THE WOMEN AROUND JOHN WESLEY AT HOME ... - Kristoffersen

Federation. The five Colleges were Cheshunt College,Ridley hall, Westcott House, Wesley House andWestminster College. The first College wasCongregational. The next two were Anglican, the fourthwas Methodist and the fifth was Presbyterian. I myselfbelonged to Wesley House and Fitzwilliam College.Why do I mention this? The reason is thatCheshunt College and Westminster College have historicconnection with Lady Selina of Huntingdon. I will return tothis later on in this work.BORN IN A NOBLE FAMILYWho was this woman, who lived her lifecontemporarily with John Wesley during the whole 18 thCentury? She died the same year as John Wesley.Let us give an insight of her and her family. SelinaShirley was born 24 th of August 1707. She was daughter toWashington Shirley, second Earl of Ferrars, at the manorShirley near Ashby in Leicestershire.Selina´ s grandfather was Sir Robert Shirley. Hewas a descendant from “The Earl of Essex”, who was oneof the favourites at court of Queen Elizabeth I´ s. Selinasgrandmother, Sir Robert´ s wife, was ElisabethWashington, descendant from Lawrence Washington fromSulgrave Manor. Sir Robert was chief magistrate in NorthHampton, in the 16 th Century. The famous AmericanPresident George Washington is descended from the samefamily.One summer some years ago I was visitingGeorge Washington´ s childhood Church in Warton near91