LOCKWOOD, Arthur 1873 - 1950

Born at Kilpin, Howden, Yorks, in 1873. He obtained his early education at Woodhouse Grove and Drax Grammar School. He was accepted as a candidate for the Ministry from the Worksop Circuit in 1898, and proceeded to Didsbury College.

In 1901 he was sent to join the missionary staff in Ceylon, where he laboured diligently and fruitfully for the next twenty-nine years. From 1920 to 1930 he occupied the chair of the North Ceylon District, and presided, too, at the Provincial Synod. He returned to the home work in 1930, and served at Falmouth, Ledbury, and Beccles until 1942, when serious arthritic affliction compelled his retirement.

He was known and is still remembered in Ceylon as a large-hearted and understanding missionary, a wise administrator and a challenging preacher who had the enviable gift of interpreting the mysteries of the Faith, in both English and Tamil, with convincing simplicity.

To the last day of his life he kept in constant touch with the work to which he had dedicated the best years of his life, and during his last year one of the happiest compensations in his sore affliction was a personal visit from one of his old Sinhalese students, now influential and famous, the Rev. D. T. Niles.

He was greatly beloved by the people of the Ledbury Circuit, to whom he returned when compelled to relinquish active work in 1942.

He was called Home on 9th March 1950, in the seventy-sixth year of his age and the forty-ninth of his ministry.

©Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes 1950