Staveleys of Liverpool - Amanda Smith's Diary

Amanda Smith's Diary

The following excerpts from Amanda Smith's diary, published in 1893, contain numerous references to a Mr. & Mrs. Staveley of Liverpool. Unfortunately Amanda never refers to either of them by their first names, but it is believed based upon the locations of the offices and homes mentioned in these writings that she is in fact referring to Frederick W. Staveley of the Bootle and Litherland Staveleys. These excerpts are provided here as they provide a rather unique insight into the character of this Staveley family, the likes of which is not often recorded. Amanda's diary makes it quite clear that Mr. and Mrs. Staveley were both very generous people by nature, conservative, reserved, and very much respected...

AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY
THE STORY OF THE LORD'S DEALINGS WITH
Mrs. Amanda Smith
THE COLORED EVANGELIST
Containing An Account Of Her Life Work Of Faith, And Her Travels
In America, England, Ireland, Scotland, India And Africa, As An Independent Missionary .
WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY
BISHOP THOBURN, OF INDIA.
" Hitherto the Lord hath helped me. "

CHICAGO: Meyer & Brother, Publishers, 108 Washington Street,1893.

CHAPTER XX

LIME STREET STATION, LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, AND THE RECEPTION I MET WITH THERE

--PAGES FROM MY DIARY.

...A few days later on I met some ladies from Liverpool who were members of Christ's Church, Everton, where Rev. Hay Adken was formerly rector. They had a large mother's meeting. This lady, Mrs. Stavely, wanted to know if I would come to Liverpool and hold some meetings. I told her I would see about it and let her know later on. She was very pleasant, and I got to know her afterwards very well. She is among the dearest friends I have in England to-day. Her house is one of my-homes...

CHAPTER XXIV

...Thursday, 16th, 1881. Praise God, we arrive all safe. God has answered prayer for the sick child that was on board, so it is better. My dear friends, Mr. and Mrs. Stavely, meet me at the landing and give me a hearty welcome...

CHAPTER XXXV

...Mrs. Stavely (whom I had written to say I had got in, but did not expect to see before Monday), and her husband came in. Dear souls, how very kind they were. They were delighted to see me, and said they thought I looked well to what they expected. ...

...I knew how very conservative good Mr. Stavely was; that he was not an enthusiast by any means, though one of the grandest men I ever knew...

...On Friday I heard that Bishop Taylor was in town, and would leave on Saturday. So I went down to Mr. Stavely's office, the Temple, Dale Street, Liverpool, and found that the office of Anderson Fowler, Bishop Taylor's agent, was next to Mr. Stavely's...

...Christmas came. My dear friend, Mrs. Stavely, had invited me to Seaforth. It was with great difficulty that I got there...

...One week when I needed just four shillings to pay for my lodgings at Liverpool, before leaving for my friend, Mrs. Staveley's, at Seaforth, where I was going that afternoon, the postman brought a letter in the morning, and when I opened it was from America, and contained one dollar...

CHAPTER XXXVI

...Thursday, April 3, I leave London for Southport, and stop at Mrs. Stavely's Berachia Home. Monday, April 10, I take Bob to Miss Hobb's school, where he is now, and has been ever since...

...I got up and wrote to Mr. Stavely, at Liverpool, to get me a ticket; this he could not do, as everything was engaged. So I had to wait till the 26th of August, when I left by the steamer Gallier for New York, and arrived Friday, September 5, 1890...