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...
| Order number: |
MMS/Special Series/Biographical/China/FBN 29 (fiche 1276-1277) |
|---|---|
| Date(s) of creation: |
1955-1956 |
| Level: |
Sub-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-Sub-Series |
| level_sort |
6/Collection/Sub-Collection/Sub-Sub-Collection/Sub-Sub-Sub-Collection/Series/Sub-Series/Sub-Sub-Series/ |
| 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 |