard, of course unrecognised by the officiating clergyman. The corpse was preceded by Mr Fidler, who read the scriptures, gave a brief address, and offered prayer before entering the churchyard. When the coffin was lowered Mr Fidler said to the parents and friends who were looking into the grave, "The grave will soon hide your little one. The flower you have so soon lost; you will find again inParadise where it now blooms. You can give it your care no longer, but God cares for it, and will keep it until you meet it in the sky. We can have no doubt of its safety; it remains for us to see that when God's summons comes, we may be found ready to obey. Do not yield to grief, but seek comfort of God, Who will not deny you those consolations you need in your hour of sorrow." This is the first time in the history of Towcester that a dissenting minister has dared to utter words of comfort and consolation to the bereaved on consecrated ground.

In an era of high infant mortality, it may have been expedient to have children baptised in the parish church. It would be the first time I've seen it at this late date, but it definitely happened in the early 1800s.

[granthoskin]

I have his profession from his son's Marriage Certificates and Death Certficate. If I have my dates right, his son was only 5 when he died so I wonder now if it was maybe a case of the son mis-remembering, or the wife Harriet trying to let her son believe his dad was a little more than a labourer.

His son Sydney (1867-1932) baptised his first born in a Methodist church in Ilfracombe, so at the very least the family appear to have been practicing Methodists.

[bbart]

Deleted.... chasing the wrong person!