17; Robert Ramm and Robert
Bryant, 1830; {68b} Bryant was called a "son of thunder," from his great
energy.

In 1835 Leonard Posnet was a popular minister, not only in the town but
in the country around, being much appreciated by the farmers from his
intimate acquaintance with their avocation. He was followed (1838-1840)
by Joseph Kipling, grandfather of the now well-known Rudyard Kipling.
Joseph Clapham was a faithful minister from 1843 to 1845, and was
succeeded by (1845-1848) "Father" Crookes, "Preacher" Wood, and the
"saintly" Fowler, who was said to have made 900 converts.

Then followed Wright Shovelton, Martin Jubb, Peter Featherstone, Henry
Richardson, and others, among whom it would be invidious to make
distinctions. We may add that a famous missionary of this sect was
Thomas Williams, son of John Williams, a cabinet maker of Horncastle, the
latter being an active member of the Wesleyan Sunday School Committee.
His first wife, mother of the missionary, was Miss Hollingshead, who,
with her mother, kept a girls' school, near the Bow Bridge. A _History
of the Fiji Mission_, issued in 1858, says "The good ship Triton sailed
from England, Sep. 14, 1839, carrying out the Rev. T. Williams, and his
wife, to Lakamba, Fiji." They arrived there July 6, 1840. He there
built a mission house and chapel, where he laboured several years, the
mission growing in extent, until it was beyond his strength. In June,
1852, Mr. Moore was appointed as a colleague to relieve him of some of
the work, but again his health broke down, and he was obliged to leave,
after 13 years' hard labour, in July, 1853. He went to Australia and
took various charges in that country, being chosen President of the
Mission at Ballarat in 1873. He re-visited England in 1861, and again in
1881, returning to Ballarat, as a supernumerary, but still officiating.
The present writer well remembers the impression made by a lecture, given
by Rev. T. Williams, at the Bull Hotel, Horncastle.

[Picture: Wesleyan Day Schools]

Among the latest ministers of note has been the Rev. John Percy, who gave
up his charge as Superintendent in 1904, and was succeeded by the Rev. E.
Hayward, who left Horncastle on Thursday, Aug. 29, 1907, for work at
Bridlington; he was succeeded by Rev. John Turner, of Colchester, who was
6 years ago in Louth Circuit, {70a} the Rev. G. German Brown continuing
as assistant. He was succeeded by the Rev. M. Philipson