1

SidelightsontheHistoryandPersonalityoftheVenerableWilliamClowes

ChapterIV

TranscriptionofArticleinthePrimitiveMethodistMagazinebyJ.T.HorneWecanhardlyrealisethattheVenerableCloweswaseveraprominentactorinsuchcoarseamusements;andifhisownstatementshadnotbeenconfirmedfromothersourceswemightbeinclinedtotreatthemashighlycolourednarrationsforthepurposeofmagnifyingthe“graceofGod”inhissalvation.Butcontemporarywritersdescribesuchexhibitionsasacommonfeatureofthatday:andtheoldpeopleinandaroundTunstallstilltellofthegayandrecklessyoungmanwithamorbidrelishforsuchscenesandenjoyments.WhenwecontrastthispicturewithwhatweknowofthesuccessfulEvangelistinafterdaysweseethesplendidspiritualvictoryhegainedwhenheturnedfromtheeviltothegood.Theskilfulathletebecametheleaderofaheroicbandofsinewy-bodied,devoutsouled,singing,praying,rejoicingevangelistswhohavewonourlastingandlovingremembrance.Allthecharacteristicsreappearinthenewsphereashegoesforthtowakenthemassesofhisslumberingcountrymenandleadthemtothehigherrealmsofanoblerlife.SuchafactmakesussympathisewiththeGermanpoetwhenhewrote:-

“Everythinginferiorisahigherinthemaking,Everythinghatefulisacomingbeautiful,Andeverythingevilisacominggood.”

ThereisstilllivingatCreweanieceofWilliamClowes,whosehusband,Mr.EnochWood,isoneoftheoldestlocalpreachersontheCreweFirstCircuit.(Note:SeepicturesinChapterIII.)Mrs.Woodgaveusmanyinterestingincidentsconnectedwithheruncle,andamongstthemaversionoftheMartinmasfeastatBurslem,whichismentionedinDavison’sLife.Shesaiditwasacustomwiththemaster-potterstoprovideafeastfortheworkmenwhentheycommencedafreshyearofservice.AtthisparticularfeastClowes’uncle,JosephWedgwood,honouredhisnephewbyselectinghimashispartnerinthedancewhichfollowedthesupper.Thesprightly,elasticmovements,oftheyoungmancreatedinthemasteranecstasyofadmiration,andhearingsomecoppersjingleinhispocket,hecalledout“Throwthemout,Bill,throwthemaway,andforeverypieceofcopperI’llgiveyouanpieceofgold.”WehavetriedtogetfurtherinformationrespectingthatwonderfulsceneintheBurslemTownHall,whenCloweswassooverwhelmedwithfearthatheleftthecompanyofdancersandranhome.QuotingfromhisJournal,hesays;“findingmyparentsinbedIhastenedupthestairsandtoldthemmyalarms.Hastilytheyaroseandjudgingthatmycomplaintwasanattackofcolic,myfathergavemesomeginandthesmokeoftobaccowhichwereconveyeddownmythroat.”Fromsuchtreatmenthereceivednorelief.Evidentlytheyhadmistakenthenatureofhismalady,andadministeredimproperremedies,foritwasadiseasewhichrepentanceandremorsecouldnotcure.Recentpsychologyhasfoundgreatusefortheword“threshold”asasymbolicdesignationforthepointatwhichonestateofmindpassesintoanother.UsingthissymbolwemayspeakofClowesatthistimeasapproachingthe“threshold”ofthebetterlife.Rev.T.Gutterywritingofthisincidentsays:“therewasaselfthatfoundsomesatisfactionindrunkennessandrevelry,intheloudoath,thevilejest,themadexcitement,thebrutalfight-andyetanotherselfwhichwasimprisoned,and

2

dasheditselfagainstitsbars,andrefusedthevilethingsofferedforitshunger-betweenthetwothemanwastortured.Better,farbetterthis,thanadeadinsensibilityinwrong”(p.18).Wishful,ifpossibletolearnmoreofthedetailsofthisincident,wemadespecialinquiriesofMrs.Thelwell,andreadtohertheparagraphinthe“Journal”inwhichClowesgiveshisgraphicdescriptionofhisexperience.Herreply,givenfrommynotes,maybeofinterest:“Mymemoryisnotasgoodfordetailsasitwas,butIdistinctlyrememberfatherspeakingofthatTownHalldance.IhaveoftentoldyouthatfatherandCloweswerebosomfriends,andIhavesometimesthoughtthattheykneweachother’sinnerlife.Clowessaidthatthefeelingcameoverhimthathewasutterlylost.Hetriedinmanywaystoquiethisconscience,butitwouldnotbe,thefeelingwouldalwaysreturn.Hecouldnotrest.Thethoughtcametohim‘thissinwilldamnme,’andhebecamesomiserablytormentedthathefelthemustgetaway.Thedreadfulevilnessoftheplaceseemedtobe‘suffocating’him.Hecouldnotdanceforhewassoweightedwithasenseofhissinthathewasunabletotakeastep,andtherewasnothingforhimbuttostealoutoftheroomandgetawayasbesthecould.FathertoldmemuchmorebutthatisallIcanremember.”Herewehavean‘interestingincidentfrom,possibly,theonlyoneabletogiveusreliableinformationonthesubject.ThissupplementarypresentationevidencesthatClowesfeltthathehadreachedacrisiswhenhemustresolutelyturnhisbackuponhisfavouritepastimes,andflee-whither?“Iranhome.”Towhomshouldthetroubledchildgobuttohisparents?Theresultwasfailure.Nogin,notobaccosmokewouldsatisfythesoul'sdemands.Everypoundofflesh“mustbesoakedwithallitsblood.”Thesubtlestformsofsufferingknowntomanareconnectedwiththehumiliationsincidentaltothesoul’stransgressions.Theslowlybutsteadilybroadeninglightcomingtohimwasrevealingtheunsatisfyingnatureofhispursuits;andaworkwasinprogressinthegroundworkofthisbeingwhichmadehissoulabattlefieldonwhichhisspiritualdestinywasbeingfought.Mrs.ThelwelI’sstatementliftsforamomentthecurtainatthewindowofhispersonality,andshowsusascenemuchlikeapictureoftheRontgenrays.Thereisaskeleton-aglimpseofagreatinterior-aboutwhichweshouldliketoknowmore.Wemaysnatchotherglimpsesasweproceed.Clowes’secondtermofapprenticeshipterminatedabouthistwentiethyear,bywhichtimehehadbecomeanexpertcraftsman.Ifhehadchosentogiveattentiontohiswork,hewaswellabletoearnsuchawagethathecouldreasonablyundertakethefinancialresponsibilitiesofahome.Wehaveseenhowthegloomhadsettledonhissoul,andevenwhilehelaughedandquaffedhiscups,hefeltthathisspiritualfatehadknockedallthepleasureoutofhislife.Stillhemightberescuedbymarriage,andhewasreadytomakeanyexperimentthatpromisedhimrelief.Marriagemighthelphimtofreehimselffromhisevilcoursesandcompanions,andalthoughnotthehighestconceptionoftherelationshipitveryprobablywas

3

themotivewhichpromptedhim.AboutthistimehebecameacquaintedwithayoungwomannamedHannahRogers,residingwithhermotheratTunstall.Thereisnotmuchknownrespectingherfamily.Mrs.Woodtoldusthatshehadabrother,CyrusRogers,wholivedinAmericaStreet,Tunstall.ThestoryofClowes’courtshipandmarriageisfullofromance.Asgiventous,itseemstosweepeverythingasideuntilloveismadetoreachitsunquenchabledesire.Thestorymaycontainanelement,largelytheproductionofafterthought,butwegiveitastoldtous.ThefriendsofHannahRogers,knowingthecharacterwhichClowesboreinthedistrict,stronglycounselledhertobreakofftheacquaintance,astheyprophesiednothingbutcalamityifsheweddedsuchaprofligate.Thewould-be-bridewasveryseriouslyconsideringthewisdomofaccepting,andactingontheiradvice;andhadevenpromisedtoturnherthoughtselsewhere.ButbeforethecriticalhourarrivedforhertospeaktoClowesshe“dreamedadream,”inwhichshesawWilliamClowesasherfuturehusband,andachangedman.Hehadreachedapositionofgreatinfluence,andtheworldwasthebetterbecauseofhislife.Hisnameandworkwerethethemeofpublicapproval.Shekeptthisdreamtoherself,andponderingoveritresolvedtotakeherowncourse,andinduetimeshebecamehiswife.Suchisthestoryforwhatitisworth.Itseemstotwistourtheoriesoflife,scornsthewisdomofthewiseandthefollyofthefoolish,andcanonlybeamodernversionoftheoldsaying“Loveisstrongerthandeath.”ThemarriagewascelebratedintheoldParishChurchofNewcastle-under-Lyme,bytheRector,theRev.JohnFernyhough,andthefollowingisacopyoftheentrywhichwehavetakenfromtheParishRegister:-“WilliamClowesoftheParishofStoke,Potter:HannahRogersofthesaid,weremarriedinthisChurchbyBannsthis28thdayofJulyintheyearoneThousandeightHundred,bymeJohnFernyhough,Minister.ThisMarriagewassolemnizedbetweenus,WilliamClowesandXinthepresenceofWilliamHillandRandleCooper.”

Itwillbeseenthatthebridewasunabletowritehername,andtheusualwordsinsuchacaseareabsent.ThereisastoryconnectedwiththemarriagethatoughttobetoldbecauseitshowstheconflictoffeelingwhichcharacterisedClowes’conductduringthisrecklessbridal,andconfirmsoursurmiseastothereasonswhyheenteredintosuchastateatthistime.Wegivethestoryinhisownwords:“Themarriageceremony,however,wassocarelesslythoughtof,that,hadnotapersonfastenedthechurchdoors,topreventinterruptionfromthepeoplewithout,Ishouldhaveescaped

4

unmarried,andleftmybridemortifiedbydisappointmentandthelaughsofthepeopleinthechurchyard.”Suchaceremonycouldonlyresultinalife-longpartnership-nothingmore-foritwouldnotmakethemhusbandandwife.ThenewlyweddedcouplereturnedtoTunstall,andforatimetheirhomewaswithMrs.Rogers,thebride’smother.Howlongthisarrangementcontinuedwehavenomeansofknowing,butitwasonlyatemporarymatter,forshortlyafterwefindthemlivinginacottage“neartheAmerica”publichouse,orinwhatisnowcalledAmericaStreet.Thewholefaceofthelocalityhasbeenchangedduringthecentury,yetweareabletogiveanillustrationofthisoldcottage.ItisdifficulttotracethemovementsofClowes,inanychronologicalorder,duringhisresidenceatTunstall.Mrs.Thelwell,andseveralotherelderlypeoplehavetoldusthatforatimehewasemployedattheSwanBankPottery.Mr.JosephParrandothersareofopinionthatheworkedattheSandyfordPottery.ItappearsthatthestatementofClowes,thathelearnedtheartof“turning”hasledtotheconclusionthathecouldnotworkatthe“wheel.”Wemustrememberthathewasnocommonpotter,andwhennecessityarosehecouldgofromthewheeltothelathe,andproduceexcellentworkateitherplace.Havingheardmuchonthesubjectwehaveconcludedthathewasemployedatbothplaces.SwanBankisoneoftheoldPotterieswhichweoftenvisitedduringourfouryearsatTunstall.Mr.ArthurG.Jones,sonoftheRev.GeorgeJones,isoneoftheproprietors,andheverykindlyshowedustheplacesinwhichthewarewasproducedacenturyago.Theworkshopinwhichtheoldwheelwasfixed,andwhereClowesmusthaveworked,isnowadampdarkplace,partlyunderground,andusedforstoringgoods.The“wheel”wasfixedattheendoftheroom,andthereClowessatasheproducedhistaleofwork.Possiblyahundredyearsagoitwasinabetterconditionthanwhenwesawit,forto-dayitcouldnotbeutilizedasafactory.Theoldwheelhasbeenremoved,andisstillusedbythepotters,althoughithasbeenrepairedsomanytimesthatscarcelyanyoftheoriginalarticleremains.DuringtheearlypartofClowes’residenceatTunstallheentereduponaperiodwithmoreclearlydefinedspiritualcharacteristics.Hegraduallycametoseethatlifehadsomethingnoblerthananythinghehadyetfound.Famehadbeenbutabreath,loveseemedtobeacheat,amusementsandsportsgavehimnosatisfaction.Deeperanddeeperhecametoseethroughthelaughingsurfaceofhisexistencetothedepthsbeneath,andtherevelationwasdisappointmentandsorrow.Atthebackofeverythingwasthegreatspectreofuniversaldeathwithitsall-encompassingblackness.Thestory,asgivenbyMr.Kendall,inthenewHistory,istherecordofthestruggleofasoulwithitsfate.Fromthepointofviewofthestudentitisaninstructivestudy;itssignificanceandframinggivingitthechiefpartofitsvalue.Whatcanwemakeofthatsceneinhiscottagehome,whenreluctanttolayviolenthandsonhiswife,andyetunabletobrooksomedomesticoffencewithoutsomekindofretaliation,inamadnessofragehestruckthewallofthehouse,andforthwithleftTunstallfor

5

Lancashire.Ifthisoutwarddisplayoffeelingproducedalittlecoolingdownofhisanimalexcitability,italsobroughtintofullviewthewormatthecoreofhisusualspringsofdelight.Hiswifewaslefttobitteranduselessreflections,whilsthewasflyinghitherandthither;andallthetimehisconsciencewasstinginghimwithkeenreproaches.Followingoneofhisplungesintodissipation,hebecamesomiserablethatheresolvedtoseekreliefbyattendingaMethodistserviceatTunstall.Hispresenceinthecongregationcreatedgreatsurprise,andfurnishedathemeforgeneralpresenceinthecongregationcreatedgreatsurprise,andfurnishedathemeforgeneralconversation;butCloweswasnowreachingthatpitchofunhappinessthatallconsiderationofsentimentalconversationwasvanishingfromhismentalfield.Mrs.ThelwellsaysthatitwasatJamesNixon’ssuggestionthatheattendedthisservice.Thatmayhavebeenso,forweknowthatalifelongfriendshipexistedbetweenthesetwomenwhichcommencedduringtheearlydaysofClowes’residenceatTunstall.Theywerebothpottersandtradeinterestswouldbringthemtogether;buttherewasastillstrongeraffinityfortheywerebothseekersafterahighergood.ShewasoftheopinionthatherfatherwasthehumanagentinleadingClowestothepointofactualsurrender.Butinthespiritualrealmitisratherdifficulttofollowthewindingsofthesoul;andoneoftenfeelsthatspokenwordsrevealbuthalfitssecrets.Itisquitepossiblethatinthiscaseofconversionshemayhaveover-estimatedherfather’sinfluence;foritisleftonrecordthatJamesNixonwasconvertedMarch4th,1805,whichwassomesixorsevenweeksafterClowescameintothelight.ButwillnotherstatementthatClowesoftenspoketoherfatherabouthisspiritualdistress,andthatononeoccasionheadvisedhimtogototheoldMethodistChapel,andseewhathecouldlearnthere,pointtothisview?Shesaidthatheactedonthesuggestionandwent,butitwasallinvain.Wethinksuchasurmiseiswarranted,andinthisfactwehaveprobablythegermofthatmarvellousspiritualaffinitywhichwassucharemarkablefeatureintheirspiritualcareer.(Tobecontinued.)__________________________________________________________________________________ReferencesPrimitive Methodist Magazine 1906/299