John Farrar (minister)
Encyclopedia
Rev. John Farrar was a Methodist minister. He served as Secretary of the annual British Methodist Conference
on fourteen occasions, and was twice its elected President. Farrar was tutor and governor of several Wesleyan
colleges. These included the early Wesleyan training college at Abney House
, near London; and British Methodism's first purpose-built college at Richmond, now Richmond University.
Farrar, third and youngest son of the Rev. John Farrar (d.1837), a Wesleyan minister, was born at Alnwick
, Northumberland
, on 29 July 1802. On the opening of Woodhouse Grove School
, Yorkshire, for the education of the sons of ministers, on 12 January 1812, he became one of its first pupils. On leaving school, he was employed as a teacher in an academy conducted by Mr. Green at Cottingham
, near Hull. In August 1822 he entered the Wesleyan ministry, and spent his four years of probation as second-master in Woodhouse Grove School. He afterwards was resident minister successively at Sheffield
, Huddersfield
, Macclesfield
, and London, until in 1839 he was appointed tutor and governor of Abney House Training College, Stoke Newington
, London, the larger part of whose grounds had recently become an arboretum and cemetery, Abney Park Cemetery
.
Upon its opening in 1843, John Farrar became classical
tutor at the Wesleyan Theological Institution at Richmond, Surrey, where he spent fourteen years. In 1858 he returned to Woodhouse Grove School, as governor and chaplain. On the foundation of the Wesleyan Theological College at Headingley
, Leeds
, in 1868, he became the first governor, and retained the chair until failing health compelled his retirement in 1876. During his residence, here the jubilee
of his ministry occurred, when he was presented with an organ for the college, where a marble bust of himself now preserves the memory of his connection with the institution.
In 1854, the Wesleyan conference, appreciating his administrative qualities, elected John Farrar president of the conference held at Birmingham; and on the occasion of the Burslem
conference in 1870 he had the rare honour of being elected president a second time. Three years prior to his first election as president he became Secretary to the Conference, a position to which he was repeatedly re-elected; and for eighteen years, between 1858 and 1876, he was Chairman of the Leeds district. He lived to take part in the Wesleyans' closing (June 1883) and refounding (September 1883) of Woodhouse Grove School, to widen its intake of pupils.
John Farrar wrote several books, including two religious dictionaries, one dealing with the Bible and its contents, the other referring to ecclesiastical events.
He married the youngest daughter of another Wesleyan minister, the Rev. Miles Martindale, whose own knowledge of the Methodist movement greatly assisted him in many of the offices which he held. He died at Headingley, Leeds, on 19 November 1884, and was buried near London at Abney Park Cemetery, Stoke Newington, on 25 November.
Methodist Church of Great Britain
The Methodist Church of Great Britain is the largest Wesleyan Methodist body in the United Kingdom, with congregations across Great Britain . It is the United Kingdom's fourth largest Christian denomination, with around 300,000 members and 6,000 churches...
on fourteen occasions, and was twice its elected President. Farrar was tutor and governor of several Wesleyan
Wesleyanism
Wesleyanism or Wesleyan theology refers, respectively, to either the eponymous movement of Protestant Christians who have historically sought to follow the methods or theology of the eighteenth-century evangelical reformers, John Wesley and his brother Charles Wesley, or to the likewise eponymous...
colleges. These included the early Wesleyan training college at Abney House
Abney Park
The historic grounds of Abney Park are situated in Stoke Newington, London, England. It is a 13ha park dating from just before 1700, named after Lady Mary Abney and associated with Dr Isaac Watts. In the early 18th century, the park was accessed via the frontages and gardens of two large mansions...
, near London; and British Methodism's first purpose-built college at Richmond, now Richmond University.
Farrar, third and youngest son of the Rev. John Farrar (d.1837), a Wesleyan minister, was born at Alnwick
Alnwick
Alnwick is a small market town in north Northumberland, England. The town's population was just over 8000 at the time of the 2001 census and Alnwick's district population was 31,029....
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, on 29 July 1802. On the opening of Woodhouse Grove School
Woodhouse Grove School
Woodhouse Grove School is an independent, coeducational, day and boarding public school and Sixth Form college in Apperley Bridge, Bradford, West Yorkshire, England for children aged between 11 and 18...
, Yorkshire, for the education of the sons of ministers, on 12 January 1812, he became one of its first pupils. On leaving school, he was employed as a teacher in an academy conducted by Mr. Green at Cottingham
Cottingham, East Riding of Yorkshire
Cottingham is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It lies just to the north-west of the city of Kingston upon Hull...
, near Hull. In August 1822 he entered the Wesleyan ministry, and spent his four years of probation as second-master in Woodhouse Grove School. He afterwards was resident minister successively at Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
, Macclesfield
Macclesfield
Macclesfield is a market town within the unitary authority of Cheshire East, the county palatine of Chester, also known as the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The population of the Macclesfield urban sub-area at the time of the 2001 census was 50,688...
, and London, until in 1839 he was appointed tutor and governor of Abney House Training College, Stoke Newington
Stoke Newington
Stoke Newington is a district in the London Borough of Hackney. It is north-east of Charing Cross.-Boundaries:In modern terms, Stoke Newington can be roughly defined by the N16 postcode area . Its southern boundary with Dalston is quite ill-defined too...
, London, the larger part of whose grounds had recently become an arboretum and cemetery, Abney Park Cemetery
Abney Park Cemetery
Abney Park in Stoke Newington, in the London Borough of Hackney, is a historic parkland originally laid out in the early 18th century by Lady Mary Abney and Dr. Isaac Watts, and the neighbouring Hartopp family. In 1840 it became a non-denominational garden cemetery, semi-public park arboretum, and...
.
Upon its opening in 1843, John Farrar became classical
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
tutor at the Wesleyan Theological Institution at Richmond, Surrey, where he spent fourteen years. In 1858 he returned to Woodhouse Grove School, as governor and chaplain. On the foundation of the Wesleyan Theological College at Headingley
Headingley
Headingley is a suburb of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. It is approximately two miles out of the city centre, to the north west along the A660 road...
, Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, in 1868, he became the first governor, and retained the chair until failing health compelled his retirement in 1876. During his residence, here the jubilee
Golden Jubilee
A Golden Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 50th anniversary.- In Thailand :King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch, celebrated his Golden Jubilee on 9 June 1996.- In the Commonwealth Realms :...
of his ministry occurred, when he was presented with an organ for the college, where a marble bust of himself now preserves the memory of his connection with the institution.
In 1854, the Wesleyan conference, appreciating his administrative qualities, elected John Farrar president of the conference held at Birmingham; and on the occasion of the Burslem
Burslem
The town of Burslem, known as the Mother Town, is one of the six towns that amalgamated to form the current city of Stoke-on-Trent, in the ceremonial county of Staffordshire, in the Midlands of England.-Topography:...
conference in 1870 he had the rare honour of being elected president a second time. Three years prior to his first election as president he became Secretary to the Conference, a position to which he was repeatedly re-elected; and for eighteen years, between 1858 and 1876, he was Chairman of the Leeds district. He lived to take part in the Wesleyans' closing (June 1883) and refounding (September 1883) of Woodhouse Grove School, to widen its intake of pupils.
John Farrar wrote several books, including two religious dictionaries, one dealing with the Bible and its contents, the other referring to ecclesiastical events.
He married the youngest daughter of another Wesleyan minister, the Rev. Miles Martindale, whose own knowledge of the Methodist movement greatly assisted him in many of the offices which he held. He died at Headingley, Leeds, on 19 November 1884, and was buried near London at Abney Park Cemetery, Stoke Newington, on 25 November.
Publications
- The Proper Names of the Bible, their Orthography, Pronunciation, and Signification. 1839; 2nd edition, 1844.
- A Biblical and Theological Dictionary, illustrative of the Old and New Testament. 1851.
- An Ecclesiastical Dictionary, explanatory of the History, Antiquities, Heresies, Sects, and Religious Denominations of the Christian Church. 1853.
- A Manual of Biblical Geography, Descriptive, Physical, and Historical. 1857.
- A Key to the Pronunciation of the Names of Persons and Places mentioned in the Bible. 1857