John Allen MANTON

MANTON, JOHN ALLEN (b. Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, England, 17 Aug 1807; d. Parramatta, NSW, 9 Sept 1864). Methodist minister and educationalist.

Born to Thomas and Jane Manton (née Allen) and converted at fifteen, Manton was admitted on trial to the Methodist Society in 1823, beginning a life of vital Christian commitment and piety. After six years of lay preaching he was accepted for the Wesleyan ministry. Called to missionary work he was ordained in London on 13 Jan 1831 and sailed for Australia, arriving at Sydney on 31 Aug 1831. He married Ann Green in Sydney 20 May 1833.

Manton was designated to VDL for most of his ministry, sailing to Macquarie Harbour as chaplain to its infamous convict settlement. In 1833 he became first chaplain to the new Port Arthur penal colony and nearby Point Puer, where he established a school for juvenile convicts. Manton's evangelistic witness with prisoners and staff bore fruit and his dedicated work was acknowledged by the colonial authorities. From Oct 1835 he served in Launceston and New Norfolk then undertook further chaplaincy at Port Arthur from 1840 to 1843. Appointments at Hobart Town and other centres followed, including the founding principalship of a school for boys, Horton College, at Ross. In 1857 he was elected President of the Australasian Wesleyan Methodist Conference.

Returning to Sydney, Manton urged Methodists there to establish a boys' college and was appointed to the initial presidency, opening the 'Wesleyan Collegiate Institution' at Newington House on the Parramatta River on 16 July 1863. In its first year enrolments grew from sixteen to fifty, including several theological students under Manton's tutelage. In failing health he died on 9 Sept 1864, his last words being 'O wondrous grace, saved at last'. Funeral tributes lauded Manton's devotion to the Lord, educational vision, and example of Christian grace and liberality.

ADB 2; D S Macmillan, Newington College 1863-1963 (Sydney, 1963), 3-23; H Marks, A Pot Pouri (Sydney, 1971), 108-112; P L Swain, A Quarter Past the Century: A History of Newington College 1863-1988 (Sydney, 1988), 1-10; James Colwell, The Illustrated History of Methodism (Sydney, 1904), 557-565

PETER L SWAIN