Rev William Terry Coppin journal

Journal of a visit to Kumasi [Ghana] made by Rev Coppin between 14th April and 24th May 1885 during jubilee year. With covering letter from him to Mr Thompson, 8th December [19]22.

Archive & Special Collections MMS/17/02/03/08 Open

Order number: MMS/Special Series/Biographical/West Africa/FBN 4 (fiche 131)
Date(s) of creation: 1885-1922
Level: Item
Format: Archive           
Main author: Coppin; William Terry (1854-1930); ordained missionary

collection SOAS Archive
id MMS.17.02.03.08
recordtype archive
scb_item_location Archive & Special Collections
item_location Archive & Special Collections
scb_loan_type Reference only
scb_order_with MMS/Special Series/Biographical/West Africa/FBN 4 (fiche 131)
callnumber MMS/17/02/03/08
callnumber_txt MMS/17/02/03/08
callnumber-sort MMS/17/02/03/08
prefix_number 08
title Rev William Terry Coppin journal
scb_date_creation 1885-1922
scb_level Item
level_sort 8/Collection/Sub-Collection/Sub-Sub-Collection/Sub-Sub-Sub-Collection/Series/Sub-Series/Sub-Sub-Series/File/Item
scb_extent 73 pages plus letter
author Coppin; William Terry (1854-1930); ordained missionary
author_facet Coppin; William Terry (1854-1930); ordained missionary
authorStr Coppin; William Terry (1854-1930); ordained missionary
author_letter Coppin; William Terry (1854-1930); ordained missionary
format Archive
scb_admin_history William Terry Coppin was born in Chelmsford, Essex, on 15th April 1854. After finishing his training at Richmond he was sent to serve in Lagos, Nigeria. Initially he was appointed as the first principal of the High School but later also took on the role of acting Chairman of the District. In 1883 he was appointed as Chairman of the Gold Coast District and looked sympathetically on the idea of greater local responsibility. His interest in education continued, particularly with regard to the creation of Sunday Schools. He encouraged further missionary work amongst the Ashanti and was a leading force in the golden jubilee fundraising activities of 1885 which lead to much restoration of church property. His tenure also included a tense period with the Basel Mission over mission methodology and differences in religious practice. Coppin's health had suffered during his time in West Africa and he left for Britain on 20 May 1887. However, in the same year he was posted to the island of Guernsey where he served until he volunteered for transfer to Gibraltar in 1890. Coppin arrived, with his wife (Eva Marion Stevenson) and their young son, on the Gibraltar on 3rd September 1890. Whilst there he attempted to increase the mission's presence in Spain and endeavoured to maintain a Methodist School on the island (all the while his health was improving). During his tenure he also laid the foundations for what became the Soldiers' and Sailors' Home. He left Gibraltar on 14th June 1896. He spent the next few years in home districts (Bradford, Haworth and Runcorn) before returning to oversees work by accepting the post of Chairman of the Lucknow District, India, in 1905. However, ill health plagued him again and his tenure was cut short with his return to England in 1907. After further service in home districts he became a supernumerary in Cardiff in 1918 moving to London two years later. He died in Sudbury, Middlesex, on 22nd December 1930. Further reading: Bartels, F L, The roots of Ghana Methodism (1965); Findlay & Holdsworth, The History of the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society, (vols 4 & 5, 1922-1924); Jackson, S I, The Shadow of a Mighty Rock: A History of the Gibraltar Methodist Church (2009).
description Journal of a visit to Kumasi [Ghana] made by Rev Coppin between 14th April and 24th May 1885 during jubilee year. With covering letter from him to Mr Thompson, 8th December [19]22.
scb_related_name_code GB/SOASNAF/P903
scb_related_name_relationship Subject of
scb_place_code 2300660
7729885
2304116
scb_access_status Open
scb_conditions_gov_access Only to be viewed on microfiche
scb_copyright Copyright probably held by Methodist Missionary Society
scb_use_restrictions For permission to publish, please contact Archives & Special Collections, SOAS Library in the first instance
language English
language_search English
scb_related_material Also within the records of the (Wesleyan) Methodist Missionary Society is the official correspondence for Rev Coppin for each of the districts he served in (MMS/West Africa/Correspondence/Nigeria/FBN 18; MMS/West Africa/Correspondence/Gold Coast/FBN 12; MMS/Europe/Correspondence/Gibraltar/FBN 18). Furthermore, the synod minutes will record his work, and that of his colleagues, in each of the relevant districts (MMS/West Africa/Synod Minutes/Nigeria/FBN 5; MMS/West Africa/Synod Minutes/Gold Coast/FBN 3; MMS/Europe/Synod Minutes/FBN 2).
hierarchy_top_id_raw MMS
hierarchy_sequence MMS.0017.0002.0003.0008

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