Reed Family History

General Information
Edward served with his brother George during World War I.  Edward was a carpenter and wheelwright.

"Blind preacher who laughs at infirmity"
from the local Yelling paper the "Post"
For over 56 years, Mr Harry Howlett, of Yelling has been a Methodist local preacher. During that time he reckons he must have preached nearly 2,000 sermons, and walked hundreds of miles - in the earlier days - to keep his appointments.
He is still preaching but, at the age of 73 he has to rely on friends to provide transport for the four or five services he conducts every quarter.
Born at Yelling in a cottage known as The Rookery, which has long since disappeared, he attended Yelling village school, staying on first as a monitor, then as a pupil teacher, with the ambition of entering college with the aid of money left by his parents for that purpose.
Harry, who does not claim any records as a long service preacher, is totally blind, and it was the increasing failure of his sight which prevented his becoming a teacher. For over 30 years he has been unable to see at all.
When asked how he prepared his sermons he told the "Post" quite simply "by study" and went on to explain that for 20 or more years he used to study for an hour a day at least, taking his Bible and his books into the fields.
Now he has to rely on his memory which he has cultivated to an extra-ordinary degree and can recite hymns and much of the Bible quite accurately. As he said: "The mind is like a garden which must be cultivated if it is to yield its best."
After preaching as a youth for some time "on trial" he was admitted on to Full Plan of the old Eynesbury Primitive Methodist Circuit in 1894. He is still a member at the Eltisley Methodist Church which was the nearest "Prim" Chapel to his home at Yelling.
Next Sunday he will be preaching at Toseland Methodist Church which he now attends.
Of his life, he says he has built it around three things - discipline, study and personality, and added "I've always been Harry and always will be."
When the "Post" called on him in company with the Rev J G Morton for introductory purposes, Harry was busy at the bottom of his rather extensive garden and it was difficult to realise that such an active man was really blind.
His land showed all the signs of long and careful cultivation, which, up to last season he carried out himself entirely, sowing every seed, setting every plant, and pulling every weed.
"You'll have a job to fool me," he said, "and I can still do a bit of digging."
He has now retired as he terms it, having turned the place over to his nephew Edward, who with his wife and small child, "now look after me."
But to the onlooker it still appears that Harry is in very active command, showing such a triumph over handicap as to be as much an inspiration as his sermon.