Missionary

Missionary Societies of the 19th Century in India and their archives

Christian missionaries were usually sponsored in India by European organisations, such as the German Lutherans or missionary societies from the United Kingdom. Of the latter, there was a wide variety from non-denominational, through Scottish Presbyterians, the Church of England societies, the Baptists, to those who now come under the United Reform Church. The archives of these missionary bodies, often rich sources of names, careers, family details and correspondence, are accessible but variously held in libraries or other repositories depending on the society. The structures of societies differ widely, but most have an archivist, and he/she may be a useful first contact. Below are some 19th century missionary societies, giving for each its current name and location and where its archives are kept. Other Indian missionary sources which may provide useful background have been added.

Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (SPG)

Present title: “USPG – Anglicans in World Mission” http://www.uspg.org.uk
200 Great Dover Street
London SE1 4YB
Tel: (020) 7378 5678
E-mail: archive@uspg.org.uk

Pre-1965 Archives: Rhodes House Library
South Parks Road
Oxford OX1 3RG
Tel: (01865) 270908 or 270911
E-mail: rhodes.house.library@bodley.ox.ac.uk;

Post-1965 Archives are at USPG, London

Church Missionary Society (CMS)

CMS
Watlington Road
Cowley
Oxford
OX4 6BZ
http://www.cms-uk.org
Tel: (01865) 787400;
Archivist E-mail: ken.osborne@cms-uk.org

Main Archives:
Special Collections
Main Library
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
Tel: (0121) 414 5838/39
E-mail: s.j.worrall@bham.ac.uk

Post-1960 Archives:
Crowther Centre at CMS
Oxford
Tel: (01865) 787400.

London Missionary Society (LMS)

Present title: “Council for World Mission”
CWM
Ipalo House
32-34 Great Peter Street
London SW1P 2DB
Tel: (020) 7222 4214
E-mail: council@cwmission.org.uk http://www.cwmission.org

Archives:
School of Oriental & African Studies (SOAS)
The Library (LMS Archives)
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG
Tel: (020) 7898 4180
E-mail: docenquiry@soas.ac.uk
http://www.soas.ac.uk/library

Baptist Missionary Society

Present title: “BMS World Mission”
PO Box 49
129 Broadway
Didcot
Oxon OX11 8XA
Tel: (01235) 517700
Archives: Tel: (01235) 517626
E-mail: slinnell@bmsworldmission.org
http://www.bmsworldmission.org

Initially consult Baptist Historical Society website at: http://www.baptisthistory.org.uk/basicpage.php?contents=familyHistory&page_title=Family%20History

Main Archive (Angus Library) is at:
Centre for Baptist History
Regent’s Park College
Pusey Lane
Oxford
OX1 2LB
Tel: (01865) 288142
Archivist: julian.lock@regents.ox.ac.uk
Centre website: http://www.rpc.ox.ac.uk/cbhh/Centre.htm

Church of Scotland Missionary Society

“Church of Scotland World Mission Council”
121 George Street
Edinburgh EH2 4YN
Tel: (0131) 225 5722
E-mail: worldmission@cofscotland.org.uk
http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/councils/worldmission

Methodist Missionary Society

Lance Martin
Library (Methodist Archives)
School of Oriental & African Studies
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG
Tel: (020) 7898 4148
E-mail: lm37@soas.ac.uk
http://www.methodist.org.uk

United Reform Church

http://www.urc.org.uk

This modern title includes English Presbyterians and Congregationalists. The latter often served with the LMS.

Archives:
English Presbyterian’s at Westminster College
Cambridge
Tel: (01223) 741084

Congregationalists’ at SOAS (see LMS above). Further information from the United Reform Church History Society at Westminster College, Cambridge; Tel: (01223) 741084.

Other Indian Missionary Sources

Indian Institute Library

Department of Oriental Collections
Bodleian Library
Oxford
OX1 3BG
Tel: (01865) 277082
E-mail: indian.institute@bodley.ox.ac.uk or gillian.evison@bodley.ox.ac.uk
http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/bodley/library/rooms/iirr

Henry Martyn (Missionary) Centre

Librarian (Jane Gregory)
Henry Martyn Centre
Westminster College
Madingley Road
Cambridge
CB3 0AA
Tel: (01223) 741088
Librarian: 07973 965430
E-mail: jg230@cam.ac.uk
http://www.martynmission.cam.ac.uk

Royal Asiatic Society

Librarian (Kathy Lazenbatt)
Royal Asiatic Society
14 Stephenson Way
London
NW1 2HD
Tel: (020) 7388 4539 E-mail: library@royalasiaticsociety.org
http://www.royalasiaticsociety.org

Mundus

A web-based guide to more than four hundred collections of overseas missionary materials held in UK. http://www.mundus.ac.uk

Missionary family stories on the web

“Faith and Family in South India” is at: http://www.britishempire.co.uk/article/faithandfamily.htm
“Missionaries in Northern India” is at: http://www.britishempire.co.uk/article/almora.htm

Historical Books Online

• The History of Christianity in India: from the Commencement of the Christian Era by James Hough Volume 1, 1839 Volume 2, 1839 Volume 4, 1845 Volume 5, 1860
• The Church Missionary Atlas- Church Missionary Society published 1862. Contains a section on India, with maps from page 21, including a section on the languages of India Also includes an Appendix of missionaries’ names, with some biographical details. Google Books
• The Church in Madras : being the History of the Ecclesiastical and Missionary Action of the East India Company in the Presidency of Madras by Rev Frank Penny 1904 Archive.org

Volume 1 In the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries Volume 2 1805 to 1835 Volume 3 1835 to 1861

Other External Links

• The CMS in Kerala
• Reminiscences of Missionary Work, by Worthington Jukes (1925) Project Canterbury website
• Priests, Chaplains, Missionaries in Madras Presidency A section of a family history website in which 400 clerical names and related histories are listed.
• Mennonite and Brethren in Churches in India

• Description
• Russians, North Americans and Telegus: the Mennonite Brethren mission in India, 1885-1975 by Peter Penner 1997 Limited View Google Books
• Sepia Prints: Memoirs of a Missionary in India by Viola Bergthold Wiebe, Marilyn Wiebe Dodge 1990 Limited View Google Books

• Biographical details of the author Viola Bergthold Wiebe (1903-1996)
• Also see Photographer-Books

• Laura and Charles Hope were Baptist medical missionaries from Australia, for most of the period 1893 to 1934 Australian DIctionary of Biography
• Mrs. Eve Ross, (as Miss Eve Croydon) was sent by the Methodist Society as a nurse in United Provinces, 1941-1946. See Nurse – Other Libraries and Archives for an interview to listen to, or to read the transcript, and details of her letters home.