Papers of William Blazeby

Scope and Content

A collection of notebooks kept by William Blazeby. Mostly lecture notes from his time at Manchester New College.

Administrative / Biographical History

William Blazeby (c.1832-1908) was born in Norwich where in his youth he attended the Octagon Chapel. He was a student at Manchester New College between 1852 and 1857 (coinciding with its move from Manchester to London), becoming a Minister at the High Pavement Chapel, Nottingham between 1858-1860. He then moved to Rotherham where as well as being pastor of the local Unitarian Church he was active in the local Liberal Association and held positions on the local School Board, Board of Guardians, the Rotherham Hospital Dispensary and the Free Library Committee of the Rotherham Corporation. He came into conflict with the local Liberal Association in 1886 when he opposed Gladstone's Home Rule Bill, and was removed from his position as vice-chairman of the local Association. In 1891 he married Mary Fisher and retired to Sheffield in 1894. In his retirement he wrote a history of the Rotherham Old Meeting House and its ministers, and published reminiscences in local papers and in the Christian Life.

He died of pneumonia on 6 June 1908, leaving his library of over 2,000 books and manuscripts to Manchester Home Mission College along with a legacy of £200.

Bibliography

Obituary, The Inquirer, 13 June 1908

G. Gummer, J.P., 'Reminiscences of Rotherham'

H. McLachlan, The Unitarian Home Missionary College 1854-1914 (Manchester: Sherratt and Hughes, 1915)