Rev William Chapman papers

Papers include journals, manuscript translations, published translations, PMMS publications, a few letters and miscellaneous items. There is also a significant body of visual material comprising individual photographic prints and photograph albums.

Archive & Special Collections MMS/17/02/05/03 Open

Order number: MMS/Special Series/Biographical/Central Africa/FBN 14, FBN 15 & Box 612B
Date(s) of creation: 1886-1932
Level: Sub-series
Format: Archive           
Main author: Chapman; William (1869-1947); joiner & wheelwright, ordained, educational and medical missionary

collection SOAS Archive
id MMS.17.02.05.03
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/Central Africa/FBN 14, FBN 15 & Box 612B
callnumber MMS/17/02/05/03
callnumber_txt MMS/17/02/05/03
callnumber-sort MMS/17/02/05/03
prefix_number 03
title Rev William Chapman papers
scb_date_creation 1886-1932
scb_level Sub-series
level_sort 7/Collection/Sub-Collection/Sub-Sub-Collection/Sub-Sub-Sub-Collection/Series/Sub-Series/Sub-Sub-Series/File
scb_extent 2 boxes
author Chapman; William (1869-1947); joiner & wheelwright, ordained, educational and medical missionary
author_facet Chapman; William (1869-1947); joiner & wheelwright, ordained, educational and medical missionary
authorStr Chapman; William (1869-1947); joiner & wheelwright, ordained, educational and medical missionary
author_letter Chapman; William (1869-1947); joiner & wheelwright, ordained, educational and medical missionary
format Archive
scb_admin_history William Chapman was born at Stubley, Lincolnshire, on 12 January 1869. At 14 he became an apprentice joiner and wheelwright. He converted to Methodism in 1881 and was an active local preacher in Lincolnshire by 1891. He was ordained as a Primitive Methodist minister in 1895 and was dispatched to work in the PMMS Central African Mission. On arrival he worked with the Rev Frederick Pickering in Mashukulumbweland at Nkala [Zambia] but by the end of the year Chapman had founded the mission at Nanzela [Nanzhila, Zambia]. From this base he also explored the possibilities of opening missions amongst the Ila, particularly at Kasenga [Zambia]. In 1900 churches were opened at both Nkala and Nanzela and Chapman returned to England on furlough. Whilst in England he assisted in publicising the work of the mission in Central Africa. He also married, on 12 January 1902, Clarissa Amelia Watts (b c1874) of Kings Lynn in Norfolk. The newlyweds arriving at Nkala in March 1902. Chapman and his wife founded classes and eventually a school at Nkala although Mrs Chapman work was troubled by ill health and she returned to England in early 1904. In the same year Chapman visited and preached in the copper mines north of the Kafue. In the summer of 1905 Mrs Chapman returned to the Central African Mission and her husband who, in July of that year, had opened the mission at Nambala [Zambia]. Along with evangelising the couple developed education and provided some basic medical care. However, civil unrest forced them to abandon the mission in August 1907. This, combined with further health problems, lead to Mrs Chapman returning to England in October. Upon Chapman's return to Nambala much of the mission had been destroyed but by March 1908 a school and chapel had been built. Chapman shortly after took a furlough to England (continuing to translate biblical works into Ila) and did not return to Nambala until July 1910. He remained for two further years before returning to England permanently. Chapman worked in home circuits (principally in Shropshire and the Midlands) until becoming a supernumerary in Northampton in 1937. He died on 14 December 1947. Further Reading: Chapman, W, A Pathfinder in South Central Africa (1910).
description Papers include journals, manuscript translations, published translations, PMMS publications, a few letters and miscellaneous items. There is also a significant body of visual material comprising individual photographic prints and photograph albums.
scb_related_name_code GB/SOASNAF/P925
GB/SOASNAF/P927
scb_related_name_relationship Subject of
Subject of
scb_place_code 895949
878675
9406051
7729886
953987
901579
scb_access_status Open
scb_conditions_gov_access Only to be viewed on microfiche, with the exception of visual material (MMS/Special Series/Biographical/Central Africa/Box 612B)
language English
Ila
Shona
language_search English
Ila
Shona
scb_related_material Also within the records of the (Wesleyan) Methodist Missionary Society is the official correspondence for William Chapman (MMS/PPMS/Correspondence/South & Central Africa/FBN 17). Furthermore, reports written by him or about his work should also be extant (MMS/PPMS/Reports/Quarterly/FBN 3). Papers relating to Chapman (including translations of hymns into Ila) can be found amongst the Edwin W Smith papers (MMS/Special Series/Biographical/Central Africa/FBN 13 (fiche 532-) & 14 (fiche 571-610)). Photographs by or featuring Chapman are also within this collection (MMS/Special Series/Biographical/Central Africa/611B(1)). A number of Chapman's letters (or extracts from them) appear in PMMS publications such as the 'Herald' and 'Record'.
hierarchy_top_id_raw MMS
hierarchy_sequence MMS.0017.0002.0005.0003

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