St Agnes - Vowler and Philp (1757-1762)
The vicar of St Agnes was James Walker who was Samuel Walker's (see this website) brother. He had another parish and appointed curates to run St Agnes. Thomas Vowler was appointed in 1757 but he sadly died of a fever in 1758. John Wesley heard him preach on September 4th 1757, he wrote, 'Mr Vowler preached two such thundering sermons at church as I have scarce heard these twenty years.'
His successor was another evangelical preacher, William Philp (Phelps). Wesley wrote in his diary on September 10th 1760, 'I had much conversation with Mr Phelps, a man of humble, loving, tender spirit.' Two years later Philp also died of a fever. Wesley said, 'a man eminently humble, serious and zealous for God.' He was succeeded by another evangelical.
Wesley wrote of both clergymen as 'upright, zealous servants of God, and indefatigable in their labours.
The parish of St Agnes was well served.