Joseph Webb

Joseph Webb (1779-1814) was originally from Andover, Hampshire. He attended the Baptist church at Broughton, first under Josiah Lewis, then William Steadman. In 1793 Steadman married Webb’s sister. Webb was baptized in 1796 and became a member of the church at Broughton on 13 March 1796, and in April began to reside with Steadman as one of his pupils. He accompanied Steadman and Saffery on their first itinerating tour of Cornwall in July and August 1797, preaching his first sermon at that time. He entered Bristol Academy in August 1797. In February and March 1801, Webb supplied at Cannon Street in Birmingham. After completing his studies at Bristol in the summer of 1801, he was called to the Baptist congregation at Tiverton, where he was ordained. That same year he married Christiana Jones, daughter of a Mr. Jones of Wilder Street, Bristol, a member of the church in Broadmead. The Tiverton church was greatly reduced in numbers when Webb went there, but within a short while the attendance had increased to more than 400 and side galleries were added to the chapel. In July 1804, due to health reasons, Webb left Tiverton and returned to Bristol. In 1806 he removed to Birmingham and in 1807 began teaching students in his home. His health remained poor, however, and he never resumed preaching. A letter from Webb to F. A. Cox, dated 5 February 1801, from Bristol, was printed in the Baptist Magazine 7 (1815), 413-415. See W. H. Rowe, “Memoir of the Rev. Joseph Webb,” Baptist Magazine 7 (1815), 221-231.