Weaste Cemetery

Biographies of people buried between 1880 & 89

John Roberts (1818 - 1889)


John Roberts was a Printer in Chapel Street and Lay Preacher of the Welsh Chapel, Broad Street, Pendleton, for 44 years.

 

The Salford Reporter of 1st June 1889 records, "Mr Roberts was admitted a member of the Welsh Calvanistic Methodist Church in St.Stephen Street, Salford in the year 1845. He discharged his duties with considerable ability and with consistency. He advocated every progressive movement in the church, municipality and in Parliament. He was a thorough and consistent radical reformer. Temperance reformers will miss his energetic services. He was an uncompromising enemy to all pernicious habits. But the interest nearest his heart was his church work, saving sinners was his great aim and desire. When anyone sought membership in the church his heart would leap for joy. The debt on the chapel troubled him much, yet he rejoiced that the Pendleton Welsh Chapel had a glorious future".

 

John Roberts died suddenly, in his office on Chapel Street on Wednesday 22nd May 1899. He was 71 years of age. The funeral took place on Saturday 25th May at Weaste Cemetery. Amongst the mourners were his sons, John, Frederick, Benjamin, Daniel and Henry; Councillors Denson and Sharrocks; representatives from the Brotherton Liberal Club, Messrs J. Calladine, A. Nightingale, W. Bradley and T. Singleton; and members of the Manchester Typographical Society, R.W. Watters (President), J. Dickson (Treasurer) and R. Spencer (Secretary). The greater part of the service was in Welsh including an old Welsh hymn "Bydd myrdd o vyfeddodan".

 

On Sunday evening, 26th May, a large congregation attended a funeral sermon at the Welsh Chapel on Broad Street, Pendleton, conducted by Rev William James BA who took as his text Psalm 26, 1 to 8.