Benjamin Carvosso (29 September 1789 – 2 October 1854) was the first

Wesleyan Wesleyan theology, otherwise known as Wesleyan–Arminian theology, or Methodist theology, is a theological tradition in Protestant Christianity based upon the ministry of the 18th-century evangelical reformer brothers John Wesley and Charle ...

Minister to preach in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

in 1820. He built/started the

Hobart Wesleyan Church Hobart ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, it is the southernmost capital city in Australia. Despite containing nearly half ...

(in

Hobart Hobart ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, it is the southernmost capital city in Australia. Despite containing nearly hal ...

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

, which is an exact replica of the church in

Mousehole Mousehole () is a village and fishing port in Cornwall, England, UK. It is approximately south of Penzance on the shore of Mount's Bay. The village is in the civil parish of Penzance. An islet called St Clement's Isle lies about offshore fro ...

Penzance Penzance ( ; ) is a town, civil parish and port in the Penwith district of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is the westernmost major town in Cornwall and is about west-southwest of Plymouth and west-southwest of London. Situated in the ...

Cornwall Cornwall (; or ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is also one of the Celtic nations and the homeland of the Cornish people. The county is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, ...

(except that it is larger in size). The church still owns a clock that he left as a present on his departure. Carvosso was son of

William Carvosso William Carvosso (1750–1834) was an early John Wesley, Wesleyan leader in Cornwall, England. He was converted to Christianity at age 21 and went on to become a Class Leader in the Wesleyan Connexion and a prominent figure of the church. Towards ...

, born near Mousehole, in

Mount's Bay Mount's Bay () is a bay on the English Channel coast of Cornwall, England, stretching from the Lizard Point, Cornwall, Lizard Point to Gwennap Head. In the north of the bay, near Marazion, is St Michael's Mount; the origin of name of the bay. ...

, on 11 March 1750, first a fisherman, then a farmer, and afterwards for sixty years a most active class leader and local preacher in the Wesleyan Methodist connection, who died at Dowstal, in the parish of Mylor, on 13 Oct. 1834. The son was born in Gluvias parish, Cornwall, on 29 September 1789, and, although brought up by very pious parents, was not converted until his twenty-second year. He was admitted as a probationer by the Wesleyan conference in 1814, and, after labouring for five years as a minister in England, offered himself as a missionary. He arrived in

Van Diemen's Land Van Diemen's Land was the colonial name of the island of Tasmania during the European exploration of Australia, European exploration and colonisation of Australia in the 19th century. The Aboriginal Tasmanians, Aboriginal-inhabited island wa ...

in 1820, being the second minister of the Wesleyan denomination sent to the Australian colonies, and on 18 Aug. introduced Methodism into that island by a public service in Hobart Town. It was not long before he proceeded to

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

, where, in the towns of

Windsor Windsor may refer to: Places *Detroit–Windsor, Michigan-Ontario, USA-Canada, North America; a cross-border metropolitan region Australia New South Wales *Windsor, New South Wales ** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area Queen ...

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

, and

Parramatta Parramatta (; ) is a suburb (Australia), suburb and major commercial centre in Greater Western Sydney. Parramatta is located approximately west of the Sydney central business district, Sydney CBD, on the banks of the Parramatta River. It is co ...

, he passed the next five years of his ministration. He had a high sense of the importance of the press as a means of promoting religion, and in conjunction with his brethren commenced in 1820 the publication of the ‘''Australian Magazine'',’ the first of its class seen in the colony. In 1825 he removed to Hobart Town; here his labours were arduous; in the pulpit, the prison, the prayer meeting, the class meeting, and the family, he was constantly engaged. Returning to his native land in 1830 he continued in the full discharge of his ministerial duties in various parts of England throughout the remainder of his life. He died at Tuckingmill, Cornwall, on 2 October 1854.

Works

* ''The Great Efficacy of Simple Faith, a Memoir of William Carvosso'' 1835, many editions. * ''Drunkenness the Enemy of Britain arrested by the Hand of God'' 1840 * ''An Account of Miss Deborah B. Carvosso'' 1840 * ''Attractive Piety, or Memorials of William B. Carvosso'' 1844, several editions.

References

;Attribution *

External links

Australian Dictionary of Biography

* ttp://www.oxforddnb.com/index/101004831/ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
National Library of Australia, Book: The faithful pastor: a memoir of the Rev. Benjamin Carvosso
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carvosso, Benjamin 1789 births 1854 deaths People from Mousehole Australian Methodist ministers Cornish Methodists Australian people of Cornish descent British emigrants to Australia 19th-century Australian Methodist ministers