Sarah Ryan (Methodist)

Notably, Ryan co-founded a Methodist orphanage/school named The Cedars with Mary Bosanquet Fletcher.

Ryan's work at The Cedars was highly praised by John Wesley, the co-founder of Methodism.

But shortly afterward, Ryan's brother drowned, leaving possession of the family business back in her father's hands.

[12] Like Mr Ryan, Benneken was also often away at sea, since he worked as a cook for the East India Company.

Some accounts say that Mr Ryan pretended to be ill in order to trick Sarah into marrying him.

[10] Mr Ryan abused her in their marriage, and Sarah had to support the couple by taking in laundry[10] and doing domestic service work.

[2] When Ryan was seventeen, she heard George Whitefield, one of the founders of Methodism, preaching.

[16][1][17] In 1757 Wesley made Ryan a housekeeper at the Kingswood School, a Methodist institution that he established.

Ryan shared her experiences of working at John Wesley's Kingswood School with Bosanquet, and in March of 1763, the pair sought to establish a similar orphanage/school.

[25] Manners, reading, religion, writing, nursing, and domestic skills were on the curriculum.

[1] Several articles were published about Ryan following her death in Arminian Magazine, a Methodist publication.

[1] Following Ryan's death, Mary Bosanquet Fletcher proceeded with her plan to move their orphanage to a new location.

She established Cross Hall in Morley, and continued with the work that she and Ryan started at The Cedars.