Peter Walkden facts for kids

Peter Walkden (born October 16, 1684 – died November 5, 1769) was an English minister and a person who kept a detailed diary. He wrote down his daily life and thoughts, which gives us a peek into what life was like for a country minister a long time ago.

Peter Walkden's Life Story

Peter Walkden was born in a place called Flixton, near Urmston, in Lancashire, England. This was on October 16, 1684. He went to a village school first. After that, he studied at an academy run by James Coningham in Manchester. James Coningham was a minister of the Presbyterian church. Peter then went to a Scottish university, where he earned a Master of Arts degree.

Peter started his first job as a minister on May 1, 1709, in Garsdale, Yorkshire. He left there at the end of 1711. Then, he became the minister for two smaller churches. These were at Newton-in-Bowland and Hesketh Lane, near Chipping. This area was a quiet, farming part of Lancashire. He stayed there for a long time, until 1738.

After that, he moved to Holcombe, near Bury, in the same county. In 1744, he became the pastor of the tabernacle (a type of church) in Stockport, Cheshire. He worked there until he passed away on November 5, 1769. Peter Walkden was buried in his own church. His son, Henry, wrote a special message in Latin for his gravestone.

Peter Walkden's Writings

Peter Walkden was known for his diary. Only parts of it have survived, specifically for the years 1725, 1729, and 1730. This diary was published in 1866 by William Dobson.

His diary shows us what a difficult life a poor country minister had back then. It even gave the writer Hall Caine some ideas for a character in his book, A Son of Hagar. Parts of Peter Walkden's letters and notebooks were also printed in a historical magazine called the Transactions of the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire.

Peter Walkden's Family

Peter Walkden was married two times. His first wife was Margaret Woodworth, who passed away in December 1715. The name of his second wife is not known.

He had eight children. One of his sons, Henry, also became a minister. Henry worked in Clitheroe and died there on April 2, 1795.