From [Stuart Rees] Strongman at `Braemar', 13 Oak Tree Avenue, Green Lane, Coventry, to [Lewis] Court.
Strongman has no claim to any distinction within the ministry, except for the fact that he was among the last candidates to be trained at Shebbear College for the Bible Christian ministry. He entered the College a Bible Christian and left a United Methodist. he is however very pleased to agree to Court's request and has sent the enclosed folder, with the hope that the documents will suit Court's purpose and can be included in his collection. If Court requires more information, then he will gladly provide it. Strongman would also be pleased if Court could include in his collection, the photograph of Strongmans's father-in-law [Thomas] Spillett. This would greatly please his wife and would have also pleased Spillett's other daughter who died just yesterday.
Strongman's mother-in-law survived her husband by twenty-five years and died in 1945 at the age of ninety.
Court may be in possession of Spillett's memoir. Strongman wrote an appreciation of his father-in-law for the U M Magazine but has lost his copy. [James Henry] Blackwell wrote the obituary for the Conference minutes.
Court will no doubt recall that Spillett was stationed in Kingsbrompton in 1913-14, the year before Strongman married his daughter.
Strongman's wife remembers meeting Court and his wife at Mrs Carding's in Roadwater and in later years at a Wolverhampton Women's missionary rally.
His wife recalls that Mrs Carding and Gwen were good friends, and wonders if Court has heard any news of Gwen since her marriage.Strongman would be interested to hear details of Court's research collection.
Notes .
- Stuart Rees Strongman (d.1959) was born at St Dennis in Cornwall and was among the last candidates to be trained at Shebbear College for the Bible Christian ministry before it became part of the United Methodist Church. He entered the ministry in 1908 and served for thirtyseven years in home circuits. After his retirement he emigrated to Australia and died in Melbourne. Source: Beckerlegge and M R 26 February 1959, p.5
- Thomas Spillett (1849-1919) was born at Eastling near Faversham in Kent. He was converted in 1867 and entered the Bible Christian ministry in 1874. Spillett spent forty years in home circuit work. Source: Beckerlegge
- James Henry Blackwell (d.1942) was educated at Shebbear College and entered the Bible Christian ministry in 1880. He served for over fifty years in home circuits. Source: Beckerlegge and M R 26 March 1942, p.6