Church Missionary Society Archive – Africa Missions

Scope

“The archives of the Church Missionary Society’s Africa missions are among the most important documentary sources on 19th century European missionary enterprise in Africa. They tell us much about African social history and thought during this period, and about the aspirations and prejudices of Victorian and Edwardian expansion. Their publication in microfilm will ensure that this material is for the first time placed within reach of a wide community of scholars.” Ike Achebe,  Trinity College, University of Cambridge

The CMS archive is held partly at CMS Headquarters in London but mainly at the University of Birmingham Library. To date, only the material relating up to 1949 is held in Birmingham. The material for later years, which is held in London, will follow in stages as the material becomes available for research. Pickler Memorial Library owns Section IV, parts 1-6, and parts 8-18.  (Part 7 covering Sudan is not available in our library.)

Section IV – Africa Missions contains the papers of the West Africa (Sierra Leone) Mission 1803-1949, the Nigeria – Yoruba Mission papers 1844-1934, Nigeria – Niger 1857-1934, Nigeria – Northern Nigeria 1900-1934 and Nigeria Missions 1935-1949. The other papers included are the Sudan Mission 1905-1949, Egypt 1889-1949, South and East Africa 1836-1949 and East Africa 1875-1949, Mauritius and Madagascar 1856-1929, Persia (Iran) 1875-1949 and Turkish Arabia (Iraq) 1898-1949 and the Mediterranean and Palestine 1811-1949.