John Thomas and Sarah Thomas papers
Papers, 1786-1875, of John and Sarah Thomas, including John Thomas's journals and memoranda books, 1821-1875, including his religious reflections, life in England and Tonga, and missionary work; sermon notes, undated; manuscripts on Tonga and the South Seas, including mythology, religion, history, a...
| Order number: |
MMS/Special Series/Biographical/South Seas/FBN 37-42 |
|---|---|
| Date(s) of creation: |
1786-1875 |
| Level: |
Sub-series |
| Format: | Archive |
| Main author: | Thomas; John (1796-1881); blacksmith, ordained missionary |
| Other authors: | Thomas; Sarah (fl 1824-1867); née Hartshorn, missionary wife |
| Subjects: |
| collection |
SOAS Archive |
|---|---|
| id |
MMS.17.02.10.08 |
| 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/South Seas/FBN 37-42 |
| callnumber |
MMS/17/02/10/08 |
| callnumber_txt |
MMS/17/02/10/08 |
| callnumber-sort |
MMS/17/02/10/08 |
| prefix_number |
08 |
| title |
John Thomas and Sarah Thomas papers |
| scb_date_creation |
1786-1875 |
| 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 |
6 boxes |
| author |
Thomas; John (1796-1881); blacksmith, ordained missionary |
| author_facet |
Thomas; John (1796-1881); blacksmith, ordained missionary Thomas; Sarah (fl 1824-1867); née Hartshorn, missionary wife |
| authorStr |
Thomas; John (1796-1881); blacksmith, ordained missionary |
| author_letter |
Thomas; John (1796-1881); blacksmith, ordained missionary |
| author2 |
Thomas; Sarah (fl 1824-1867); née Hartshorn, missionary wife |
| author2Str |
Thomas; Sarah (fl 1824-1867); née Hartshorn, missionary wife |
| format |
Archive |
| scb_admin_history |
Born at Worcester, England, 1796; blacksmith at Hagley, Worcestershire; became a Methodist and soon began to preach; married Sarah Hartshorn (d 1867); accepted by the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society (WMMS), 1824; pioneering missionary to the Friendly Islands [Tonga] in the South Seas - arriving in 1826; preached at Hihifo, Tongatapu, 1826-1828; moved to the island of Ha'apai, 1829; baptized the chief Taufa'ahua Tupou, 1831; a Tonga-wide revival movement began, 1835; Thomas enthroned Tupou, with English rites, as first king of all Tonga, 1845; although the WMMS withdrew from Samoa (1839) by agreement with the London Missionary Society, Thomas advocated re-entry and supported Tupou's policy of sending Tongan Wesleyan missionaries to Fiji and Samoa; persuaded the Australasian Wesleyan conference (which took over the Pacific from the British Wesleyans in 1855) to reverse the LMS decision regarding Samoa; following a visit to England his influence with Tupou waned, 1850s; retired to England and became supernumerary minister at Stourbridge, Worcestershire, 1860; died, 29th January 1881.
Further Reading:
Latukefu, S, Church and state in Tonga: the Wesleyan Methodist missionaries and political development, 1822-1875 (1974);
Luckock, John Thomas: extracts from the journals and private diaries of Rev. John Thomas; edited by Mrs Stuart Luckcock, with an outline of his life and times by Rev. Francis Luckcock (1981);
Luckcock, J L, Thomas of Tonga, 1797-1881: the unlikely pioneer (c1990);
Rowe, G S, A pioneer. A memoir of the Rev. John Thomas, missionary to the Friendly Islands (1885);
Telford, J, Makers of our missions. Pages from the lives of Methodist missionaries (1895);
Thomas, J, Hymns, catechisms, prayers, &c. for the use of the Wesleyan Societies in the Friendly Islands (1861). |
| description |
Papers, 1786-1875, of John and Sarah Thomas, including John Thomas's journals and memoranda books, 1821-1875, including his religious reflections, life in England and Tonga, and missionary work; sermon notes, undated; manuscripts on Tonga and the South Seas, including mythology, religion, history, and ranks of chiefs, undated; photographs, prints and drawings, most unlabelled, of people and places in Tonga, undated [1820s-1850s?]; two accounts of the life of Sarah Thomas by John Thomas [after 1866]; miscellaneous correspondence, 1825-1873, of John and Sarah Thomas, including letters from John Thomas to Wesleyan Mission House; journals of Sarah Thomas (née Hartshorn), 1826-1855, including her experiences in Tonga; account book for building a new Methodist chapel in Glasgow, 1786-1792; steward's account book, 1813-1820, of the Methodist Society, Glasgow, including Leaders' meetings minutes, 1813-1820. |
| scb_related_name_code |
GB/SOASNAF/P480 GB/SOASNAF/P545 GB/SOASNAF/C146 |
| scb_related_name_relationship |
Creator of Creator of Subject of |
| scb_place_code |
6269131 6255151 4032283 2648579 2638360 2635167 2633560 4032279 4032637 |
| scb_access_status |
Open |
| scb_conditions_gov_access |
Only to be viewed on microfiche. |
| scb_copyright |
Copyright probably held by Methodist Missionary Society. |
| scb_use_restrictions |
For permission to publish, please contact Archives & Special Collections, SOAS Library in the first instance |
| language |
English Tonga (Tonga Islands) |
| language_search |
English Tonga (Tonga Islands) |
| scb_finding_aids |
Handlist available |
| scb_related_material |
Also within the records of the (Wesleyan) Methodist Missionary Society is the official correspondence (with extracts from journals) for John Thomas (MMS/Australasia/Correspondence/Tonga/FBN 12-14). Furthermore, the synod minutes will detail his work, and that of his colleagues, in the Friendly Islands district (MMS/Australasia/Synod Minutes/Fiji & Tonga/FBN 2).
In addition, we hold a photocopy of a letter (1857) from Thomas in Tonga to his brother-in-law, referring to mission activity there (MS 380449). A letter by him can also be found within the Steele Collection (MMS/Special Series/Various Papers/FBN 46).
The Mitchell Library at the New South Wales State Library in Australia holds letter books, correspondence, manuscripts, etc, by or relating to Thomas, 1829-1879. |
| scb-callnumber-first |
Clergy Evangelism Finance Methodism Methodists Missionaries Missionary work Mythology Oceanic cultures Protestantism Protestants Social structure Travel abroad Wives of missionaries Women |
| topic |
Clergy Evangelism Finance Methodism Methodists Missionaries Missionary work Mythology Oceanic cultures Protestantism Protestants Social structure Travel abroad Wives of missionaries Women |
| topic_facet |
Clergy Evangelism Finance Methodism Methodists Missionaries Missionary work Mythology Oceanic cultures Protestantism Protestants Social structure Travel abroad Wives of missionaries Women |
| hierarchy_top_id_raw |
MMS |
| hierarchy_sequence |
MMS.0017.0002.0010.0008 |