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Colonial Women Missionaries of the Committee for Women's Work, 1861–1967

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The launch of the Missionary Ship The John Wesley at West Cowes, Isle of Wight, September 23rd 1846. People gather at the dock to watch the ship.

Records of the Committee for Women's Work, 1861–1967

Long and unwearied as the labours of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel have been… there has been felt an increasing want of some additional agency for the Promotion of Female Education among the Heathen.
Ladies' Association Annual Report,  December 1866, page 3

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Discover stories of missionary women and their promotion of female education

An illustration of a building surrounded by trees, featured in : Life and work in India; an account of the conditions, methods, difficulties, results, future prospects and reflex influence of missionary labor in India, especially in the Punjab mission of the United Presbyterian Church of North America.

The United Society Partners in Gospel (USPG) is a UK-based Anglican missionary organisation that operates globally. From the eighteenth to the early twentieth century the USPG went by the name of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts (SPG).

In 1866 the SPG established a semi-autonomous body, the Ladies' Association for the Promotion of Female Education in India and other Heathen Countries. In 1895 this became the Womens' Missionary Association for the Promotion of Female Education in the Missions of the SPG. The SPG later established a Committee for Women's Work in 1904.

These organisations gave women the opportunity to train and work as missionaries, at a time when female education was highly restricted and controversial. The missionaries largely focused on educating and converting women to Christianity, although they did teach and convert others too. This collection includes documents from these organisations, including minutes of main and sub-committees, candidates' books, letters received and sent, and reports.

Contents

Colonial Women Missionaries of the Committee for Women's Work, 1861–1967...

Records of the Committee for Women's Work, 1861–1967

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Highlights

Section of a document regarding the subject of money.

Licensed to access Women's Work Appeals: Leaflets and papers (1 file), 1895

This document includes an appeal for support and funding for the CWW. Here, the women missionaries justified their role of converting people to Christianity and female education more broadly.

Section of a Report on a Biblewoman, filled out in handwriting and dated 31 December 1912.

Licensed to access India Biblewomen Reports and Correspondence (1 box), 1905–1912

These reports from Biblewomen initially appear to present a positive assessment of their work. However, the reports contain examples of Indian people’s resistance and resentment towards Christianity.

Section of a report containing responses to interview questions.

Licensed to access Replies to Questionnaire on the Ministry of Women, 1933

This document contains responses from missionaries Agnes Althia Owen and Ida Marlon. Both women criticise the committee and complain about the lack of formal training and education they received from the organisation.

Section of a handwritten document.

Licensed to access Questionnaire sent to staff of overseas Girls Schools and their replies (1 file), c.1891–1896

This document gives an insight into the opposition to missionaries from Hindus. Brahmins were the priestly caste within Hindu society and are said to have been “a great hindrance as they always try to upset the work” (image 15).

Insights

  • These records cover the full range of countries where the committee was active. The countries covered include India, Burma, China, Japan, Syria, South Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka.

  • Documents focus upon the progress of establishing Christian schools around the world. Details include how many students have been recruited, teacher shortages, supply shortages, and requests for money. 

  • The association’s financial situation varies throughout the period. In their early years they struggled to raise enough money to cover the increasing costs abroad and the documents discuss the consideration and implementation of budget cuts.

  • These documents contain commentary on various worldwide events during the period 1861–1967. The First Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895), the abolition of slavery in Madagascar (1896), the Lucknow plague (1904), and the First World War (1914–1918) are all discussed.

  • Japanese residents of Korea showed resistance to missionaries' attempts to convert them to Christianity. This resistance was sufficient to force the missionaries to conclude that they would not be able to convert enough locals as to make the exercise worthwhile. 

  • There are numerous examples of resistance throughout the collection, including the resistance of individuals and of other religious leaders, for example Brahmins (Hindu priests) in India.

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