Rev William Richard Rogers 1849 to 1852

His life in the Macclesfield Circuit

In 1849 William Richard moved to join the Macclesfield Circuit but was stationed in Bollington. In the Minutes of Conference 1849 it records that “Brother Rogers will reside in Bollington”
The Circuit’s Superintendent Minister was Corbett Cooke who was also the Chairman of the Macclesfield District, the first junior Minister was Nehemiah Curnock, William Richard was the second and Joseph Mood was the third junior Minister.
On 31st March 1851 the census return shows that the Rogers family was living at Hurst House in Bollington. Unfortunately it is difficult to read the original so here is a transcription of it.

William R Rogers    Head Mar.  40  Wesleyan Minister, Birmingham

Mary Ann  do          Wife Mar.  25   Minister’s wife, Wolverhampton

Eleanor S. do          dau   u      8     do  daughter St Martins, WestIndies

Alice Du Cloux  do   dau   u      6     do     do,     St Eustatius, WestIndies

Mary Ann  do           dau  u      2     do      do,      Bilston, Stafford  

Catherine Farman    ser    u      17    general servant  Stoke-on-Trent

Young William Richard Rogers was a boarder at the Kingswood School in Bitton Gloucestershire. He attended this school from 1848-1854. Joseph Cusworth was the school’s head master and also a governor of the school.This school was founded in 1748 by John Wesley for the education of the sons of the itinerant Methodist Ministers. The Woodhouse Grove School was founded soon after as a prep school linked with Kingswood for much of the nineteenth century. The Kingswood School moved to its present site in Bath in 1851 and so the young William Richard would have experienced this relocation.

Bollington, a “Cotton Town” was dominated by the Swindells family. (The reason for my interest in this family will become apparent when William Richard is at his next station.) It was Martin Swindells (1784-1843) who operated and developed many mills either on his own or in various partnerships. The “empire” was later taken on by one of his sons Martin Swindells (1814-1880) and a son-in-law. 

Martin Swindells (1784-1843) joined the Wesleyan Methodist community when he was about 18 and three of his children were baptised in Wesleyan Chapels. In Bollington this Martin Swindells was instrumental in the building of the Methodist church in Bollington and the Kerridge Wesleyan Chapel. His son Martin (1814-1880) although baptised in the Wesleyan Church was not active in his adult life until 1851. This was the time when William Richard was the Minister in Bollington and I wonder whether my great-great-grandfather knew him. When I can find the records relating to this Chapel and see them I hope to be able to answer this question. 

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