“THE MOST ASTONISHING TRIUMPHS”: fresh Light on Primitive Methodist History, Hagiography and Detraction from northern Hampshire 1830-1852 Thesis submitted in accordance with the requirements of the University of Chester for the degree of Master of Philosophy by David Martin Young November, 2014 1 ABBREVIATIONS 3 TABLES, MAPS 3 ABSTRACT 4 INTRODUCTION 5 CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 7 CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY 49 CHAPTER 3: NATIONAL AND LOCAL BACKGROUND 70 A. SOCIAL 70 B. WESLEYANS 80 C. OLD DISSENT 97 D. ANGLICAN 103 CHAPTER 4: PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHARACTERISTICS 108 A. THEOLOGY AND PRAXIS 108 B. THE BEGINNING OF TRANSITION 132 CHAPTER 5: PERSONS, EVENTS AND ETHOS 143 A. PRINCIPAL HAMPSHIRE PREACHERS 143 B. FROM THE WEST: BRINKWORTH & SHEFFORD 153 C. FROM THE NORTH: READING 168 D. FROM THE SOUTH: MICHELDEVER 176 E. SUMMARY 197 CHAPTER 6: BALANCING THE OBLOQUY 201 A. FOLK RELIGION 202 B. EMOTION 218 C. HELL 228 CHAPTER 7: BALANCING THE HAGIOGRAPHY 241 A. HEROISM: HUMAN FRAILTY 242 B. HEROISM: LEGALISM 254 C. FEMINISM 266 D. SOCIALISM 277 CONCLUSION 290 BIBLIOGRAPHY 294 APPENDIX: CHAPELS IN THE STUDY 302 2 Abbreviations: PMism Primitive Methodism PM Primitive Methodist (the) Magazine The Primitive Methodist Magazine Wesley John Wesley (unless otherwise specified) OLD Dictionary of Methodism in Britain and Ireland PMHB Large Hymn Book, for the Use of the Primitive Methodists UK United Kingdom WHS Wesley Historical Society Tables &c: page Town populations 73 PM national membership 79 WM1 numerical decline 83 WM membership Andover, Whitchurch 85-6 WM/PM attendance 1851 89 PM Andover Circuit membership 90 PM Mitcheldever Circuit membership 90 PM national membership 1836-52 91 WM, PM, CofE, Independent in Hants 1738-52 92 WM & PM Villages 1738-1871 96 Old Dissent 1765-1810 98 Chapel debts 1852-3 141 Hants preachers’ ages 146 Hants membership 1837-52 165 Chapel Building 166 Basingstoke membership 1842-7 194 Basingstoke branch membership 1851 195 Map: routes into north Hants 198 The Four Circuits’ membership 1850-3 199 Parts of this research have been published by the following publishers: Tenda: Prishtina Friends of the Willis Museum (Basingstoke) Basingstoke Archaeological and Historical Society Hampshire Field Club & Archaeological Society Evangelical Times The Ranter’s Digest Accepted, yet to appear: European Pentecostal Theological Association Wesley Historical Society Websites: Dictionary of Methodism in Britain and Ireland (www.wesleyhistoricalsociety.org.uk/links.html) myprimitivemethodists.org.uk (Methodist Heritage) 1 Wesleyan Methodist 3 ABSTRACT This thesis contributes both new historical research and revised perception of early PMism. It is set against the absence of any historical account of the coming of Methodism to northern Hampshire. Its aim and method are twofold: to research the events, personalities, beliefs, experience and ethos; and by comparing these findings with popular and academic eulogy and obloquy of PMs to correct them where they do not match the primary sources. This is not primarily an institutional or statistical study of the Connexion, nor of its national leadership, but is a local study of pioneers and ordinary believers and the extent to which they conform to what might be deemed hagiography or detraction. Having researched the history of the movement, and ascertained that it is homogeneous with the nationwide movement, the thesis argues that much literature, popular and scholarly, has given misleading depictions of the inner world of the movement. Some writers take their admiration too far, or construct a falsely admiring image of PMs in accord with their own priorities. This thesis looks honestly at phenomena omitted in such hagiography. Other writers, misinterpreting the phenomena or motivation, disapprove of certain aspects of the movement. Although the material studied is akin to that used by other scholars, the dissertation aims to contribute a different strand to academic study of the movement, applying its methodology both to a different geographical area, and to the Methodists’ subjectivity, seeking thereby to add a component missing from other writings. It first reviews secondary writing which impinges upon the inquiries. The methodology is then explained, including the use of primary sources, and justifying the dissertation’s chronological and geographical parameters. After a summary of the social and religious situation in Hampshire, and an overview of the wider PM movement, there is an account of its spread and ethos in northern Hampshire and of the early stages of transition from the period of rapid expansion to a calmer modus operandi. In the ensuing critical discussion, the ethos of the movement, and the characters of its pioneers and members, are compared with admiring and derogatory depictions, both academic and popular, of Methodists from Victorian to modern times, which portray them as resplendent heroes, enlightened forerunners of feminism, or noble working-class political activists, or as obsessed with hell and judgement, hysterically emotional, clinging to survivals from superstitious folk religion, and gloomily repressive. This dissertation aims to demonstrate that the first generation of PMs in the four circuits of northern Hampshire do not wholly match those depictions, and, by correcting facts or perceptions, to construct a more rounded and faithful portrayal of the life-world, characters and achievements of the preachers and members. (99,616 words) 4 INTRODUCTION Much help with research was received at the County Record Offices and libraries mentioned in the Methodology, Englesea Brook Primitive Methodist Museum, and the Willis Museum, Basingstoke. Writers of previous theses have been unstinting in their advice: Hatcher by many patient and informative emails; Calder and Vickers by receiving me into their homes and by correspondence; Dews by giving me unlimited access to his extensive private library on Methodism. Others cited in the text who have freely given advice and information, and have received me into their homes, are Dr Alison Deveson and Rev. David Sharp. Professor Royle offered a range of suggestions and information. I record the possibly unintentional planting of an early seed by my father, Dinsdale Thomas Young (1903-1997), who bought Ritson’s The Romance of Primitive Methodism for me at a jumble sale in Basingstoke, probably in 1964, thereby igniting my ardour for PMism. The title is derived from it (page 127): “Some of the most astonishing triumphs were won by the pioneers among the agricultural labourers in the south of England.” This study attempts to discover and discuss: the characters and ministries of the main players in the drama the course of the events the beliefs and ethos of the movement its critique in popular and academic reflection. It gestated as follows: First came the desire to read about early Methodism in the selected geographical area and the discovery that nothing has been published beyond scattered fragments. Second came the archival research, to discover the history: no a priori hypothesis was entertained, rather the approach was grounded, during which an impression of the movement gradually formed and salient themes were identified. Third was the reading of secondary literature, during which an impression was gained both of their major themes, and of what theories were postulated concerning those themes. 5 Fourth, the hypothesis developed that a number of portrayals of the movement are erroneous or incomplete. These stages proceeded to some extent concurrently; nonetheless, that was their logical and in large measure also chronological order. The thesis contributes the first attempt at a sustained narrative of the penetration of PMism into northern Hampshire. In contrast to most other writing in the field, it also contributes to knowledge by means of an emic approach, seeking to perceive and appreciate from within the ethos and inner world of the movement. Its findings and conclusions are relevant to religious, social and local historiography, both by the recording of events and in the understanding and appreciation of them and participants in them. 6 CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW An overview of primary sources is found in Methodology. This chapter deals with the secondary literature which sheds light on the matter of this thesis. It looks first at articles and books, then at academic theses. The dissertation enters into dialogue with the existing body of literature, in order to show how research from primary sources connects with, modifies, supports and supplements the findings of previous writers. Historiography of the national movement falls into two main phases. The first includes the work of contemporary participants and later PM writers who wished to celebrate the lives of the early pioneers, and ends (apart from minor works) with Ritson (1911). The second phase includes PM and other writers who have studied the movement’s history, its place within the wider religious context, or its impact on different aspects of national life. There is a tendency for the second phase to focus on the early movement, or on external matters such as statistics, demography, architecture, or institutional organisation. A survey of historiographical development of complete histories of PMism reveals Petty, Kendall, Ritson, Barber, Lysons, Milburn, ranging from Petty’s first edition (1860) to Milburn (2002). All are written by Methodists. The first three write with admiration and identify themselves with the character of the movement