Henry Youngman

Henry Youngman (1848–1927) was a Methodist minister. He was President-General of the Methodist Church of Australasia and often described as "the Father of Methodism in Queensland". As a boy, he immigrated with his parents to Goulburn, New South Wales, where they worshipped at the Wesleyan Church. From Brisbane he went to Toowoomba (1891 to 1893), then to Toowong (1893–1896), and following that to Ipswich (1896–1899), Gympie (1900–1903), and West End, Brisbane (1904–1906). In 1907 he was made connexional secretary, a post he held practically up to the time of his death.

In 1907 he was elected Secretary of the Methodist General Conference, and in 1910 was elected President-General of the Methodist Church of Australasia. Eleven years were spent in the chair of the connexional editor, first on the Weekly Advocate with Revs. Dr Brown, B. J. Meek, and Paul Clipsham, then its successor, the Methodist, with Clipsham, J. E. Carruthers, A. J. Webb, and the Revs. G. Martin and B. J. Meek.

Youngman excelled as a preacher and his success in many aspects of Methodist ministry demonstrated that a man could succeed in ministry without the benefit of formal scholastic training.

Later life Youngman died at his residence in Dean Street, Toowong, Brisbane, early on Friday 11 March 1927 following several months of illness. His second wife, three sons and a daughter survived him.

His headstone in Toowong Cemetery was removed by the Brisbane City Council in the mid-1970s as part of a program to clean up "unsightly/demolished graves".