William Silas Pearse (minister)

William Silas Pearse BA (c. 1869 – 17 August 1949) was a Congregational minister in Victoria, Australia. At his death he was reckoned one of the oldest Congregational Church ministers in Victoria.[1]

History

Pearse was born in Richmond, Victoria and grew up in Fremantle, Western Australia, son of Martha Pearse (c. 1845–1922)[2] and Samuel Pearse (c. 1845–1919) later of Beaconsfield, Western Australia. He was educated in Adelaide at Whinham College and the University of Adelaide. In 1894 he was ordained at both Stow Church[3] and the Congregational Church, Bordertown,[4] where he held a pastorates, then Broken Hill from January 1899 to May 1901.

Then came an unexplained change of plan. He was reported as removing to Brisbane,[5] specifically to Milton,[6] but was somewhat later installed at Yarrawonga, Victoria.[7] And a later summary had him in Kadina before moving to Victoria, when in fact it was the brief period September to December 1913[8] after a European holiday.

In Victoria his pastorates were Yarrawonga, Maryborough, Chelsea, Gardiner, Ascot Vale, and from May 1939 to the time of his death was minister of the East St Kilda Congregational Church.

He was chairman of the Congregational Union of Victoria for the year 1927-28.

He was a Congregationalist delegate to the Council of Churches in Victoria and twice elected president of the Council; and in 1925 stepped in when Frank Paton, was forced by ill-health to step down. He transferred to the Ascot Vale church in April 1925.[9] and to East St Kilda in 1941.

He died in St Vincent's Hospital, aged 80.

Family

Pearse married Eliza Alice Wells (1866 – 2 February 1930),[10] daughter of W. E. Wells of Albert Park, Victoria, on 24 November 1897.[11]

  • Erica Mary Victoria Pearse (11 January 1901[12] – )
  • Rev. Leonard Silas Pearse (1909– ), of Camberwell Congregational Church, married Amy Kelly on 14 December 1935.[13]

Their address in 1935 was 36 Eglinton Street, Moonee Ponds.

References

  1. ^ "Rev. W. S. Pearse". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 32, 124. Victoria, Australia. 18 August 1949. p. 6. Retrieved 28 November 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ "Family Notices". The West Australian. Vol. XXXVIII, no. 6, 320. Western Australia. 22 July 1922. p. 1. Retrieved 30 November 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "The Register (Adelaide)". South Australian Register. Vol. LIX, no. 14, 714. South Australia. 10 January 1894. p. 4. Retrieved 28 November 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "News of the Churches". The Christian Colonist. Vol. XVII, no. 15. South Australia. 19 January 1894. p. 6. Retrieved 28 November 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "Personal". The Advertiser (Adelaide). Vol. XLIII, no. 13, 270. South Australia. 30 April 1901. p. 4. Retrieved 28 November 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "The Rev. W. S Pearse's Departure". Barrier Miner. Vol. XIV, no. 4033. New South Wales, Australia. 4 May 1901. p. 4. Retrieved 28 November 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "Congregational Church, Yarrawonga". The Yarrawonga Mercury and Southern Riverina Advertiser. Vol. XXI, no. 1189. Victoria, Australia. 7 November 1901. p. 5. Retrieved 28 November 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "Church Notes". The Advertiser (Adelaide). Vol. LVI, no. 17, 211. South Australia. 13 December 1913. p. 8. Retrieved 28 November 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "Church News". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 24, 553. Victoria, Australia. 18 April 1925. p. 25. Retrieved 29 November 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "Mrs W. Pearse". The Chronicle (Adelaide). Vol. LXXII, no. 3, 831. South Australia. 20 February 1930. p. 52. Retrieved 29 November 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ "Family Notices". South Australian Register. Vol. LXIII, no. 15, 955. South Australia. 1 January 1898. p. 4. Retrieved 28 November 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ "Family Notices". The West Australian. Vol. 17, no. 4, 649. Western Australia. 30 January 1901. p. 4. Retrieved 28 November 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ^ "First Marriage in New Box Hill Church". The Herald (Melbourne). No. 18, 278. Victoria, Australia. 14 December 1935. p. 26. Retrieved 28 November 2024 – via National Library of Australia.