- Rayner Stephens
Joseph Rayner Stephens (1805-1879) was a Methodist minister who offended the Wesleyan Conference by his support for separating the
Church of England from the State.Born inEdinburgh in 1805, he moved toManchester when his minister father was posted there in 1819. During his religious career, he worked in a variety of places (includingStockholm andNewcastle-under-Lyme ) before arriving inAshton-under-Lyne in 1832.Following his expulsion from Wesleyanism, he set up his own "Stephenite" churches in
Ashton-under-Lyne andStalybridge , and became active in the movement forfactory reform . A radical supporter ofChartism , though denying he was ever aChartist , he was a key figure in the movement, and was imprisoned for several months for attending an illegal meeting. A champion of the working classes ofAshton-under-Lyne and the surrounding areas, Rayner Stephens is buried in St. John's Church inDukinfield with a blue plaque marking his impact upon the local area placed on the remains ofStalybridge Town Hall.Bibliography
Edwards, M.S. (1994). Purge This Realm – A Life of Joseph Rayner Stephens. London: Epworth Press
External links
* [http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/IRstephens.htm Spartacus article on Joseph Rayner Stephens]
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