Ministers in Bourton August 14 1765

Thomas Brooks lists some 30 ministers in Bourton on Wednesday, August 14, 1765, for the Association meeting. He calls it a red letter-day in the memory of the “Saints and faithful brethren” at Bourton.

[Thomas] Tommerson, [or Thomason] of [Bollington] Cheshire
[James] Sleep, of [Princes] Risborough [near Chesham] [1742-1811] {23}
[Benjamin] Wallin, of London [1711-1782] {54}
[John] Stanger, of Towcester [nr Moulton, Northants, 1766 Bessels Gn, Seven Oaks] [1743-1823] {22}
[Thomas] Davis, of Fairford [c 1724-1784] {c 39}
[Daniel] Thomas [d 1769] of Henley-in-Arden
[John or James] Knight, of Warwick [succeeded Ryland, from Moreton, Devon and previously at Cork]
[James] Turner, of Birmingham [1726-1780] {39}
[John] Ash, of Pershore [1724-1779] {39}
[Philip] Jones, of Upton [on Severn] [c 1700-1771] {c 65}
[Samuel] George, of Wantage [c 1735-c 1768] {c 30}
[Abram] Darby, of Witney [d 1782]
[Nathaniel] Overbury, of Tetbury [1700-1766] {65}
[Benjamin] Francis, of Horsley [1734-1799] {31}
[Thomas] Ferriby, of [Chipping] Sodbury [Gloucestershire born, baptised Horsley] [1733-1808] {32}
[John] Macgowan, of Bridgenorth [1726-1780] {39}

[Lawrence] Butterworth, of Bengeworth [1740-1828] {25}

[Thomas] Skinner, of Alcester [d 1782]

[Isaac] Woodman, of Sutton [in the Elms, near Leicester] [d 1777]
[Nathaniel] Carpenter, of Middleton Cheney [near Banbury]
[William] Hitchman, of Hil[le]sley [near Wotton under edge] [c 1728-1802] {c 37}

[John?] Davis, of [Chipping] Campden
Caleb Evans, of Bristol [1737-1791] {28}
[James] Butterworth, of Bromsgrove [d after 1794]
[Joshua] Thomas, of Leominster [1719-1797] {46}
[John] Heydon, of Tewksbury [1714-1782] {51}
[Benjamin] Whitmore, of Hooknorton [1728-1804] {37}
besides these three

[Benjamin] Beddome [1717-1795] {48}
[John] Reynolds [1730-1792] {35}
[Richard] Strange, of Bourton [who was at Stratton] [d 1768]

Brooks concludes "This was no mean gathering for a country village, in an age when railways were unknown. And there was a large congregation of hearers, as well as a great company of preachers. Good Mr. Beddome says, that in addition to vehicles of all other kinds, “there were eleven or twelve post-chaises at our Association," clearly indicating that some had come from places not very near to Bourton.