William Grimshaw

William Grimshaw (1708-1763) is a name frequently missed when the 18th century revival is mentioned. William Romaine described him as the most indefatigable preacher that ever was in England.

He was educated in Blackburn before going to Cambridge University as a sizar.
(Sizars were given their education and keep free at the university in return for duties as servants to wealthy students, When they graduated they were ordained into the C. of E. and placed in outlying poor parishes.)

He began his ministry as a curate in Todmorden, Yorkshire in 1731. There he indulged in very earthly pursuits- card playing, fox hunting, shooting etc. He changed when his young wife died, saw a parishioner suffering from post-natal depression and having a mystical experience. He under went a profound spiritual change and became an ardent evangelical. He had been a curate for 10 years before his converted.

After his conversion in 1741 he moved to Haworth in 1742. When he arrived there was barely a dozen regular communicants, a year later there was nearly a 1000.

Visiting preachers included the Wesley brothers and John Newton. In 1758 he built a Methodist chapel. 6,000 attended these meetings,

William was a very powerful preacher and often used broad dialect. He mixed authority with humour, bluntness with tenderness, condemnation with compassion. Being healthy and strong he preached alternative weeks on 2 circuits.
He was also a very good pastor. He regularly visited the housebound, elderly and sick and over seeing the education of the young.

On one occasion he was so angry with his congregation’s response to his sermon he put a donkey in the pulpit! He imposed a rigorously imposed Sabbath observance on the whole village.

By the time he died, 2i years later, there had been a major transformation in that bleak Yorkshire village.and the surrounding area. Drunkards had become sober, wasters had been changed into industrious family men and the Gospel flame spread far an wide.
Faith Cook - William Grimshaw remembered

William stayed until 1763 when he caught Typhus from a parishioner he went to visit. Realising he was about to die he asked his friend Henry Venn to preach at his funeral on For me to live is Christ and to die is gain - his personal beacon since his conversion.

William, aged 55, died on 7th April 1763. Hie final whispered words were
*I have nothing to do but step out of bed into heaven. I have my foot upon the threshold already.

William Grimshaw of Haworth was a remarkable character and a leading figure in the evangelical revival of the 18th Century.

Sources used
William Grimshaw remembered
The Revd. Willaim Grimshaw of Haworth (1708-17630
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