Elizabeth Bultitude (12 August 1809 – 14 August 1890) was a BritishPrimitive Methodist preacher. When she retired after thirty years she was said to be their last itinerant woman preacher.
Bultitude was born in Hardwick in Norfolk. She came from a large Wesleyan Methodist family and they were poor. When she was thirteen her father died and the family moved to Norwich to find work. She went hungry. She had not eaten when she met Samuel Atterby and had a spiritual event. He was a Primitive Methodist, but she did not formally join that denomination until 1829 when another minister, John Smith, visited Norwich.[1]
Bultitude's talents for preaching were spotted and she was given "a note" which gave her the church's authority to preach. She did not find it easy although she noted that in all of her time preaching she only failed to turn up on two occasions. In both cases it had been due to rain which meant that turnout would be poor and it was unwise to preach outside in torrential rain.
Male preachers were poorly paid and women preachers were paid just half of that amount. When she was preaching at Soham at 1847 she was criticised for the poor quality of her dress. In reply she noted that even if she spent all of her money on clothes then she would not be able to meet any standard of smart attire.[2]
She retired in 1862. There were at least 40 itinerant women preachers and no one in the church gave them a senior position or paid them. Women did not stop preaching but Bultitude is considered to the last one who became itinerant to preach.[3] After her the only authorised preachers were male. Bultitude was the last of a group of women who preached with authority. Her church did not prevent women being preachers - it just stopped authorising any more.[4]
In 1881 she was living in a small street in Norwich. She was indulgent towards her drunken younger brother James who lived with his wife in the same street. He made a living as a fishmonger. She later moved to another small house.[2]
Bultitude died in Heigham in 1890 after a long gruelling illness.[2]
Referencesedit
^"Bultitude, Elizabeth (1809–1890), Primitive Methodist preacher". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/47022. Retrieved 2020-08-15. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^ abc"Bultitude, Elizabeth (1809-1890)". My Primitive Methodists. Retrieved 2020-08-15.
^Rendall, Jane (1985-01-24). The Origins of Modern Feminism: Women in Britain, France and the United States, 1780-1860. Macmillan International Higher Education. ISBN978-1-349-17733-2.
^"Women in leadership in Methodism: a historical approach - Page 2 of 7". The Susanna Wesley Foundation. 2015-10-30. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
January 01, 1970
elizabeth, bultitude, august, 1809, august, 1890, british, primitive, methodist, preacher, when, retired, after, thirty, years, said, their, last, itinerant, woman, preacher, born12, august, 1809shelton, hardwickdied14, august, 1890, 1890, aged, heighamnationa. Elizabeth Bultitude 12 August 1809 14 August 1890 was a British Primitive Methodist preacher When she retired after thirty years she was said to be their last itinerant woman preacher Elizabeth BultitudeBorn12 August 1809Shelton and HardwickDied14 August 1890 1890 08 15 aged 81 HeighamNationalityUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and IrelandEducationvery littleKnown forPrimitive Methodist preacherLife editBultitude was born in Hardwick in Norfolk She came from a large Wesleyan Methodist family and they were poor When she was thirteen her father died and the family moved to Norwich to find work She went hungry She had not eaten when she met Samuel Atterby and had a spiritual event He was a Primitive Methodist but she did not formally join that denomination until 1829 when another minister John Smith visited Norwich 1 Bultitude s talents for preaching were spotted and she was given a note which gave her the church s authority to preach She did not find it easy although she noted that in all of her time preaching she only failed to turn up on two occasions In both cases it had been due to rain which meant that turnout would be poor and it was unwise to preach outside in torrential rain Male preachers were poorly paid and women preachers were paid just half of that amount When she was preaching at Soham at 1847 she was criticised for the poor quality of her dress In reply she noted that even if she spent all of her money on clothes then she would not be able to meet any standard of smart attire 2 She retired in 1862 There were at least 40 itinerant women preachers and no one in the church gave them a senior position or paid them Women did not stop preaching but Bultitude is considered to the last one who became itinerant to preach 3 After her the only authorised preachers were male Bultitude was the last of a group of women who preached with authority Her church did not prevent women being preachers it just stopped authorising any more 4 In 1881 she was living in a small street in Norwich She was indulgent towards her drunken younger brother James who lived with his wife in the same street He made a living as a fishmonger She later moved to another small house 2 Bultitude died in Heigham in 1890 after a long gruelling illness 2 References edit Bultitude Elizabeth 1809 1890 Primitive Methodist preacher Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press 2004 doi 10 1093 ref odnb 47022 Retrieved 2020 08 15 Subscription or UK public library membership required a b c Bultitude Elizabeth 1809 1890 My Primitive Methodists Retrieved 2020 08 15 Rendall Jane 1985 01 24 The Origins of Modern Feminism Women in Britain France and the United States 1780 1860 Macmillan International Higher Education ISBN 978 1 349 17733 2 Women in leadership in Methodism a historical approach Page 2 of 7 The Susanna Wesley Foundation 2015 10 30 Retrieved 2020 11 17 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Elizabeth Bultitude amp oldid 1150896475, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
