By Richard Saul
This article was published in the August 2020 edition of Soul Search, the Journal of The Sole Society
Beamont’s book about Warrington Churches also mentions another Joseph Saul in the same chapter. He states that the Rev Joseph who I have described above “… was in no way connected with the clergyman of this name who preached a charity sermon in Trinity Church on behalf of the Warrington Blue School, on the 35th October 1789, when a sum of £12 12s was collected.”
We also know from the diary of Isaac Fletcher, Quaker, that there was a notable Joseph Saul who was a preacher. The Biographical notes for the diary record: ‘JOSEPH SAUL (1729-1812) Son of Daniel and Rachel Saul of Wolsty. Became a minister as a young man…. He travelled in the ministry in several parts of England…’
I think it is quite possible that this Joseph might have given the sermon at Warrington in 1789, but it is unlikely that we will ever be able to confirm this. But here is another Cumbrian Saul who was part of the educational and academic circle of the 18th century.
[Ed: John Slaughter, our Research Co-ordinator for the surname Saul says that Joseph Saul (1729-1812) married Rebecca Keddey on 11 June 1755 at Beckfoot and their marriage is recorded in the Quaker records. They had five known children born between 1757 and 1772. Three of their children died within a few days of each other in January and February 1777, perhaps as a result of a contagious epidemic. Whilst this Joseph could be the Joseph who preached in Warrington church in 1789 there is an alternative candidate in the society’s records and we hope to publish a longer article in a future journal.]