Rev George William Sheppard correspondence

Publication entitled 'Some notes on the Lord's Prayer' by G W Sheppard (c1955). Letter, dated 14 June 1955, from George [Rev Sheppard] at Restingcot, 6 Avalon Rd, Orpington, Kent, to Dorothea [Lady Hosie]. Her article 'O Happy Day' in the 'Methodist Recorder'. Compiling notes on the Lord's Prayer. S...

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Order number: MMS/Special Series/Biographical/China/FBN 29 (fiche 1276-1277)
Date(s) of creation: 1955-1956
Level: Sub-series
Format: Archive           
Main author: Sheppard; George William (1874-1956); ordained and medical missionary, literary editor
Other authors: Sheppard; Mary (fl 1916-1956); daughter of Rev George William Sheppard, Soothill; Dorothea (1885-1959); afterwards Hosie; Lady; author

collection SOAS Archive
id MMS.17.02.09.01
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/China/FBN 29 (fiche 1276-1277)
callnumber MMS/17/02/09/01
callnumber_txt MMS/17/02/09/01
callnumber-sort MMS/17/02/09/01
prefix_number 01
title Rev George William Sheppard correspondence
scb_date_creation 1955-1956
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 3 items
author Sheppard; George William (1874-1956); ordained and medical missionary, literary editor
author_facet Sheppard; George William (1874-1956); ordained and medical missionary, literary editor
Sheppard; Mary (fl 1916-1956); daughter of Rev George William Sheppard
Soothill; Dorothea (1885-1959); afterwards Hosie; Lady; author
authorStr Sheppard; George William (1874-1956); ordained and medical missionary, literary editor
author_letter Sheppard; George William (1874-1956); ordained and medical missionary, literary editor
author2 Sheppard; Mary (fl 1916-1956); daughter of Rev George William Sheppard
Soothill; Dorothea (1885-1959); afterwards Hosie; Lady; author
author2Str Sheppard; Mary (fl 1916-1956); daughter of Rev George William Sheppard
Soothill; Dorothea (1885-1959); afterwards Hosie; Lady; author
format Archive
scb_admin_history George William Sheppard was born in Bristol in 1874 into a Methodist Free Church household. He began his career in 1894 in the Stratton and Bude District of Cornwall before transferring two years later to London III District (Limehouse). In 1898 he relocated to the Ningpo District in China. Apart from engaging in evangelical work he was also involved in opening a hospital in Ningpo [Ningbo] itself in 1899 and a college in 1906. On 7th September 1901 Sheppard married Edith Charlotte Mead (daughter of Thomas) of Wandsworth Common, London, whom he had known since childhood. Edith Mead had been involved in Sunday school work and as Mrs Sheppard she became heavily involved in the Ningpo District's female educational work. As Rev Sheppard became more familiar with Chinese he began to preach in the vernacular and even contributed to a Chinese hymnal. For the next dozen years (excepting a furlough during 1906 & 1907) the couple worked in various parts of the Ningpo District including the City itself, its environs, Si Hwo, Nimrod Sound [Siangshan Kiang], Shih-p'u [Shipu] and Hsiang-Sha Magistracy. During this period Mrs Sheppard continued her work in female education including holding women's meetings and bible classes. Her husband continued his evangelism as well as assisting in opening new churches, new missions and new schools, with a particular interest in providing support and training for local preachers. In 1913 Rev Sheppard became chairman of the Ningpo District at a time when its membership stood at around 1,300 but with a decreasing income and European staff. Furthermore, recent internal reorganisation meant that there were now 43 churches in seven circuits in area of around 5,000 miles. For the next decade (baring two furloughs) under Sheppard's stewardship the membership within the district continued to grow as well as finances resulting in the district becoming self-sufficient in its training and employment of local ministers in 1920. However, for most of the period before, during and after the Great War the Sheppards were the only UMFC European missionaries in the Ningpo District. (Rev Sheppard even found himself acting principal of the Ningpo College for much of 1916 & 1917). Shortly afterwards Rev Sheppard agreed to be the chief reviser for the British and Foreign Bible Society's translation of the Old Testament into the Ningpo [Ningbo] dialect of Chinese. In 1916 Mrs Sheppard jointly (with Mrs Lyttle) took charge of the Ningpo Girls' School with particular responsibility for the management of the School. By this time Mrs Sheppard had four children (Ronald (b.1904), Thomas, George and Mary). In 1922 her husband took over the management of the school and the following year he resigned his chairmanship of the district in order to accept the post of General Secretary of the British and Foreign Bible Society in China. Working initially in Ningpo [Ningbo] and from 1932 in Shanghai he oversaw the creation and distribution of a significant number of Christian texts in China. During this period he also briefly edited the 'Journal of the North China Royal Asiatic Society' and served as Chairman of the Education Committee of the Shanghai Municipal Council. Upon retirement in 1936 Rev Sheppard served briefly as Commonwealth Secretary in Australia before becoming a supernumerary in Kent with his wife. He died on 11 February 1956 at Orpington, Kent, with his wife dying a decade later.
description Publication entitled 'Some notes on the Lord's Prayer' by G W Sheppard (c1955). Letter, dated 14 June 1955, from George [Rev Sheppard] at Restingcot, 6 Avalon Rd, Orpington, Kent, to Dorothea [Lady Hosie]. Her article 'O Happy Day' in the 'Methodist Recorder'. Compiling notes on the Lord's Prayer. Swanwick conferences with Mary. Mary planning holiday for him in Staplefield, Sussex. Letter, dated 5 February 1956, from George [Rev Sheppard] at 6 Avalon Rd, Orpington, Kent, to Dorothea [Lady Hosie]. Current situation in China. No desire to republish his stories. Recent edition of Chinese bible. Newspaper cutting from the 'Methodist Recorder' of 8 March 1956 being Lady Hosie's tribute to the recently deceased Rev Sheppard.
scb_related_name_code GB/SOASNAF/P982
GB/SOASNAF/P983
GB/SOASNAF/P989
scb_related_name_relationship Subject of
Subject of
Subject of
scb_place_code 2635167
1814991
7729894
scb_access_status Open
scb_conditions_gov_access Only to be viewed on microfiche
language English
language_search English
scb_related_material The minutes of the United Methodist Free Churches Foreign Mission and the United Methodist Missionary Society are extant (see UMMS section of this catalogue).
hierarchy_top_id_raw MMS
hierarchy_sequence MMS.0017.0002.0009.0001