William Clowes Papers

Date range: 1836-1838

Medium: Archive

Papers of William Clowes (1780-1852), evangelist and co-founder of the Primitive Methodists. Clowes was born at Burslem, Staffordshire, and trained as a potter. He was converted under the influence of the local Wesleyan Methodist Society and began preaching locally. Clowes was expelled from the Connexion in 1810 for his involvement in the camp meeting movement. His followers, who were known as Clowesites, subsequently merged with the group led by Hugh Bourne to form the Primitive Methodist Connexion.

Clowes was an outstanding evangelist and played a major role in the expansion of the movement, leading important missions to several parts of the country.

Very few manuscripts of William Clowes have survived. The collection comprises seven notebooks of Clowes covering topics such as his relationship with Hugh Bourne, Primitive Methodism in Hull, and his early life within the Methodist Church.

The notebooks were formerly in the possession of Hartley Victoria College and represent the most important source of information concerning Clowes's life.

Further information:

• Part of the Methodist Archives and Research Centre (MARC). For more information see our subject page for Methodist Collections.
• Catalogue available online via ELGAR.

Location:

• The John Rylands Library, Deansgate  [Map]
• Find out how to use the reading rooms in the John Rylands Research Institute and Library