Brewis, John Thomas (1879-1961) B.A., B.D.

Obituary from the Minutes of the Methodist Conference

Born at Gateshead-on-Tyne in 1879. He was trained at Manchester University and Victoria Park College and entered the Ministry of the United Methodist Free Church in 1901.

He worked with conspicuous success as preacher and pastor in circuits in Manchester, Bury. Leeds. Middlesbrough. Mossley and Derby ; but from the beginning it was clear that he was destined to render distinguished service in the field of ministerial training.

Called to Victoria Park as a tutor in 1906, he continued there until the college was amalgamated with Hartley in 1934 being Principal for the last fifteen years.

Thereafter he was a tutor at Hartley Victoria until 1945, and Principal from 1945-8.

In all he gave thirty-six years interrupted by the two wars, to the preparation of men for the Ministry.

During this time he was first Dean and then Secretary of the Faculty of Theology of Manchester University. He was a fine scholar, and a brilliant and inspiring teacher of both Old and New Testament subjects; his ability as an instructor in the biblical languages was remarkable, and his exposition of the New Testament books will long be remembered by those privileged to be his students.

As Principal he manifested a deep concern for his men, as well as considerable administrative gifts. He was a humble and somewhat shy man ; he never sought publicity, and he sacrificed authorship to the sacred duty of teaching ; but he also knew how to rule men and could act with great firmness when it was necessary.

The brave and uncomplaining spirit which he showed during his retirement, when illness came first to his wife and  then to himself, will be regarded by all who knew him as the crown of a long life of faithful service to Christ and His Church.

He died at Stockton-on-Tees on 8 October 1961, in the eighty-third year of his life and the sixty-first of his ministry.

©Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes 1962

Family

John was born on 14th August 1879 in Gateshead, the son of Thomas and Elizabeth Brewis. His father was a glass merchant.

He married Lois Helena Dye (1880-1957) on 13th July 1907 at Parkhills chapel, Bury. They had a son

• Conrad (1913-1985)

John died on 8th October 1961 in Stockton-on-Tees.

Circuits

• 1899 Victoria Park College
• 1902 Manchester II
• 1904 Bury (received into Full Connexion 1905)
• 1907 Bramley
• 1911 Leeds Wortley and Kirkstall (supernumerary)
• 1912 Victoria Park College (tutor)
• 1916 Middlesbrough
• 1919  Victoria Park College (Principal)
• 1934 Hartley Victoria College (tutor)
• 1945 Hartley Victoria College (Principal)
• 1948 Stockton-on-Tees (supernumerary)

References

Oliver A Beckerlegge, United Methodist ministers and their circuits: Being an arrangement in alphabetical order of the stations of ministers of the Methodist New … and the United Methodist Church, 1797-1932

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers

Minutes of the Methodist Conference 1962, page 193