William Atherton

Born in 1775 near Wigan in Lancashire, William Atherton became a Wesleyan minister in 1796 and went on to build a reputation as one of England’s notable Methodist preachers of his era. Accounts of his career describe his preaching as fresh and original, and he remained active in ministry for more than fifty years.

He also took part in wider Methodist life beyond the pulpit. In the 1830s he was involved in reporting on Methodist schools, at a time when religious education was expanding, and in 1846 he was chosen as president of the Methodist Conference.

As an author, he published several religious works, including a sermon on the "Insecurity of Life," an abridged Life of Lady Maxwell, and an address on Wesleyan Methodism. He died in 1850, leaving behind a record tied closely to the development of English Methodism in the first half of the 19th century.