GEORGE  TRUCKLE  1802 – 1882

The life of George Truckle is commemorated in a stained glass window on the south side of Salisbury Methodist Church in St. Edmund Church Street and is inscribed, “In memory of George Truckle (for many years a local preacher in this circuit) who departed this life April 16th 1882 aged 80 years.”  He was born on Wednesday, 14th April 1802 and died, two days after his eightieth birthday, on Sunday, 16th April 1882 .  

The Salisbury Journal, 22nd April 1882 , recorded: 
“The Death of Mr. G. Truckle  - Mr. G. Truckle, the oldest Wesleyan Methodist Local Preacher in the Salisbury Circuit, died at the residence of Mr. R. C. Harding, his son-in-law, on the Devizes Road , on Sunday, having completed his 80th year on the previous Friday.  The funeral took place in the Fisherton Cemetry, on Wednesday afternoon, when the remains of the deceased were followed to the grave by about 40 local preachers of the circuit, who had been connected with him.  The service was performed by the Rev. C. Roberts, superintendent of the circuit, and the Rev. H. J. Cornish, one of his colleagues.  Mr. Truckle will long be remembered for his very successful efforts, in connection with others, about ten years since, in paying off the whole of the chapel debts in the circuit, which amounted to upward of £3000.”  

The Salisbury Times, 22 April 1882 , reported:
“A Good Man – a man of pious and upright nature, a Christian and an earnest citizen – has gone to his rest.  On Tuesday the remains of Mr. G. Truckle – an octogenarian, whose vigorous life had always exhibited the most earnest sympathy with the Wesleyan society – was followed to the grave by a considerable number of the local preachers of the Salisbury circuit, with whom he had been for a number of years in earnest fellowship and sympathy.  The ceremony at the Fisherton cemetery was performed by the Rev. C. Roberts (the superintendent) and the Rev. H. J. Cornish (of Fordingbridge), and was marked by the deepest reverence.  Mr. Truckle was much esteemed throughout the Salisbury circuit of the denomination; and during his latter days – pained by affliction – he enjoyed their warmest sympathy.  On one occasion they desired to testify their esteem in a practical manner, but, with honest sincerity – he requested them to devote their efforts to a more worthy object; let them, he suggested, erect a chapel where one was needed.”  

The Salisbury Wesleyan Circuit Quarterly Meeting Minutes, held in the archives of the County Record Office, Trowbridge, for the meeting on Thursday, 22nd June 1882, at Fisherton record:  “Mr. T. Mitchell, as an old friend of our late respected brother, George Truckle, rose to propose that a note should be entered in the minute book expressive of our deep regret at the loss sustained by the circuit by the removal by death of “Brother George Truckle” who fell asleep on the 16th day of April 1882 and it was further Resolved that a tablet shall be placed in the Church Street Chapel, Salisbury, in his memory.  

Resolved that the Circuit Stewards, the Circuit Ministers and Mr. C. Moody be a committee to carry this out bringing a sketch of the proposed tablet and inscription to the next Quarterly Meeting.”  

Although a memorial tablet was proposed by the circuit, no further mention is made of the sketch or the tablet in any of the minutes of succeeding meetings or in the circuit accounts.  Mr. R. C. Harding was circuit steward from 1882-5.  Mr. Charles Moody was the circuit treasurer and Mayor of Salisbury in 1882.  Mr. George Truckle was a trustee of the chapels at Woodgreen, Fordingbridge, Hurdcot, Stapleford, Salisbury Church Street , Shrewton and Redlynch, where he was the vendor of the chapel site.  

The Salisbury Times, 1 July 1882 , reported:
“Wesleyan Quarterly Meeting ........ During the meeting special mention was made to the death of Mr. G. W. Truckle, and on the motion of Mr. T. Mitchell, seconded by Mr. W. Read, it was resolved to erect a tablet to his memory in the Church-street Chapel on which special reference is to be made to his efforts in connection with the extinction of the debt on the circuit chapels.”  

About twenty years earlier, the First Meeting of the Ministers and Trustees of the Chapels Salisbury Circuit, held on 23rd July 1863, “....as to the liquidation of the whole of the chapel debts: Resolved that we do make an effort to clear off the whole of the debts on the chapels in this Salisbury Circuit; that Mr. Geo. Truckle do see the principal Trustees and persons in the circuit and ascertain what they will give towards furthering the objective contemplated; that Mr. Geo. Truckle act as Treasurer.”  

Minutes of the General Trustee Meeting held in the Salt Lane School Room on 30th September 1869: “Resolved that the scheme for the liquidation of the chapel debts in this circuit which has been in operation the past five years be now wound up: Resolved that an appropriate testimony be got up and presented to Mr. Truckle at the Xmas tea meeting as a mark of appreciation of his labours in this matter.”  

There were 27 chapels, 2 ministers and 50 local preachers in      the Salisbury Wesleyan Circuit in this period.  

The Salisbury Times, 4th May 1889 , reported the re-opening of the Wesleyan Chapel, Church Street and the installation of new windows.  “All the old windows have been taken out and new ones of excellent and appropriate design substituted.....All these windows have been filled with cathedral tints of a very pleasing design.  Two openings on the ground floor have been filled with two painted memorial windows.... The central panel [of the Truckle window] represents St. Peter, the others being foliated.  This window is being subscribed for by friends throughout the circuit and for which about ten pounds is still required.  Both these windows have been executed by Messrs. Belham and have given general satisfaction.”  

The stained glass windows at Salisbury Methodist Church were made by S. Belham and Co. of Buckingham Palace Road , London .
The designer was H. G. Murray, who subsequently took over the company on the death of Stephen Belham.
Both designer and maker supplied windows for St. Michael’s, Betchworth, Surrey .
Windows by Belham are also in St. Mary’s, Chiddingstone , Kent and St. Paul ’s, Hook, Surrey .
A successor of Stephen Belham, Michael Belham from Frome, visited  SMC in May 2006.