 1880 - 1965 (85 years)
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| Name |
George "Sheriff" Johnson |
| Nickname |
Sheriff |
| Birth |
4 May 1880 |
Hanley, England  |
| Christening |
Abt 1894 |
Penknap |
| Gender |
Male |
| Death |
6 Jun 1965 |
North Hertfordshire, England |
| Person ID |
I1990 |
Goring Family Tree |
| Last Modified |
10 Apr 2006 |
| Father |
Albert Elijah Johnson, b. 20 Mar 1853, Westergate, Sussex, England d. 11 Jul 1907, Stevington, Bedford, England (Age 54 years) |
| Mother |
Priscilla Sheriff, b. 21 Feb 1854, Alford, Lincolnshire, England d. 29 Jan 1937, Fishponds, Bristol, England (Age 82 years) |
| Marriage |
6 Apr 1876 |
Weslyan Chapel, Horncastle, England |
- Marriages Jun 1876
Surname Given Name District Volume Page Transcriber
SHERIFF Priscilla Horncastle 7a 1173 ALBrearley
|
| Family ID |
F645 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
-
| Notes |
- Born @ 8.00pm
Births Jun 1880
JOHNSON George Sheriff Stoke T. 6b 204
http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/cgi/search.pl 08 July 2005
Occupation: Baptist minister
1901 Census
RG13/2966
Ibstock, Leicester
George S Johnson, S son, 29, Chemist, worker, born. Hanley, Staffs.
Newspaper Article (Transcribed - have photcopy of original)
THE REV. GEORGE
SHERIFF JOHNSON
THE Rev. George Sheriff Johnson, former minister at
Tilehouse Street Baptist Church, Hichin, died very suddenly at his home, 4, Old Hale Way, Hichin, on
Sunday evening, as he was preparing to leave for Clifton, where he had taken a service that morning and
was to have conducted one ther that same evening.
Mr. Johnson's wife died in August, 1963, and since the beginning of this year he had
been looked after by a house-keeper, but his sister, Mrs. Cameron, used to stay with him
for the summer, and was with him when he died.
Although he had reached the age of 85 he was extremely active and drove himself by
car around the villages, where he was as well known as he was in Hitchin, and where his work
was as much appreciated as in the town.
Mr. Johnson came to Hitchin in June, 1935, from Fishponds Baptist Church, Bristol to
succeed the Rev. R. F. Guyton, and styed until 1949, when he moved on to Bessels Green
Baptist Church, near Sevenoaks.
When the time came for him to retire he and his wife chose to return to Hitchin where, during
his 14 years' ministry, they had been made very happy, and had made many friends. They
returned to the town in 1956 and since then Mr. Johnson had always given the greatest help,
although retired, to Baptist Churches in the North Hertfordshire and South Bedfordshire.
At Tilehouse Street his ministry was an outstanding one, and to say that anyministry at
that church, which has always been richly blessed by its leaders, is putting it on a very
high plane.
Educated at Keyford School, Frome, and Spurgeon's College, Mr. Johnson started his
ministerial career at Manchester in 1906.
After two years he went to Weston-super-Mare where he stayed for 11 years, until in
1919, he moved to Bristol, where his ministry again was a long one - 15 years. These long
periods at Weston-super-Mare, at Bristol and at Hitchin spoke well for the impression he
made on his congregations, for the frienliness he and his wife exuded and for their leadership
in all sections of the church. His ministryat Hitchin was the second longest in the church's
history only beingexceeded by the Rev. John Braod, who stayed 16 years.
While at Bristol he develpoed a great interest in foreign missions and he brought this
enthusiasm with him to Hitchin, so that the church was inspired to raise sufficient money
to re-build a hospital wing at Sianfu, the ancient capital of China, the fund being completed
in 1946, after three and a half years.
He was a member of the Committee of the Baptist Missionary Society for 20 years, from
1939 to 1959, and chairman of the Medical Committee from 1947 to 1952. He also developed
a great interest in the British Jews Society, and became a committee member in 1946 and had
been the society's chairman since 1957 until his death.
A man of great energy, his earlier years found him engaged in strenuous pastimes such as
Alpine climbing and swimming, and his main home hobby was book collecting.
A chaplain to the Forces in the 1914-18 war, while at Weston he set aside part of the Hitchin
church premises for use as a canteen for the military during the 1939-45 war, and these premises
have also been used as a Sunday night centre for young people - an example of the church
taking its part in solving some of the problems of young people.
In the wider sphere of the Herts Baptist Association, his services included that of Missionary
Secretary for ten years until 1949, and he was its president in 1941 and again in 1961.
The Rev. Edward Smalley announced Mr. Johnson's death at the evening service on Sunday,
and special prayers were said. Mr. Smalley, assisted by the secretary of the British Jews
Society, a personal friend, conducted the funerla service at Tilehouse Church on Thursday,
when funeral arrangements were by Mr. V. R. Jennings,
A memorial and tanksgiving service is being held on Sunday evening.
Baptist Handbook - 1966
Page 360 Memiors of Ministers and Missionaries
JOHNSON, GEORGE SHERIFF, was born at Dilton Marsh, Wiltshire, on 4th May,
1880, the son of a Baptist minister. After traing at Spurgeon's College, he com-
menced his ministry at Coupland Street, Manchester, in 1906. After two years
the notable ministries followed at Clarence Park, Weston-super-Mare, 1908-
19; Fishponds, Bristol, 1919-35; Tilehouse Strret, Hitchin, 1935-49 and Bessels
green from 1949 until his retirement in 1956. It would be impossible in words
to pay adequate tribute to the quality of his ministry in each of these spheres or
the devotion with which he served the churches. A man of vast reading, his
preaching always evangelical, was shot through with illustrqations and a volume of
his sermons, "Digging the Old Wells", published during his Bristol Days, is still
treasured. He will be remebered with particular gratitude and affection as a
pastor. He had a real pastor's heart, lovind, caring and feeling for every one under
his charge. Loyal to his own denominatio, he served on the B.M.S. General Com-
mittee for 20 years, during which for five years he was Chairman of the Medical
Committee, and twice he was President of Herts. Baptist Association. Yet
his interests were not circumsribed. In Bristol he took a leading part in the
Free Church movement and in 1946 became a committee member of the British
Jews Society. He was Chairman of the Society from 1957 until his death. Active
throughout his retirement in Hitchin and in constant demand as a preacher through-
out the North Herts. area, he had conducted the morning srevice on 6th June
(Whit Sunday), 1965, in a neighbouring village and was preparing to leave home for
the evening service when the end came suddenly. Memories of his gracious charm
and his loving spirit, his joyessness and consistency of life will remain a constant
inspiration. He was a dear friend to many, a great encourager and a stainless
Christian gentleman. In 1920 he married Julia Frances Robinson, a clergyman's
CLARENCE PARK BAPTIST CHURCH
......The next Pastor was Rev Sheriff Johnson who took up his duties as the new church was opened in December 1908, and again the work flourished. However an event in 1912 shed gloom over the Church when the much loved Sunday school superintendent, Mr Louch, went with his wife on holiday to America, on the ill-fated Titanic. His wife was saved but he was lost......
http://www.cpbc.co.uk/history.asp
Contact details
Clarence Park Baptist Church
Walliscote Rd,
Weston-Super-Mare
BS23 1ED
Phone: 01934 645719
Email: enquiries@cpbc.co.uk
daughter, who pre-deceased him by two years. Members of the family who remain,
the two sisters in England, Mrs. Cameron of Morpeth and Mrs. W. W. Winfield, of
Herne Bay, and the sister and two brothers in New Zealand - are all assured of the
sympathy of many friends. - E. S.
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