Vincent Perronet

Vincent Perronet (1693–1785) was an Anglo-Swiss clergyman of the Church of England, vicar of Shoreham and early Methodist.

The youngest son of David and Philothea Perronet, he was born in London on 11 December 1693. His father, a native of Château d'Oex in the canton of Berne, and a Protestant, came to England about 1680, and was naturalised by act of parliament in 1708; he had married Philothea Arther or Arthur. David Perronet died in 1717. One of his elder brothers, Christian, was grandfather of the French engineer Jean Rodolphe Perronet.

Vincent Perronet, after receiving his earlier education at a school in the north of England, entered The Queen's College, Oxford, where he graduated B.A. on 27 October 1718; in later life he was described as M.A. Having taken holy orders, became curate of Sundridge, Kent, where he remained about nine years; in 1728 he was presented to the vicarage of Shoreham in the same county.

On 14 February 1744 he had his first interview with John Wesley, who was impressed by his piety. Both the Wesleys visited him and preached in his church in 1746; when Charles Wesley preached there a riot took place, and he was defended by one of Perronet's sons, Charles. The Wesleys looked to Perronet for advice and support: he was a close friend. He attended the Methodist conference of 15 June 1747. A letter from him in February 1751 led John Wesley to decide on marrying.

Perronet wrote in defence of the Methodists, and was called "the archbishop of Methodism". He encouraged a Methodist Society at Shoreham, headed by his unmarried daughter Damaris, entertained itinerant preachers, attended their sermons, and had preaching in his kitchen every Friday evening. He held a daily Bible-reading in his house. In 1769 he had a long illness, and, when recovering in January 1770, received visits from John Wesley and from Selina, Countess of Huntingdon. In 1771 he upheld Wesley against the countess and her party at the time of the Bristol conference.

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