This is a picture of my late wife Dorothy just before we were married. Dorothy was born in Wigan, Lancs in January 1941, and was educated at Wigan Grammar School for Girls. She worked in a library from leaving school, and was there until shortly before we got married in 1976.We met in Birkenhead in 1975, when she was attending a convention meeting in my church in Birkenhead. Dorothy sadly, after a year of illness and five hospital admissions eventually went to be with the Lord on 14th December 2011. Please see my tribute to her.

This is a picture of my mum and dad. They were very good parents and I have very happy memories of both of them. My dad was very musical and was in fact a semi-professional musician playing the double bass in a dance band. He taught me to play the piano when I was about 8 years of age and when I was about 14 years of old he took me to an Army Band (TA) where I started playing the French Horn. We were very close and I was devastated when he died in 1987. My mum lived to a good age and was in fact living on her own until she was 91 years of age. She had a fall when in hospital and was not fit to return home after that so she came to live with us for the last 3 ½ years of her life. She used to love meeting people and going out in the car and I used to take her to Parkgate in the Wirral nearly every week, where she would love to watch people walking past and she would often wave to any children passing by. She died in 2004 aged 95 years of age.  She was not only my mother but was also a good friend as was my father and I still miss them both.

I have one brother Gerald, who is married to Anne and they have 4 children, two of whom are married. Gerald and Anne live quite close to us in Bebington and we occasionally keep in touch. Gerald is 6 years older than myself, and did much better academically, having a Masters degree in ‘Systems in Management.’ Has worked in Zimbabwe for a number of years and also Papua New Guinea, as well as Saudi Arabia. The first photograph was taken some years ago, when the children were quite a bit younger. Lynne the eldest is not on this photograph. The second photo was taken at Jaqui's wedding in Australia.

               Jaqui, Gerald, Anne, Jeremy, Nicholas and my mum              Nicholas, Jaqui & Steve, Jeremy and Lynne

I have three cousins (another one died about 20 years ago) and until recently was  only  in touch with one of them Brenda, who is married to Gerry and they have four children. They have their own business as estate agents in London. This is a photo recently sent to us by Brenda from the wedding of their son David who got married this year (2007). Towards the end of last year I managed to trace my other cousin who lives not far away in Bebington, and we were both pleased to restore contact with each other.

                                                               Gerry, Sarah, Brenda, Louise, Emma and David

This is Dorothy's parents Charles and Hetty Swift. Many people have problems with their in-laws but that certainly wasn't the case with me. They were very easy to get on with. Charlie didn't enjoy particularly good health and he died in 1979 when 75 years of age. Hetty lived on her own for the following year but didn't cope very well so she sold her house and we together bought a large 4 bed roomed house where she could live semi-independently. She lived with us for 18 years. During the last year or so of her life we had to give her a fair degree of care and she lived to be 91 years of age in 1999. Dorothy was an only child. Hetty has a sister who is still alive and I believe that she is 97 years of age. She looks just like her and when we go to visit her it is a little weird because it is just like seeing her mother again. 

Although we do not have any family of our own, we have been blessed by having lots of friends both locally and around the globe. This is just some of them. We do not have photographs of all of them, and some are a little out of date, but hopefully will be able to update and add to this in due course.

Christine Barlow

I worked with Christine for a number of years at Wirral Christian Centre in Leasowe. She left there in 1993 to go and live in Scotland but then moved to Grays in Essex to look after her sick father who subsequently died. She has two children Kate and Andrew and recently became a grandmother. We are hoping to stay with her next year sometime (2008).

                                                                                                    Andrew & Christine

 Magnus Brand

I have known Magnus for many years but about 2 years ago began to be associated with him after he started distributing my booklet "Liverpool Gripped by Revival" and I think that he was responsible for distributing this more widely than anyone else. We both attend the Merseyside Day of Prayer for Revival run by Bill Rodway and we occasionally meet up together. He runs a School for Evangelism in Liverpool and there is no doubt that his gifting is mainly in the area of evangelism. He is married to Margaret and they live in Noctorum in the Wirral.

Sylvia Brown

We first met Sylvia about 17 years ago, when she helped us in a house group that I took at WCC in Leasowe. Sylvia has spoken on a number of occasions on a Christian radio station, and has also written a book on the Song of Solomon which has been distributed in a number of countries in the world. We now see her about once a month when we attend her church in Ellesmere Port in Cheshire. Sylvia is the lady standing on the far right in this photo of the house group in Leasowe.

Anita Dellaway

Anita used to work at Wirral Christian Centre with her husband Brian who sadly died a few years ago. Anita was the minister's secretary and Brian was the accountant. She subsequently went back to Leeds the town of her birth. She now works for Leeds City Mission and attends an Apostolic Church there.

Pam Dempsey

Pam was formerly from Birkenhead and used to attend Wirral Christian Centre. She married a Canadian some years back and is now an active member of the Salvation Army there. We last met when she came over here for the funeral of her mother. She now has a real Canadian accent.

Gustaf & Ruth du Plessis

We met Gustaf and Ruth at our church in Bootle and during our time there realised that we had a lot in common and thought very alike on a number of issues. After a while they left the church to go to another one in Liverpool, but we have kept in regular touch and sometimes pray together. It is a great privilege to pray with them because they are so fervent and sincere when they pray. It is clear that the hand of God is on their lives and that he will one day use them in a great way. They do feel that they have a call to serve him in a North African country in the future. Ruth is a nurse and presently works as a health visitor in Bootle, but she has also obtained a Masters Degree in public hygiene. Gustaf is from South Africa, which is where they met, whilst Ruth was working there some years ago. He already has a degree from a South African Theological College and is presently taking a Masters Degree at the Assembly of God Bible College in this country. He has a good preaching ministry.

Naoyuke & Itsuko Hagiwara

We first met Itsuko as far back as 1978 when she was a young single girl. She studied English at Dokkyo University in Japan.. Is now married to Naoyuki a lecturer in French at Okayama University, and they have 3 children. We stayed with them in Paris where they were based for one year.

Phil & Linda Hoyle

We have been close friends of Phil and Linda nearly all our Christian life. They both went to the Assemblies of God Bible College, and have served the Lord in a number of different capacities over the years. They have a real love of the Lake District and now live there in Millam.                                                  

Brian & Sue Knight

We have known Brian & Sue for many years going back to our time at Wirral Christian Centre. In 2003 they felt called of God to Christian work and then sold their house in Moreton, Wirral and went to live and work in Poland. God has certainly blessed them and they have seen much spiritual blessing in that country. Earlier this year (2007) they felt that their work in Poland was completed and they moved to Berlin where one of their sons lives with his family. They are now very active there, and have also been engaged in Christian ministry in Sweden. This picture taken during their visit to the Wirral in 2007. Very sadly their other son Andrew died very unexpectedly in November this year (2007) aged 31 years.

Naho Kuwano

Naho came to work in Birkenhead a couple of years ago and was working for Christians who attended WCC. With our interest in Japan we got to know her, and took her on a couple of occasions to a bi-lingual Japanese service in Stockport where this photograph was taken. She is not yet a Christian but she certainly heard the gospel during the year she was with us.

Akemi Matsuda and Naomi Shinda

This photograph was taken in our house. Akemi on the left and Naomi the far right. Akemi attends the church where Eiji Yonemura is the pastor in Kyushu Island, Japan, and works in a leprosarium. Naomi is not yet a Christian, but we trust is not far from the kingdom of God.

Lel & Sharon Moore

Sharon was a bridesmaid at our wedding, with her mother Sandra O’Grady. Lel was born and brought up in Belfast and during our visit to Northern Ireland, took us on a guided tour of the City, including the Falls Road and Shankhill Road, which was a real education. It was only a week later when a lot of terrible murders took place there.

Sylvia Muir

Sylvia is a Canadian and lives somewhere near Niagara Falls. She used to live and work in Baffin Island amongst the Eskimos. She is an e-mail enthusiast, and once sent us 4 e-mails in one day. She comes from a very strong Christian family and has a sister who is a missionary in Kenya. She is pictured here in Chester, not far from where we live. She is married to Jason.

Paudge & Emer Mulvihill

Paudge & Emer work for the Lord in Eire in an independent Pentecostal church in Westport, Co. Mayo, and are wholly committed to the work of the Lord. They have a great sense of humour. Before she married Emer worked as my secretary at Wirral Christian Centre. They have 2 lovely children Hannah and Andrew.

Margaret Mwakio      

We have known Margaret for about 7 years since she came to Wirral Christian Centre, having come to this country from Kenya to work as a nurse.  She is a very spiritual person and it has been a joy to have fellowship with her. What is particularly inspiring is that she has been part of a revival that has taken  place in Kenya, and we love to hear from her what God has done in that land. At first she came on her own and then her 2 sons followed a couple of years later. About 3 years ago her husband Dominic came here and after that their daughter Flora who is now at the Elim Bible College They have one other daughter who is still in Kenya. When they are able they come to our prayer meeting for the suffering church, and it is a great blessing to have them with us.

                                                      Margaret Mwakio on the right with Dorothy and June on left also from Kenya

Soichi and Elsa Nakamura

The Nakamuras live in Colorado Springs in USA. Soichi is Japanese and Elsa is Mexican. They have lovely children and Megumi their daughter (on the left) often corresponds with me by e-mail. She is one of the nicest young people I have ever met. She is presently in Oxford doing a post graduate degree and is getting married this year.

Sandra O’Grady

Sandra was the wife of the late Tom O’Grady, Dorothy’s pastor for a number of years, before we got married, and she was the matron of honour at our wedding. She now lives in Ballyclare, Northern Ireland.  She is a real woman of God whom we have a great respect for. She has some amazing testimonies, and she is considering writing a book about them.

                                                             Sandra at the back with her mother, daughter and grandchildren

Richard & Rachel Parkhouse

We have only recently come into contact with Richard & Rachel and have been blessed by our fellowship with them. I have done a separate section on their ministry because I think that it is an important one for our country today, and in particular for Wales. Please refer to "Richard & Rachel Parkhouse &  The 1904 Welsh Revival"

Kevin & Jill Pearson

We met Kevin and Jill at the Chester AOG church. They have a real heart to serve God, and have devoted themselves to their ministry with "Open Doors." We used to meet with them once a month to pray for the suffering Church before we started our own group (see separate page for "Open Doors."). Jill is a deputy head teacher at a junior Church of England school in Bebington, Wirral.  They have adopted three children. This photo was taken at an Open Doors Conference which we attended.

Angie Reid

We first met Angie over 20 years ago. She has friends in virtually every country in the world. Has never married. Speaks Chinese and has a master’s degree in TEFL (teaching English as foreign language). Taught in China for 2/3 years. At present lives with her mother in Liverpool and teaches at a comprehensive school in Liverpool.

Naoto Shimizu

This photograph was taken at the house of the Shimizu family when I was in Tokyo in 1994.. Naoto the young man, gave me a guided tour around Tokyo, and he was an excellent guide. He stayed with us for 2 weeks in 1998. 

Phil & Mary Smith

A very mature Christian couple who I think have been Christians for as long as I have. Phil is an accomplished pianist, who has the same music qualification as I do from the London College of Music, and Mary I think of as a ‘mother in Israel’ They have spent 3 weeks in Israel and they have a real interest in the work amongst the Jews.

David & Ann Thorne

Have known David since I became a Christian. Comes from a Christian family,  and has a sister who used to be a missionary in South America, and is married to a Bible College lecturer. David is a teacher who has a master’s degree in theology  Have 3 children all going on with the Lord. Ann, a former Bible College student has a real heart for missions and was formerly the missions secretary at Wirral Christian Centre.

Sue Thornley

Sue is truly ‘one of a kind,’ but one of the most genuine people I have ever met. We befriended her in 1982 when she was going through a difficult time. Shortly afterwards she met Steve, an executive with a computer software company, and they were married the following year. She has a really good ministry with children, and, along with myself, was interviewed on the BBC Songs of Praise by Martin Bashir (the man who interviewed Princess Diana). They now attend the City Church in Liverpool.

Nellu Tripon

Nellu is a Romanian who has stayed in this country quite a bit. Speaks excellent English. Has a master’s degree in Farm Management, and is hoping to acquire his own farm. He is such a lovely Christian, it’s hard to imagine anybody not getting on with him.

Godspower and Mary Ugboh

Godspower and Mary live in Lagos in Nigeria. I came into contact with Godspower about four years ago and we regularly correspond by e-mail. He is a son of a retired minister there and at the time of his birth God showed his parents that He was going to use him in a powerful way in later life and that is why they gave him that name. His mother was sadly killed in a road accident when he was a teenager. We have together formed an organisation called All Africa Outreach Ministry, which is registered in Nigeria. He preaches regularly in a number of churches in Nigeria and is currently studying for a Doctor of Ministries degree with a College in America. Mary recently gave birth to a little girl and they have named her after Dorothy my wife.

                                                                                        Godspower & Mary with baby Dorothy

Bill & Anne Vell

Dorothy has known Anne since she was a teenager and was a bridesmaid at her wedding when she married Bill. Bill became a pastor of an Assembly of God church but is now retired and they live on the outskirts of Bolton. She was out of touch with Anne for many years but we received an invitation to their ruby wedding anniversary about three years ago and we have been in regular touch every since. They now attend a Church of England and Bill occasionally ministers there.

                                                                                  Bill & Ann (in the centre) with their family

Glynn & Janet Williams

Janet has been a very close friend for many years. We worked together for 13 years full time at Wirral Christian Centre, and for 5 years with my present employer, and we think remarkably alike. We used to commence each day before work with another friend with prayer and study of the Word, which God really blessed. Janet joins with us now in praying for the suffering church. This photograph taken with Glyn at Pistyll Rhaeder in North Wales, the highest waterfall in England and Wales.

Eiji & Satchico Yonemura

Have known Eiji since 1968. He is the pastor of a fairly large church in Kyushu Island in Japan, which Paul Epton and myself visited in 1994. His church has been featured on Japanese television. They both speak excellent English, and Sachiko used to be an interpreter to a missionary. This photograph was taken in 1989 in the Residential Home at WCC when they visited an old friend of ours Violet Johnstone then aged 93 years.

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