Rev Conrad Sidney Sargisson

Conrad Sidney Sargisson was born in Droxford, Hampshire in 1852, the son of George and Vashtie Sargisson. In the early years of his working life, Sargisson was employed as a draper’s assistant.

Having been brought up as an Anglican, Sargisson became a member of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, eventually entering the ministry in 1874. Sargisson’s obituary describes his preaching as being ‘simple, and natural, exercising a gift of direct and forceful speech.’ As a person, the obituary described him as having ‘much force of character, a manly spirit and bearing, a cherry temper, with an unfailing fund of humour and a large heart’.

Conrad Sargisson and his wife Sarah Ann had 4 children: Mary, Ralph, Winifred and Hilda. The Burnley News informed its readers that Sargisson was ‘a photographer, sketch writer, and popular lecturer’. He was described as ‘a brilliant writer on topographical subjects’. Sargisson published illustrated articles using the nom-de-plume ‘Darby Stafford’.

Conrad Sargisson died in Didsbury, Manchester on 4 December 1916 after illness following a nervous breakdown. This breakdown was attributed to ‘unceasing and exhausting work’ as chaplain of a large military hospital in Manchester during World War 1.

Sources and References:
Index of Methodist Ministers
Conference Obituary 1917 (accessed via British Online Archives)
Census Returns and Births, Marriages and Deaths Registers Indexes
England and Wales, National Probate (Index and Administrations) 1858-1995
Burnley News: 25 November 1916, 6 December 1916 & 17 February 1917