25 Facts About James Banyard

James Banyard was a Wesleyan Methodist local preacher and founder of the Peculiar People.

James Banyard was born in the market town of Rochford, Essex.

James Banyard had no time for religion and indulged in heavy alcohol consumption.

James Banyard was a poacher for which he was eventually jailed.

James Banyard married Susan Garnish in around 1826 but continued to lead a dissoloute and argumentative life.

James Banyard became a strict teetotaller and began going to church regularly.

James Banyard became a respected member of the Rochford Methodist community and eventually became a preacher at the local chapel himself.

James Banyard became an evangelical revivalist and founded his own Christian Society.

That same year Bridges visited one of his sisters in Rochford and struck up a friendship with James Banyard, swapping ideas and discussing "religious topics".

Bridges invited James Banyard to stay with him in London and at some point led him to Aitken.

James Banyard instinctively realised that Aitken and Bridges had "something more than he" and before leaving Bridges' home at 8 Gravel Lane Southwark, is said to have gone to an upstairs room, fallen to his knees and been 'born again'.

James Banyard returned to Rochford and began preaching "Right of Liberty"; believing there was no sin in Christians once they accepted the Holy Spirit in Christianity, he asserted "for to know our sins are forgiven is the first step in religion".

Quite soon there was a "dispute" with the Rochford Wesleyan church and James Banyard was ejected for refusing to obey instructions.

James Banyard began open air preaching in Rochford Square and held prayer meetings at his cottage.

James Banyard was weak with consumption and claimed that whilst at prayer he had heard a voice reciting James 5: Verse 14 -15 The Prayer of Faith.

At first James Banyard was apparently reluctant to indulge in Divine healing saying "it is not for me to dampen your faith, brother"; but eventually "they got on their knees and prayed".

In 1848 there was a setback when the "laying on" of James Banyard's hands failed to save a child at Prittlewell.

On this occasion the anger of the local population saw James Banyard "guarded out of the village by the police".

Susan Banyard had died childless aged 42 in 1844; James remarried in 1845 to the widow Judith Knapping, and together they had seven children.

In 1855 James Banyard's fifth child Josiah was born in Rochford.

From this time on, James Banyard began to advise the use of prayer and medical attention.

James Banyard was replaced by Bishop Samuel Harrod.

James Banyard continued to preach until "disease and death silenced him".

James Banyard died on 31 October 1863; the cause of death is unknown.

James Banyard was buried in the graveyard of St Andrew's Church, Rochford.