Phil’s History:

Alfred George Archer, father of my ‘Grandpa William Archer’ was the son of John Archer, Common Brewer of St Aldates, Oxford, an Excise Officer for Queeen Victoria’s Revenue service, serving in Wells, Somerset, and Rothwell, Northants, Shillingford, near Wallingford, Oxfordshire and finally in Oxford itself. He was a well-known Methodist local preacher. He marrried Olive Emma Reed, who bore him a large family, and was sister to Albert Edwin Reed the founder of the Reed Paper Empire, and owner of several paper mills including the one at Kaisersveer in Holland where Grandpa William and his elder brother Ernest both worked for some years presumably, by way of training.

Curriculum Vitae

Names:  Alfred George Archer. His own list of family members and dates shows him as ‘Alfred Geo’ (the only one with two names). The  (apparently) earlier such list (which shows the two Matildas without amendment) shows him simply as ‘George’.

Dates:  16^th (*) February 1848 to 7^th February 1913; and from his certificate of baptism, he was baptised on March 17^th 1848,  so he lived for 52 + 13 = 65 years, less 9 days.  Alfred George’s own family members’dates list shows his birth date as ‘Febry 14^th 1848’ (not 16^th), but the (apparently) earlier such list which lists the two Matildas without amendment shows ‘Feb’ry 16’ with a manuscript correction to ‘14’.  Re (*) above, the two handwritten lists of family members give 14^th and 15^th February. 

Father: 

John Archer, brewer, (1803 to 1884);

Mother: 

Fanny Leaver.  Alfred George was the tenth child, and the sixth son, according the list of siblings opposite;

Education:
From his obituary in the Oxford Wesleyan Methodist Circuit Magazine, marked (in manuscript) February 7, 1913: He received his education at Nixon's School, a picturesque old building which was removed when the Town Hall was erected in Oxford. Among the sixty sons of Freemen few shone more brightly than he; in 1865 he carried off the coveted Latin prize, and afterwards becoming a teacher, re­mained in the school until his appointment to the Civil Service. 

Married:   

Olive Emma Reed, 26^th August 1870. Seems likely that he met her in some way in connection with his work as an Inland Revenue Officer, because her father, Edward Reed, was likewise an Inland Revenue Officer, in Wells Somerset (I recollect). Her family were active Methodists, and it appears that Alfred George became a Methodist as a result of his connection with that family. This led, in due course, to his son William likewise being a Methodist, and likewise, onwards, William’s son Frederick George, my father. It may well be that the rest of the Archer family remained in the Church of England, as Alfred George’s parents had been and remained. 

Marriage Certificate:

1. Marriage solemnized at the Wesleyan Methodist chapel, Wells, in District of Wells, in the county of Somerset;
2. On 26^th August 1870, Alfred George Archer and Olive Emma Reed, both aged 22 years, bachelor and spinster, he being an Inland Revenue Officer, resident at Rothwell, Northamptonshire, and she being resident at Henley, Wells, Somerset (appears on a modern map to be much nearer to Somerton and Glastonbury than to Wells);
3. Fathers’ names and surnames and rank or professions: John Archer, brewer; and Edward Reed, Inland Revenue Officer;
4. Married in Wesleyan Methodist Chapel according to the rites and ceremonies of the Wesleyan Methodists by Licence, by me William Nicholson, Minister;
5. This marriage was solemnized between us, Alfred George Archer and Olive Emma Reed in the presence of us: Edward Reed (bride’s father) and Edward James Reed (presumably bride’s brother);
6. Cornelius Lyle, Registrar. 
7. Notes by pba: a) interesting that the groom’s father is not one of the witnesses; b) John Archer, junior, Alfred George’s father lived-on until 1884, so presumably (illnesses apart) he could have been there at his son’s marriage – perhaps he was indeed unwell, or perhaps he didn’t approve of this sudden conversion of Alfred George to Methodism – could perhaps investigate this by finding John Archer’s will and seeing whether AGA was bequeathed anything;

Siblings: (birth dates between 20.01.1829 (Fanny) and 06.02.1854 (Rose), a period of 25 years):

1. Fanny (or Frances) Mary, born 20^th January 1829, died single at 7 Tackley Place, Oxford, 15^th May 1894 (age 65);
2. Elizabeth, born 29^th January 1830 (one   year and nine days after sister Frances Mary), married John Gray, buried at Rose  Hill cemetery;
3. Ann, born 11^th June 1832,  (two years and four months after sister Elizabeth), married Tom Wood,  buried at St Sepulchre’s cemetery, Walton Street, Oxford;
4. John, born 4^th January 1834, (one year and seven months after sister Ann), married Miss Castle, buried St Aldates;
5. Thomas, born 2^nd January 1835, (one year less two days after brother John), died 1920 (aged about 85), buried at Cowley with wife and daughter;
6. James, born 4^th December 1836, (one  year and eleven months after brother Thomas), died 12^th October 1922 (aged 85), married Fanny Porter 31^st March 1874, buried Osney Cemetery, started the family furniture removal business, no children;
7. Ellen, born 16^th May 1838, (one year and five months after brother James), died single; 
8. Edward, born 7^th February 1842, (almost four years after sister Ellen), died single, buried in St Sepulchre’s cemetery (age 64, per pba manuscript notes);
9. Charles, born 20^th August 1843, (one year and six months after brother Edward), married Miss Wells, no children;
10. Alfred George (himself), born 16^th February 1848,  (almost four and a half   years  after sister Ellen), died 7^th February 1913, in his 65^th year; had eleven children;
11. William Samuel, born 10^th July 1852, (almost four and a half years after brother Alfred George), one son and one daughter, died 2^nd January 1917, aged 64, buried in St Sepulchre’s cemetery, married Matilda Saunders (dates 12^th June 1846 to 20^th May 1892, age almost 46);
12. Rose Anne, born 6^th February 1854, (one year and seven months after brother William Samuel, died 6^th September 1889, aged 35, single, buried in family vault in St Aldate’s; and 
13. Seven (not quite sure where the “seven” came from, as FGBA’s manuscript note just refers to “other children” who died in infancy; (if 7 is right, a total of 19 children were apparently born);
14. Note: there are many lists of Archers made mostly by WGRA and FGBA, and based on family tree-format documents, which need to be checked against the list of siblings above and against other such ‘CV data’. They may well provide additional dates, eg death dates, to supplement the above and thus to enable me to follow-up the question of which, if any of the above siblings were living within my lifetime;  (pba.29.7.2009).

Children of Alfred George and Olive Emma Archer: (pasted from WGRA’s cv – much of this data came from Gill’s family tree):

1. Olive Rose (Rose) born 1872;
2. Alfred Edwin (Teddy), 1873 – 1888;
3. Ernest (Ernie) born 1874, married Maria van Dongen;
4. Helena Emma (Lena) born 1875, married Harry Brough;
5. Bertha Olive (Olive), born at ‘Shillingford, Warborough’ 26.6.1877 (birth cert.), married Harry John Rowe (age 31 years, bachelor, draper, of Eagle House, Leigh Road, Eastleigh, Hants, father Charles Thomas Rowe, bootmaker) on 11^th March 1903 at ‘The Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Walton Street, Oxford’ (marriage cert.);
6. William George Reed (‘Willie’, so said Walter Gilder to me) himself, (1878 – 1969), married (1902) Elizabeth Emma Gilder, and (1943) Mary Kate Ray;
7. Herbert John (Bert) (1880 - ?);
8. Francis Kate (Katie) (1882 - ?) married name ‘Nurse’;
9. Percy John (John) (1884 – approx 1899);
10. Charles James, (1886);
11. Blanche Annie (1890 - ?); married name Staines;
12. Notes: (i) of the boys, the eldest, Tedddie, died aged about 15 from (pba recollection) tuberculosis; (ii) the second eldest boy, Ernie, was by the time of the 1891 census already (and possibly had been for some time) working in his Uncle Edwin’s paper mill in Dartford, Kent; (iii) so William, the third eldest boy (and sixth child overall) was thus by the time of the 1891 census when he was aged 12, the eldest boy at home; and (iv) his (two years) younger brother Bert, and Charles became the only other two living boys in a family of 11 (born) children in the UK when Percy died in a tramcar accident in about 1899, by which time Ernest had gone, I think, to Holland; (v) of course William was in Holland until 1900, and perhaps it was the death of Percy which was another important factor in deciding him to come back to the UK; (vi) ie out of 6 boys amongst 11 children, 2 died young, one went abroad, and of the remaining 3, one became rich by inheritance, one worked for the Thames Conservancy, and of the other (Charles) little is yet known;

Family information from James Archer’s Family Bible: Family Register:

Family Register from the bible of James Archer of St. Aldate’s Street and Pembroke Street, Oxford, rearranged by PBA with dates of death moved up to alongside dates of birth, etc:

Parents’ Names:

Husband: John Archer; born: June 22^nd 1803; died: 6^th December 1884; (aged 81 years and 5 months);

Wife: Fanny Archer; born: December 10^th, 1808; died: 13^th February 1881; (aged 72 years and 2 months);

Married: (nothing further entered on this page);

Children’s Names:

Frances Mary Archer: born (1^st): January 20^th 1829; died (*)(6^th): 15^th May 1894 (aged 65  years and 4 months);

Elizabeth Archer: born (2^nd): January 30^th 1830; died (*)(1^st): 4^th December 1866; (aged 36 years and 10 months);

Anne Archer: born (3^rd): June 11^th 1832; died (*)(2^nd): 25^th December 1886; (aged 54 years and 6 months);

John Archer: born (4^th): January 4^th 1834; died (*)(4^th): 7^th October 1891; (aged 57 years and 9 months);

  Thomas Archer: born (5^th): February  2^nd 1835; died (*)(11^th): 6^th September 1920; (aged 85 years and 7 months);

James Archer: born (6^th): Dec 4^th 1836; died (*)(12^th): 12^th October 1922; (aged 85 year s and 10 months);

Ellen Archer: born (7^th): May 16^th 1838; died (*)(8^th): 22^nd June 1912; (aged 74 years and 1 month);

Edward Archer: born (8^th): February 7^th 1842; died (*)(7th): 13^th February 1907; (aged 65  years and  0 months);

Charles Archer: born (9^th): August 20^th 1843; died: (*) (date not shown); (aged   years and    months);

Matilda Archer: born (10^th): June 12^th 1846; died (*)(5^th): 20^th May 1892; (aged 45 years and 11 months);

Alfred George Archer (11^thth): born: February 14 1848; died (*)(9^thth):  7 February 1913; (aged 65 years and  0 months);

William Samuel Archer (12^th): born: July 10^th 1852; died (*)(10^th): 2^nd January 1917; (aged   years and    months);

Rosa/Rose Anne Archer (13^th): born: February 6^th 1854; died (*) (3^rd): 6^th September 1889; (aged 35  years and 7  months);

Marriages:

(No information entered);

Deaths:

Parents:

Fanny Archer: 13^th February 1881;

John Archer: 6^th December 1884;

Children:

Elizabeth Archer: 4^th December 1866;

Annie Archer: 25^th December 1886;

Rosa Anne Archer: 6^th September 1889;

John Archer: 7^th October 1891;

Matilda Archer: 20^th May 1892;

Frances Mary Archer: 15^th May 1894;

Edward Archer: 13^th February 1907;

Helen Archer: 22^nd June 1912;

Alfred George Archer: 7^th February 1913;

William Samuel Archer: 2^nd January 1917;

Thomas Archer: 6^th September 1920;

James Archer: 12^th October 1922;

Fanny Archer, wife of James Archer: 18^th April 1908, age 69.

(ends.pba.16.12.06). 18.12.06: work remains to be done in terms of cross-relating this ‘Family Register’ information to James Archer’s CV generally. The above family register info is itself already somewhat processed in terms of having the death information repasted-in, so as to give ‘from-and-to’ dates for each person (except Charles, who is omitted from the deaths list).

Census information:

1841 Census, Market Street, Oxford: 7 years before Alfred George’s birth, and his elder brother James is a 4-year old with his parents:

1. Market Street, Oxford (no house numbers shown, and the street can only be found by going to the preceding page, which also shows Cornmarket Street adjoining (of course) Market Street; and Ship Street begins immediately after the John Archer household, so apparently the house was in Market Street, on the corner of Ship Street;
2. John Archer, age 35, victualler, born Oxfordshire;
3. Francis Archer, age 30, born Oxon;
4. Elizabeth Archer, age 11, born Oxon;
5. Ann Archer, age 9;
6. John Archer, age 8;
7. Thomas age 6 (not clear);
8. James Archer, age 4;
9. Ellen Archer, age 3;
10. Matilda Archer, age 1; and
11. William Leaver, age 4, and
12. Jane Jefferies, age 20, (possibly a servant/domestic: in the occupation column she has the letters ‘FJ’ or ‘FL’ against her name (not understood); so
13. Notes: (i) James in 1841 is (of course) living with his parents, and it is noteworthy that John Archer (junior), the 2^nd John Archer who was a brewer is in 1841 apparently not in the brewery business, but is supplying ‘victuals’; (ii) James’s mother, Fanny Archer, is aged 30 and has a household of 11 persons including children aged 1 to 11 to care for; and (iii) the family is living in the very centre of Oxford, close to where the Covered Market was when I was a little boy in the 1940s, and which may well have been a market then; 

1841 Census, St Aldates, Oxford:

John Archer, senior, brewer, plus Ann (25), Thomas (20), and Frances (12):

1. City of Oxford, parish of St.Aldates; No. of house not shown. Appears to say (in the column for ‘Uninhabited or Building’: ‘2U’ meaning (presumably): 2 (rooms?) uninhabited;

2. John Archer, brewer, age 70, brewer, born in Oxfordshire,

3. Ann Archer, age 25, born in Oxfordshire;

4. Thomas Archer, age 20, born in Oxfordshire;

5. Frances Archer, age 12, born in Oxfordshire;
6. Other professions in adjacent houses: Bookbinder/ hair dyer/ artist/livery stable keeper/ lab(ourer)/ etc;

7. Notes: (i) copy of the census page saved as a jpeg (pba.25.5.07); (ii) although ‘profession/occupation’ of ‘brewer’ is shown above, the 1841 census does not actually show such information, which only came with later censuses; (iii) John Archer (senior)’s wife Mary had by this time died in about 1836 aged 54; and (iv) perhaps John (senior) was indeed still running the brewery;

1851 Census:

Alfred George is 3 years old and living with his parents and family in St Aldates, Oxford:

1. St Aldates Street, Oxford, (no house number given);
2. John Archer, head, married, age 45, brewer, born Oxford, St Aldates;
3. Fanny Archer, wife, married, age 42, born London;
4. Fanny Archer, daughter, unmarried, age 21, born Oxford, St Aldates;
5. Elizabeth Archer, daughter, unmarried, age 20, born Oxford, St Michaels;
6. Ann Archer, daughter, unmarried, age 19, born Oxford, St Michaels;
7. Matilda Archer, daughter, unmarried, age 5, born Oxford, St Giles;
8. John Archer, son, (note the column indicating ‘Condition’, meaning married or unmarried, is not completed for the sons), age 18, Cooper, born Oxford, St Michaels;
9. Thomas Archer, son, age 17, Brewer’s Labourer, born Oxford, St Michaels;
10. James Archer, son, age 14, scholar, born Oxford, St Michaels;
11. Edward Archer, son, age 9, scholar, born Oxford, St Michaels;
12. Charles Archer, son, age 8, scholar, born Oxford, St Michaels;
13. George (not Alfred George) Archer, son, age 3, born Oxford, St Aldates;
14. Next door on St Aldates (on the census) is Sophia Whitty, wife, age 40, and her family, and she is a ‘Shugar boiler’;

1861 Census: 

Couldn’t find Alfred George in the 1861 census. He is not at home at Isis House, St Aldates – see data below from cv of his father, John Archer. He would have been aged about 13. There is a large gap between the ages of Matilda (15) and William (8) in the family members present at Isis House on that night (see below):

1861 Census:

Alfred is not at home at Isis House, St. Aldates, Oxford:

1. Isis House, St Aldates, Oxford;
2. John Archer, head, married, age 56, brewer; born Oxford;
3. Frances Archer, married, age 53, born London;
4. Frances Archer, daughter, unmarried, age 32, born Oxford;
5. Elizabeth Archer, daughter, unmarried, age 31, born Oxford;
6. Thomas Archer, son, unmarried, age 26, born Oxford;
7. James Archer, son, unmarried, age 25, born Oxford;
8. Ellen Archer, daughter, unmarried, age 24, born Oxford;
9. Edward Archer, son, unmarried, age 19, born Oxford;
10. Matilda Archer, daughter, unmarried, age 15, born Oxford;
11. William Archer, son, age 8, born Oxford;
12. Rosa Archer, daughter,  age 6, born Oxford;
13. Mary Cutch, age 84, born Oxon, Ewelm (?);
14. Also present: Frank Mappleson, lodger, age 20 (or 26) Railway worker, born London;
15. Note: next door is apparently ‘Grandpont House’ with Thomas Randle, magistrate and hatter living there;

1871 Census:

Living with his wife Olive, at Back Lane, Rothwell, Northants, before birth of any children:

1. Back Lane, Rothwell (Northants);
2. Alfred George Archer, Head, Married, age 23, officer of Inland Revenue, born Oxford;
3. Olive Emma Archer, wife, married, age 22, born Cornwall, Fowey;
4. No one else listed, so this is indeed before first child Olive Rose, who was 9 years old at the 1881 census, 10 years later, was born;
5. Next door in Back Lane, Rothwell (no house numbers) was John Essex, a ‘Mason’ and his family, including Elizabeth Essex, daughter, a stay maker, and next door to them was William Joyce a labourer at the iron works;

1881 Census: 

Head of house at Shillingford, Oxon with 7 children: 2 born at Rothwell, 2 in Wells, and 3 at Shillingford:

1. Alfred G. Archer, head, married, age 32, Inland Revenue (this word inserted, and it doesn’t really look like ‘Revenue’) Officer/Excise, born Oxford;
2. Olive E. Archer, wife, married, age 32, born Fowey, Cornwall;
3. Olive R. Archer, daughter, unmarried, age 9, scholar, born Rothwell, Northants;
4. Alfrd E. Archer, son, unmarried, age 8, born Rothwell, Northants;
5. Ernest Archer, son, unmarried, age 7, scholar, born Wells, Somerset;
6. Helena E. Archer, daughter, unmarried, age 5, scholar, born Wells, Somerset;
7. Bertha O. Archer, daughter, unmarried, age 3, born Shillingford, Oxon;
8. William GR. Archer, son, unmarried, age 2, born Shillingford, Oxon;
9. Herbert John Archer, son, unmarried, age 9 months, born Shillingford, Oxon; 
10. Amie Frazier, servant, age 16, servant (domestic), born Cholsey; and 
11. Notes: Next door is Lizzie Blumsden, age 40, widowed farmer’s wife and her family;

1891 Census:

Head of house at 7 Tackley Place, St Giles, Oxford, with 9 children: 1 born at Rothwell, 1 born at Wells, 5 born at Shillingford, and 2 born in Oxford, plus his father-in-law, Edward Reed:

1. Alfred G. Archer, head, married, age 42, Inland Revenue officer, employed, born Oxford, Oxfordshire;
2. Olive E. Archer, wife, married, age 42, born Fowey, Cornwall;
3. Olive R. Archer, daughter, single, age 19, born Rothwell, Northants;
4. Helena E. Archer, daughter, single, age 15, born Wells, Somerset;
5. Bertha O. Archer, daughter, age 13, scholar, born Shillingford, Oxon; 
6. William GR Archer, son, age 12, scholar, born Shillingford, Oxon;
7. Herbert J. Archer, son, age 10, born Shillingford, Oxon;
8. Francis K. Archer, daughter, age 8, scholar, born Shillingford, Oxon;
9. John P. Archer, son, age 6, born Shillingford, Oxon;
10. Charles J. Archer, son, age 4, born Oxford, Oxon;
11. Blanche A. Archer, daughter, age 6 months, born Oxford, Oxon;
12. Edward Reed, father-in-law, widower, age 80, Revenue Officer – Superannuated/Retired, born Bovey Tracey, Devonshire;
13. Notes: Next door at No. 8 Tackley Place, the house is uninhabited, and at No. 9 is James Bellows, college servant and his family; 

1901 Census:

Head of house at 7 Tackley Place, Oxford: with 6 children, 1 born at Rothwell, 3 born at Shillingford, and 2 born in Oxford: his eldest son Alfred Edward has died, his son William is a school teacher, and his second-youngest son, John, is to die in Leeds 7 years later:

1. Alfred G. Archer, head, married, age 53, Inland Revenue Officer, worker, born Oxford, Oxon;
2. Olive E. Archer, wife, married, age 52, born Fowey, Cornwall;
3. Olive R. Archer, daughter, single, age 28, born Rothwell, Northants;
4. William GR. Archer, son, single, age 22, school teacher, born Shillingford, Oxon;
5. Herbert J. Archer, son, single, age 20, house furnisher’s assistant, worker, born Shillingford, Oxon;
6. John P. Archer, son, single, age 16, no ‘profession or occupation’ shown, born Shillingford, Oxon;
7. Charles J. Archer, son, single, age 14, no ‘profession or occupation’ shown, born Oxford, Oxon;
8. Blanche A. Archer, daughter, single, age 10, born Oxford, Oxon;
9. Notes: next door at No. 8 Tackley  Place are living John and Jane Wooldridge, and he is aged 45 and a builder, employer, born at Burford, Oxon, and seems likely to be a Wooldridge of the well-known Oxford firm of builders, Wooldridge and Simpson, 

Occupation:    

1. Inland Revenue officer;

2. From his obituary in the Oxford Wesleyan Methodist Circuit Magazine, marked (in manuscript) February 7, 1913: His early professional duties appear to have been of an itinerant nature, for they took him into many parts of the country as well as into Scotlan;.

3. He attained the first class grade, was appointed to his native city in 1886, and remained in office until he retired four years ago after 40 years' ser­vice.

Lived:   

1. Believe he had somewhat of an itinerant life as an inland revenue officer, witness the fact that he was resident at Rothwell at the time of his marriage, but WGRA, for example, was born at Shillingford, and others elsewhere, I believe, but prior to that career  presumably he lived with his parents in Oxford; 
2. From his obituary in the Oxford Wesleyan Methodist Circuit Magazine, marked (in manuscript) February 7, 1913:

 His earliest days were  passed at Isis House, Grandpont, then in the possession of his father. Being one of a large family, the boy early learnt self reliance and grew up with a keen zest for success in life.    

Other biographical details:        

1. Died 7^th February 1913 at 7 Tackley Place, aged 64 years (according to the death certificate), and within 9 days of being 65;
2. The causes of death (according to the death certificate), were:
   a)”Tumour of the spinal cord some months”; and
   b)”Paraplegia. Some months.”;
   c)”Exhaustion”;
3. (PBA, 21^st July 2003): Chambers dictionary states: “Paraplegia: paralysis of the legs and part or the whole of the trunk”. So perhaps the tumour led to the paralysis and paraplegia (by interaction with the spinal cord) and (naturally) the exhaustion. It sounds most unpleasant, and in 1913 the treatment would presumably have been to relieve the symptoms, perhaps by pain-killers such as morphine?
4. Admitted Freeman of the City of Oxford: 3^rd September 1875;
5. Children: of the boys:
   a)Alfred died at age 15;
   b)Ernest had a girl and a boy, (who may have gone to USA);
   c)Herbert: no children;
   d)John: died at age 24  (unmarried?);
   e)Charles:  had one son (Bruce);
   f)William had two sons; (AWA and FGBA);
6. (From FGBA, 3^rd October 1989): as an inland revenue officer he  used a pony and trap to travel about in, checking the specific gravity of the brew;
7. From FGBA, 7^th April 1990, the house at Tackley Place had a lovely big garden, with many apple trees, and  poultry at the bottom. There was a boundary fence at the bottom, with Kingston Road. It also went down to Leckford Road. Also, AGA had a chapel-man’s beard. He kept canaries. He asked FGBA (as a child) to pick dandelions from someone’s garden on the way home from chapel, (for the canaries? PBA 21^st July 2003);
8. (From NERA, 19^th September 1993): he died in 1913 of a neurone disease (she recollected, without any recourse to the death certificate);
9. From his obituary in the Oxford Wesleyan Methodist Circuit Magazine, marked (in manuscript) February 7, 1913: He had been brought up in the Church of England, and baptized and confirmed at St. Aldate's by Canon Christopher(*);
10. From his obituary in the Oxford Wesleyan Methodist Circuit Magazine, marked (in manuscript) February 7, 1913:  It was while in Bath (pba.29.7.09: Wells, surely?) that he took the important step which profoundly influenced his future; he attended the WaIcot Chapel, and becoming acquainted with a family whose Methodist ancestry dated back to Wesley's Day, was in due course happily married to Miss Reed, a devout and earnest worker in society.
11. He became a member and was soon an active local preacher in the Kettering Circuit, when a memorable re­vival broke out; 
12. See the obituary for further details of his life. The obituary is a separate document;
13. Re (*) above concerning Canon Christopher, his appears to be the name on the baptism certificate made on 6^th February 1898, which was 50 years after AGA’s baptism;
    

Jackson’s Oxford Journal extracts:

1. 23.6.2009: see saved extracts relating to AGA;
2. These are of course all Oxford cases;
3. None relates to excise matters connected with liquor duty;
4. Most relate to dog and vehicle licences;
5. One sounds a distressing matter of a very poor  person being unable to afford the licence and being fined for not having one;
6. I need to find out more about what excise officers really did as the main body of their work at these times;

Obituary: (nb: this text has not been freely-typed and seems not to be manageable in the usual way for a Word document, so it should not be assumed that it can be just pasted and moved etc as usual. Thus to achieve this two-column format it has been necessary to move much of the  text from line to line manually.)(pba.29.7.09).

P27 of OXFORD WESLEYAN 

METHODIST CIRCUIT
MAGAZINE  (dated in manuscript
“Feb 7 – 1913”)

WALTON STREET.

The Late Mr Archer 

          I have been asked to write a few
lines in memory of our departed friend,
Alfred George Archer. It must
necessarily be a brief and imperfect
tribute to the life of one who long and
faithfully served the Church he loved
so well. I can only lay a simple wreath
on his grave. 

His removal leaves us much poorer, it
is a loss to our Circuit, where local
preachers and workers are greatly needed.
May God raise up others to replenish
the ranks. He was taken from us
without a blot on his escutcheon. His experience may fittingly be described
in the language of the hymn selected
for Oxford by Dr. Osborn as containing
the marrow of Methodism:
"0 let me commend my Saviour to you." 

All who knew him were impressed
by his simple dignity, his unflinching
integrity, his lofty but lowly character – so much the more lofty because lowly. A
property of this was his transparency. 
Painted windows are apt to hide the light,
only the best to allow it to shine through.
His life was of simplicity and godly
sincerity. Of the secret spring that lay
behind his activities it does not become
me to say much. 

        No one who heard his prayers, so simple, so direct, so tender, so earnest,
could doubt for a moment the depth of his spiritual life.

      He was by birth a citizen of no
mean city. His earliest days were  passed
at Isis House, Grandpont, then in the
possession of his father. Being one of
a large family, the boy early learnt self-
reliance and grew up with a keen zest for success in life.

       He received his education at Nixon's School, a picturesque old building which
was removed when the Town Hall was
erected in Oxford. Among the sixty sons
of Freemen few shone more brightly than
he; in 1865 he carried off the coveted
Latin prize, and afterwards becoming
a teacher, remained in the school
until his appointment to the Civil
Service.

      His early professional duties
appear to have been of an itinerant
nature, for they took him into many
parts of the country as well as into
Scotland. 

     He had been brought up in the
Church of England, and baptized and
confirmed at St. AIdate's by Canon
Christopher.

It was while in Bath that he
took the important step which
profoundly influenced his future;
he attended the WaIcot Chapel, and
becoming acquainted with a family
whose Methodist ancestry dated back to Wesley's Day, was in due course happily married to Miss Reed, a devout and
earnest worker in society. He became
a member and was soon an active local
preacher in the Kettering Circuit,
when a memorable revival broke out. 

The high principles he fixed early in life bore much fruit and brought to him the
gift of decision; the pathway of right or
wrong was always clear, he never
hesitated as to which he should tread. Consistent in life and character, he
sought earnestly the salvation of others. 

       He was fond of country life. The
sights and sounds of nature, the frolics
and instincts of dumb animals, the songs of birds, all gave him delight. He was
interested in gardening and horticulture,
and as a true Oxonian, was an expert
skater. 

        His appointment as chief of the Dorchester District, with his home at Shillingford, gave him his heart's desire, and brought him into close touch with village Methodism. He would walk for 50
miles and more in a day, and was much
beloved in the houses of our people.
The Quarterly Meeting was often held
at his house, which was for many years
the preachers' home. 

To his love of rural life he 

attributed his health and powers of
endurance. With the exception of a cycle accident, he passed more than three score
years without a day's illness. 

       He was diligent in business, and
as a government officer was recognised
as one of the most capable of the
department's servants.  He attained the
first class grade, was appointed to his native
city in 1886, and remained in office until
he retired four years ago after 40 years'
service. 

      As a Christian worker in his varied services to the Church, he was devoted and faithful. For many years he exercised the
duties and privileges of a local preacher
and class leader. He never sought an office,
but diligently and conscientiously filled
the appointments that fell to his lot,
including those of Circuit Steward, Trustee, Chapel Steward, S. S. Superintendent,
Secretary of Quarterly Meeting and
Secretary to the Wesleyan Day School,
under the old regime. 

His trained mind and methodical
habits enabled him to fix on the essentials
of religion with thoroughness. He loved
the habitation of God's house and
supported it by thought, effort, treasure
and prayer. In the counsels of the church
his voice was not too frequently heard,
but when he felt that vital interests were imperilled his influence was exerted
with advantage to our Circuit, which is
to-day more united, stronger and richer in spiritual gifts, on account of his influence,
his mature counsel, his decisive and manly action. 

        Not the least of the joys of
Methodism is found in the sweetness of
the beautiful family home life of our
people As a father and a husband in the
family, and as a friend, Mr. Archer
was much beloved by those who knew
him. He  has left behind rich and sacred

memories. 

A typical southener, he was distinguished by many excellent traits 

of character. He was unassuming, gentle, brotherly; yet fearless and faithful.
You could not be with him long without feeling the charm of his beautiful simplicity,
his piety, his gentle and modest spirit.
It was as a local preacher that he best
served his day and generation. He
would have deemed life a failure had
he not responded to the divine call to
preach the Gospel. He aspired to no
loftier place upon earth. 

For this work he was well equipped, possessing an accurate
acquaintance with Methodist theology,
a fine presence, a clear head, a well
stored mind, and a warm and loving
heart. Inspired by a keen desire for the extension of the Kingdom of God upon
earth, his sermons and addresses,
which were searching and direct,
overflowed with earnest solicitude
for the salvation of men.

Amid the vicissitudes of life and
the results of travel, he regarded his appointments as sacred. Unwearied in
his efforts to reach the people, he
frequently visited and influenced for
good those who were outside the
church. The beautiful simplicity of his
life and that simple faith which is
"more than Norman blood," impressed
all who knew him. He drew from the
perennial spring whence comes
inspiration and that knowledge that
“God's in His heaven-all's right with
the world." 

As life mellowed and ripening years unfolded, he seemed to say with Browning:

”Grow old along with me ! 

The best is yet to be, 

The last of life, for which the first was made: 

Our lives are in His hand 

Who saith, "A whole I planned, Youth shows but half;

trust God: see all nor be afraid!”

His quiet life had not been without domestic sorrow, and last year brought 

disease that baffled medical skill. His 

suffering he bore with fortitude and much patience.

The last hymn uttered was" Rock of Ages." Upon its foundation in calmness and peace he passed into perfect rest. Awhile the faithful pilgrim lingered on this side of the river, then the King's messenger called him, 

and now his walk and his talk is with the 

King, even all the days of eternity. 

Ministers and many Local Preachers and friends were present when,
in the sunshine of a beautiful February afternoon, the last service was held for
him in the cemetery hard by our Walton
Street Church, where the Rev. Cecil
Burrow gave an appropriate address. 

We join with many others in this
and other Circuits in tendering to the
widow and family, who were his
devoted co-workers, our deepest Christian sympathy. (name of writer not shown/  or copied).

(This document scanned and amended from the original
by pba on Tuesday 16^th September 2003. The highlighted
text is highlighted as being of particular interest to
pba, for possible transfer to Alfred George Archer’s  cv).