Moore , Reginald John Beagarie , 1909-1943 , missionary

Reginald John Beagarie ('Mike') Moore was born on 20 August 1909. He was educated at Bungay Grammar School and Clarke's College, London. In 1928 he entered Cheshunt College, Cambridge, where he studied for a degree in theology and anthropology. He was appointed with his wife (née Joan Gundry) in 1933 to Central Africa by the London Missionary Society as the first representative of what was to be the United Missions in the Copper Belt. After a few months of study of the Bemba language, he settled in the Copper Belt at Mindolo, a section of the Nkana Mine. For two years, he and his wife laid the foundations of the United Church and Mission. The United Missions came into being in 1936, when a number of colleagues joined Mr and Mrs Moore. Amongst their work, they built up a small printing press. In 1941 Moore was transferred to the Mpolokoso District and settled at Kashinda, where he undertook evangelistic work over a wide area.

Following a long illness, R. J. B. Moore died at Johannesburg on 27 February 1943 at the age of 33.

Publications by R. J. B. Moore include: Man's Act and God's in Africa (London, 1940), These African Copper Mines (London, 1948), and Africa at the Mines (London c1948). He also published articles in numerous journals including Journal of the Royal African Society, Bantu, African Studies and International Review of Missions.

Further reading: H Theobald, Moore of the Copper Belt (London, 1946). A copy of this work is included in the collection.