Rev Henry Little journal
Journal beginning with Rev Little's preparations for departure from England (5 January 1863) and ends whilst travelling near Trichinopoly in India (19 February 1878). With one additional entry for 28 May 1896. Entries not entirely chronological and often made infrequently. Front of volume has a hand...
| Order number: |
MMS/Special Series/Biographical/India/FBN 22 (fiche 952-953) |
|---|---|
| Date(s) of creation: |
1863- 1896 |
| Level: |
Sub-series |
| Format: | Archive |
| Main author: | Little; Henry (1839-1912); ordained and educational missionary |
| collection |
SOAS Archive |
|---|---|
| id |
MMS.17.02.06.11 |
| 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/India/FBN 22 (fiche 952-953) |
| callnumber |
MMS/17/02/06/11 |
| callnumber_txt |
MMS/17/02/06/11 |
| callnumber-sort |
MMS/17/02/06/11 |
| prefix_number |
11 |
| title |
Rev Henry Little journal |
| scb_date_creation |
1863- 1896 |
| 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 |
1 volume |
| author |
Little; Henry (1839-1912); ordained and educational missionary |
| author_facet |
Little; Henry (1839-1912); ordained and educational missionary |
| authorStr |
Little; Henry (1839-1912); ordained and educational missionary |
| author_letter |
Little; Henry (1839-1912); ordained and educational missionary |
| format |
Archive |
| scb_admin_history |
Henry Little was born in Patterdale, Cumbria, on 21 September 1839. He converted to Methodism in 1856, entered the Wesleyan Methodist ministry in 1862 and enrolled at Richmond College the same year. From 1863 Little worked in India, originally in the Madras district where he served in a number of missions including Negapatam [Nagapattinam]. After a furlough in England in 1873 he returned to India to work in the same district but this time at Karur where, three years later, the great famine had such a major impact on his work. In the aftermath of the famine numerous children were left homeless and Little took many of them in and founded an orphanage (beginning with 71 children). The orphanage initially only offered elementary education but Little and his wife soon realised that greater support would be needed for the children as they matured into adults so they began the nucleus of what was to become the industrial school at Karur. Here children were taught blacksmithing, carpentry, agriculture and weaving as well as receiving a Christian education (provided by both Little and his wife). The goods produced by the children helped fund the enterprise and also contribute to the establishment of a Christian village nearby. In April 1889 the school was formally recognized by the Director of Public Institutions.
In 1881 Little became Chairman of the Madras District and in 1886 went on furlough to England. On his return he became Chairman of the newly founded Negapatam and Trichinopoly District. His administrative abilities were widely admired if, at times, carried out in a somewhat autocratic manner. Little's wife's health declined during 1888 and 1889 and they left India for good in 1893 (his wife dying the following January). Little began his service in Home Districts in 1894 in Malvern, Worcestershire, subsequently working in Hinckley and Brigg in Leicestershire, Yeovil in Somerset and Helston in Cornwall. He became a supernumerary at Burnham near Weston-super-mare, Somerset, in 1906 where he remained until his death on 8 May 1912.
Further Reading:
Findlay & Holdsworth, The History of the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society (vol V, 1924). |
| description |
Journal beginning with Rev Little's preparations for departure from England (5 January 1863) and ends whilst travelling near Trichinopoly in India (19 February 1878). With one additional entry for 28 May 1896. Entries not entirely chronological and often made infrequently.
Front of volume has a hand drawn map showing route taken by SS 'Golden Fleece' from London to Madras [Chennai] 1863.
Rear of volume has hand drawn map of the routes of the 'Maori' and SS 'Teuton' from Madras [Chennai] via Cape Town, South Africa, to London (1873-1874) & route of P & O 'Mongolia' leaving England 4 December 1874 and arriving Madras [Chennai] 5 January 1875. With list of sermons preached in 1863 & 1864. |
| scb_arrangement |
1863-1878, 1896 |
| scb_related_name_code |
GB/SOASNAF/P965 |
| scb_related_name_relationship |
Subject of |
| scb_place_code |
1269750 7729895 7627073 8223996 |
| scb_access_status |
Open |
| scb_conditions_gov_access |
Only to be viewed on microfiche |
| scb_copyright |
Copyright probably held by Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes |
| 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 Henry Little (MMS/India/Correspondence/Madras/FBN 23-25 & MMS/India/Correspondence/Negapatam/FBN 39). Further information on Little's work, as well as the work of his colleagues, will be contained in the relevant Synod Minutes (MMS/India/Synod Minutes/FBN 1-3).
Letters (or extracts from them) by Rev Little and his wife appear in Methodist missionary magazines, particularly in 'The Harvest Field' and the Women's Work magazines. |
| hierarchy_top_id_raw |
MMS |
| hierarchy_sequence |
MMS.0017.0002.0006.0011 |