Thomas Aubrey (1808–1867) was a Welsh Wesleyan Methodist minister.

Early life

Aubrey was born at

Cefn-coed-y-cymmer Cefn-coed-y-cymmer () is a small community on the northwestern edge of Merthyr Tydfil County Borough in Wales. It is situated in the neck of land between the rivers Taf Fawr and Taf Fechan at their confluence (Welsh: 'cymer'). The village lies ...

on 13 May 1808. His parents were Thomas and Anne Aubrey of

. He was schooled on the

Arminianism Arminianism is a branch of Protestantism based on the theological ideas of the Dutch Reformed theologian Jacobus Arminius (1560–1609) and his historic supporters known as Remonstrants. Dutch Arminianism was originally articulated in the ''Re ...

, within the context of the Wesleyan faith, by an elder and at about the age of 14, when he had a religious conversion. By the age of 15, he was preaching and became a Wesleyan Methodist minister by 1826 and ordained a full-time minister in 1830. He married Elizabeth Williams of

Ruthin Ruthin ( ; cy, Rhuthun) is a market town and community in Denbighshire, Wales, in the south of the Vale of Clwyd. It is Denbighshire's county town. The town, castle and St Peter's Square lie on a hill, skirted by villages such as Pwllglas and ...

on 6 April 1831.

Career

Beginning in 1826, he preached in London, Liverpool, on circuits in North Wales, and in

Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil (; cy, Merthyr Tudful ) is the main town in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, Wales, administered by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. It is about north of Cardiff. Often called just Merthyr, it is said to be named after Tydf ...

for 39 years. He was the chairman of the North Wales district meeting for eleven years beginning in 1854. Within four years, he had become the superintendent minister of the Bangor circuit, where he ran a series of successful revival meetings and "sparked" a revival movement in Wales. In 1865, he became a

supernumerary Supernumerary means "exceeding the usual number". Supernumerary may also refer to: * Supernumerary actor, a performer in a film, television show, or stage production who has no role or purpose other than to appear in the background, more commonl ...

. According to biographer Albert Hughes Williams, he was "one of the outstanding figures in Welsh Wesleyan Methodist history", excelling as an administrator and an orator. He was instrumental in the creation of the North Wales District Chapel Fund and the home mission fund. He established revival meetings, circuit manses, and meetings within churches to discuss their spiritual condition. He died 16 November 1867 at

Rhyl Rhyl (; cy, Y Rhyl, ) is a seaside town and community (Wales), community in Denbighshire, Wales. The town lies within the Historic counties of Wales, historic boundaries of Flintshire (historic), Flintshire, on the north-east coast of Wales at ...

Notes and references

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aubrey, Thomas 1808 births 1867 deaths Arminian ministers Methodist ministers Welsh Protestant religious leaders