| Order number: |
MMS/Special Series/Biographical/India/FBN 21 (fiche 936-938)
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| Summary: |
Journal begins on 23rd November 1829 with Hodson travelling from London to Gravesend [Kent] to depart for India. Journal ends on 6 September 1832 with Hodson hoping to build a new chapel in Calcutta [Kolkata].
Rear of volume contains notes and sketches on life in India (e.g. agriculture, trade, etc) and a list of sermons preached by him in 1831. With incomplete index to volume.
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| Main author: |
Hodson; Thomas (1804-1882); teacher, ordained and educational missionary, linguist |
| Extent: |
1 volume
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| Admin history: |
Thomas Hodson was born in Scarle, Lincolnshire, in 1804. He was accepted as a candidate to the Wesleyan Methodist ministry in 1829 but prior to this had been a local preacher and teacher in Lincoln for nearly a decade. He was originally destined for Egypt but was instead sent to India departing England onboard the ship 'Moira' in November 1829 and arriving in Calcutta [Kolkata] in March 1830 along with his colleague Peter Percival to establish a new mission there. He married Mary Ann Atkinson (b. 28 June 1800) on 13 December 1830 in Calcutta [Kolkata] and she actively assisted him with his work, particularly with regard to education. Within the first six months they had established six mission schools but ultimately the mission proved untenable and was closed in late 1832.
The Hodsons relocated to the Madras District in 1833 serving initially in Bangalore [Bengaluru] where he founded the Canarese Mission, a chapel and schools in Petta and Bangalore [Bengaluru] (the latter was to become the High School). Mrs Hodson took bible classes, including one comprising soldiers' wives, and started a Sunday school. Late in 1836 Hodson was asked by the committee in London to survey the area around Mysore to see what possibilities for mission work existed there (and this lead to the creation of a mission in Mysore and ultimately the Mysore District). By April 1837 they had relocated to Goobbee [Gubbi] to start a Canarese mission where they remained until 1839 when they transferred to Mysore. Hodson became friends with the Rajah and with his support founded a boys' school - the first to teach an English style education to Hindus - and which, by 1841, was known as The Rajah's Free School. Hodson was also involved with the establishment of a mission press in 1840 whilst his wife continued her interest in female education, beginning the orphan girls' school.
Throughout this period in India Hodson encouraged the WMMS to strengthen its work amongst Hindus, support a native ministry and establish more missions with chapels and schools. He argued that this was more important than preaching to the English population. Unfortunately ill health forced him to leave India in 1842 and he spent the next decade in English circuits (including Louth in Lincolnshire, Newark in Nottinghamshire, Reading in Berkshire and Dewsbury in Yorkshire). Rev Hodson and his wife did not return to India until 1853 (although originally he had planned to return in 1848 but his poor health prevented this) and upon his return he was appointed general superintendent of the Mysore District (which had been created in 1848).
After briefly working in Mysore he relocated to Bangalore [Bengaluru]. During his tenure the Mysore District expanded its missionary work to Tumkur (1857), Ootacamund (1862), Shimoga (1863) and Hassan (1876). He actively encouraged the training of Indian ministers, increased the number of chapels and schools, created a mission press in Bangalore [Bengaluru] and for a time in the mid 1850s also became the general superintendent of the Madras District. He also published a Canarese grammar in 1859 and the first map of India in Canarese in 1866. His wife Mary died on 10 August 1866.
In 1877 Hodson suffered an attack of fever which permanently damaged his health and forced him to leave India (with his second wife) in March 1878. He settled as a supernumerary in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, but on 8th September 1878 suffered a severe attack of fever from which he died the following day.
Further Reading:
Findlay & Holdsworth, The History of the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society (vol V, 1924). |
Thomas Hodson was born in Scarle, Lincolnshire, in 1804. He was accepted as a candidate to the Wesleyan Methodist ministry in 1829 but prior to this had been a local preacher and teacher in Lincoln for nearly a decade. He was originally destined for Egypt but was instead sent to India departing England onboard the ship 'Moira' in November 1829 and arriving in Calcutta [Kolkata] in March 1830 along with his colleague Peter Percival to establish a new mission there. He married Mary Ann Atkinson (b. 28 June 1800) on 13 December 1830 in C ... View more |
| Access status: |
Open
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| Access conditions: |
Only to be viewed on microfiche
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| Copyright: |
Copyright probably held by Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes |
| User restrictions: |
For permission to publish, please contact Archives & Special Collections, SOAS Library in the first instance |
| Language: |
English
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| Related material: |
Also within the records of the (Wesleyan) Methodist Missionary Society is the official correspondence for Thomas Hodson (MMS/India/Correspondence/Madras/FBN 20-21 & MMS/India/Correspondence/Mysore/FBN 31-33). Further information on Hodson's work, as well as the work of his colleagues, will be contained in the relevant Synod Minutes (MMS/India/Synod Minutes/FBN 1-2). A narrative of a journey in the Bangalore area made by Hodson in late 1836 is amongst the Madras District correspondence (MMS/India/Correspondence/Madras/FBN 21).
There is one letter by Hodson within the Steele Collection (MMS/Special Series/Various Papers/FBN 46).
An image of Hodson can be found in MMS Box 1198 (file 1).
Copies and extracts from Hodson and his wives' letters appear in missionary magazines, especially 'The Harvest Field'. An obituary for Mary Ann Hodson appears in the September 1866 issue of 'The Harvest Field'. |
Also within the records of the (Wesleyan) Methodist Missionary Society is the official correspondence for Thomas Hodson (MMS/India/Correspondence/Madras/FBN 20-21 & MMS/India/Correspondence/Mysore/FBN 31-33). Further information on Hodson's work, as well as the work of his colleagues, will be contained in the relevant Synod Minutes (MMS/India/Synod Minutes/FBN 1-2). A narrative of a journey in the Bangalore area made by Hodson in late 1836 is amongst the Madras District correspondence (MMS/India/Correspondence/Madras/FBN 21).
There ... View more |
| Format: |
Archive
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