William Wooldridge Fereday

Ten years ago now, I was speaking with an open brother in his nineties, who had shared a platform with Mr Fereday. WWF was well respected as a Bible teacher but also had a reputation as being quite difficult to get on with at times. I think he got through five wives! The best of the stories that I can remember is the one that it was said when Mr Fereday went to be with the Lord, they put on his gravestone, "Here lay the bones of W.W., never the more to trouble-you trouble-you!"

Tom... I've only just now seen your earlier note re the joke about W W Fereday's supposed gravestone. For the record we ought to be aware that in 1819 John Hamilton Reynolds, a friend of William Wordsworth composed a parody of Wordsworth's poem "Peter Bell" which concluded with a couplet referring to the poet's imagined tombstone :
'He mutters ever–"W.W.
Never more will trouble you, trouble you."'
So when WWF died the joke was over a hundred years old!
Timothy Stunt

Another notice of his death~
Mr. W. W. FEREDAY, passed to be with Christ in his 94th year, on July 31, 1959 at Machermore Castle Eventide Home. For some considerable time Mr. Fereday was confined to his room, and although requiring constant nursing, he was enabled until only recently, to keep in touch with the Lord's work and contribute to the magazines, with the assistance of those who attended him. For about 75 years, the Lord enabled His servant to continue actively in the ministry of the Word. In his earlier days, he was associated with the late Wm. Kelly, and both by oral and written ministry, has been a blessing to many of the Lord's people world-wide. The funeral took place at Newton Stewart Cemetery on August 4. "He being dead yet speaketh."

You show William w. Fereday's birth year as 1866, while on the internet and other sources say plainly he was born in 1863. Maybe you can revisit this or find good proof.

Enjoying the wealth of info. found so far.

Hello. Would it be possible if someone could confirm that W. W. Fereday was the father of Ethel Persis Fereday? She was born around 1888 and was the daughter of William W. Fereday and Hannah Fereday, she ended up getting married in Lisbon, where she probably also died.
Thanks a lot,
Nuno Silva

Yes, Nuno, he is indeed. She was born in Romford, Essex. I can't find her birth record but have found her in the 1891, 1901, amd 1911 Censuses. In the first two she is listed with her parents - in the latter she was a Hospital Nurse at The Consumptive [TB] Hospital, Armley House, Yorkshire.

CBA Manchester has 'Woolreidge' for his middle name, apparently following John Ritchie publications, but the official documents I can find have 'Wooldridge' (his first marriage in 1888 and probate in 1959). However, he wasn't given any middle name on birth, nor on his Baptism on 13th May 1866. Any one know where it came from? His mother's maiden name was 'Wale'.

I’m a relative of WW Fereday, I’m originally from Salford near Manchester I’m now 73 years old and live in Australia, There is also another relative John Fereday who was a ordained Preacher with the Church of England and a Medical Doctor also back in the 17 hundreds, he to minister in Tasmania in that age and was a Preacher at the first Church of England in Tasmania. He was killed when he was called out on a medical situation as his Horse and Buggy hit a rock on the road sending him and a associate out of it knocking his head and dying there, the other person survived. His wife Susan was a Botanist as was John and she moved to Australia and settled there with there children, I was privileged to meet a Lady named Rose who’s husband was part of this family. She told me back in 1975 this was when I met her that her husband always wanted to meet someone from the family from England ? He had died 12 months previous, she showed me the Original Holy Bible that was handed down to them from Johns church in Tasmania and before there in England ? Inside the inner leaf were the whole history of the family from England to Tasmania and into Australia 🇦🇺, it was fascinating to see this evidence of my family’s background regarding The Lord Jesus our Saviour Amen, I was saved in Melbourne in 23/July/ 1978 and was spirit filled baptised and The Lord called me as a Evangelist involved usually in Pentecostal/ Charasmatic Area of Christian Faith, still going strong thanks to Jesus, and awaiting his return until then press on with the Gospel Mark 16:15- to end Amen; happy to share this Testimony and appreciate any contacts or comments Shalom and God Blessings Always Joseph Albert Fereday 13/12/22

Theophilus I’ve sent Tom a scan of it to upload to his site.