GB 0102 CWM/LMS China Personal Boxes 1-3 - Morrison, Robert

3 boxes

The papers were deposited with the London Missionary Society and form part of the special series of personal papers of individual LMS missionaries and officers.
GB 0102 CWM/LMS China Personal Boxes 1-3 1814-1958 Collection (fonds) 3 boxes Morrison , Robert , 1782-1834 , missionary to China
Born near Morpeth, Northumberland, England, 1782; grew up in Newcastle-upon-Tyne; following a rudimentary education, apprenticed to his father as a last and boot-tree maker; joined the Presbyterian church, 1798; decided to prepare for missionary work; studied at Hoxton Academy (later Highbury College), London, 1803; studied at the Missionary Academy, Gosport, Hampshire, 1804; appointed by the London Missionary Society (LMS) and studied medicine, astronomy and Chinese in London, 1805; ordained and sailed via Philadelphia and New York to Canton, 1807; pioneering Protestant missionary to China, though he saw few conversions himself; married Mary Morton (1791-1821), daughter of an East India Company surgeon, in Macau, 1809; became translator to the East India Company's factory in Canton, securing a legal basis for residence and a means of supporting himself, 1809; completed the translation of the New Testament into Chinese, 1813; it was printed, 1814; viewed with hostility by Chinese officials; baptised the first Protestant Chinese Christian, 1814; served as translator on Lord Amherst's abortive embassy to Peking (Beijing), 1816-1817; returned to Canton, 1817; on the completion of his Anglo-Chinese dictionary, received the degree of Doctor of Divinity, University of Glasgow, 1817; with William Milne (1785-1822) founded the Anglo-Chinese College, Malacca, for training missionaries in the Far East, 1818; with Milne, completed the translation of the Bible, 1819; visited Malacca, 1823; travelled to England, 1823-1824; Fellow of the Royal Society, 1824; helped to established the short-lived Language Institution in London; ordained the first Chinese native pastor, 1825; married Eliza Armstrong (1795-1874), 1825; left England and returned to Canton, 1826; died at Canton, 1834. Publications include: Dictionary of the Chinese Language (1815-1823); Grammar of the Chinese Language (1815); Chinese Bible and numerous Chinese tracts, translations, and works on philology. His son from his first marriage, John Robert Morrison (1814-1843), succeeded his father at the East India Company and became secretary to the Hong Kong government.

The papers were deposited with the London Missionary Society and form part of the special series of personal papers of individual LMS missionaries and officers.

Deposited on permanent loan with the records of the London Missionary Society by the Congregational Council for World Mission (later Council for World Mission) in 1973.

Correspondence and papers, 1814-1958, of and relating to Robert Morrison and his missionary work, translations, and life in China and Malacca, comprising letters of Morrison to various correspondents, 1820-1830; three letter books of Thomas Fisher, 1824-1836, largely comprising copy letters from Fisher in Hoxton to Morrison in Canton and Morrison's replies, and also including correspondence between Fisher and John Robert Morrison, Fisher's papers relating to memoirs of Robert Morrison, and various cuttings and inserts; manuscript translation by William Milne, 1814, of a Chinese catechism compiled and printed at Canton by Morrison (1811-1812); manuscripts of and relating to Morrison and his translations and missionary work, 1824-1826; undated [early 19th century] copy of Morrison's domestic memoir, written in 1824, including references to his family; Morrison's grant of power of attorney, 1826; manuscript containing copies [1832] of various letters from Morrison, 1809-1832; examples of texts printed at Morrison's press, 1831 and undated; publications of Morrison, comprising a printed list of his publications [after 1822], discourse given at Hoxton Academy (1825), pamphlet on Chinese language and literature, Chinese Miscellany (1825), and manuscript of the same; printed report on missionary work in China, 1832; papers relating to the Anglo-Chinese College, Malacca, comprising a deed, 1820, printed prospectus, c1820, and reports, 1823-1836 (incomplete series); copies of The Indo-Chinese Gleaner, 1821, and The Evangelist and Miscellanea Sinica, 1833; printed report on China and Canton, 1823; papers relating to Morrison, 1934-1958, including correspondence, typescripts and press cuttings.

Unrestricted.

No publication without written permission. Apply to archivist in the first instance.
English and Chinese

Unpublished handlist giving summary details.

Published on microfiche by IDC Publishers.

The School of Oriental and African Studies holds the records of the London Missionary Society (Ref: CWM/LMS), including letters from individual missionaries, among them Morrison (Ref: CWM/LMS South China Incoming Correspondence, CWM/LMS Ultra Ganges (Malacca) Incoming Correspondence Box 2); his candidate's papers (Ref: CWM/LMS Candidates' Papers Box 12 No 12); a photograph of a drawing of Morrison and a note from him, 1824 (Ref: CWM/LMS China Photographs Box 3 File 9); various portraits of Morrison (Ref: CWM/LMS General Portraits Box 4). SOAS also holds a photocopy of a drawing of Morrison (Ref: CIM/PP Box 20 File 222) and the second edition of his translation of the New Testament (Ref: CIM Box 22); a biography of Morrison, 1960s, among the papers of Sir Alwyne Ogden (Ref: PP MS 47 Box 12 File 111); papers relating to his library, 1916-1926 (Ref: MS 226830 SOAS Library Book Exchange passim). Morrison's collection of several thousand Chinese books was bequeathed to University College London and later passed to the School of Oriental and African Studies.

Correspondence and papers of Morrison and his family are also held at the Wellcome Library for the History and Understanding of Medicine and Dr Williams's Library, London.

Compiled by Rachel Kemsley as part of the RSLP AIM25 project. Sources: Dictionary of National Biography; Biographical Dictionary of Christian Missions, ed Gerald H Anderson (1998); LMS Register of Missionaries, ed James Sibree; National Register of Archives. Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. Feb 2002 Communications media Adult education institutions Ancient religions Anglo-Chinese College , Malacca Asian languages Canton China Chinese Christianity Christians Clergy Deeds Documents East Asia Educational institutions England Europe Evangelistic missionaries Evangelistic missionary work Fisher , Thomas , fl 1824-1836 , of Hoxton Guangdong Guangzhou Hoxton Hoxton Academy Information sources Law Legal documents Legal systems Linguists London Malacca Malaysia Melaka Milne , William , 1785-1822 , missionary Missionaries Missionary Society x LMS , London Missionary Society x London Missionary Society Missionary training institutions Missionary work Mission educational institutions Morrison , family , of England and China Morrison , John Robert , 1814-1843 , Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong Morrison , Robert , 1782-1834 , missionary to China Newspaper press Ordained missionaries Periodicals Press Press cuttings Printing Protestantism Protestant nonconformists Protestant nonconformity Protestants Publications Publishing Publishing industry Religions Religious activities Religious doctrines Religious education Religious groups Religious institutions Religious movements Religious texts Social science education Social scientists South and Southeast Asian languages South East Asia Theology Training centres Translation Travel Travel abroad UK Western Europe West Malaysia Information sciences Hackney

Deposited on permanent loan with the records of the London Missionary Society by the Congregational Council for World Mission (later Council for World Mission) in 1973.

Correspondence and papers, 1814-1958, of and relating to Robert Morrison and his missionary work, translations, and life in China and Malacca, comprising letters of Morrison to various correspondents, 1820-1830; three letter books of Thomas Fisher, 1824-1836, largely comprising copy letters from Fisher in Hoxton to Morrison in Canton and Morrison's replies, and also including correspondence between Fisher and John Robert Morrison, Fisher's papers relating to memoirs of Robert Morrison, and various cuttings and inserts; manuscript translation by William Milne, 1814, of a Chinese catechism compiled and printed at Canton by Morrison (1811-1812); manuscripts of and relating to Morrison and his translations and missionary work, 1824-1826; undated [early 19th century] copy of Morrison's domestic memoir, written in 1824, including references to his family; Morrison's grant of power of attorney, 1826; manuscript containing copies [1832] of various letters from Morrison, 1809-1832; examples of texts printed at Morrison's press, 1831 and undated; publications of Morrison, comprising a printed list of his publications [after 1822], discourse given at Hoxton Academy (1825), pamphlet on Chinese language and literature, Chinese Miscellany (1825), and manuscript of the same; printed report on missionary work in China, 1832; papers relating to the Anglo-Chinese College, Malacca, comprising a deed, 1820, printed prospectus, c1820, and reports, 1823-1836 (incomplete series); copies of The Indo-Chinese Gleaner, 1821, and The Evangelist and Miscellanea Sinica, 1833; printed report on China and Canton, 1823; papers relating to Morrison, 1934-1958, including correspondence, typescripts and press cuttings.

Unrestricted.

No publication without written permission. Apply to archivist in the first instance.

• English

• Latin

English and Chinese

The School of Oriental and African Studies holds the records of the London Missionary Society (Ref: CWM/LMS), including letters from individual missionaries, among them Morrison (Ref: CWM/LMS South China Incoming Correspondence, CWM/LMS Ultra Ganges (Malacca) Incoming Correspondence Box 2); his candidate's papers (Ref: CWM/LMS Candidates' Papers Box 12 No 12); a photograph of a drawing of Morrison and a note from him, 1824 (Ref: CWM/LMS China Photographs Box 3 File 9); various portraits of Morrison (Ref: CWM/LMS General Portraits Box 4). SOAS also holds a photocopy of a drawing of Morrison (Ref: CIM/PP Box 20 File 222) and the second edition of his translation of the New Testament (Ref: CIM Box 22); a biography of Morrison, 1960s, among the papers of Sir Alwyne Ogden (Ref: PP MS 47 Box 12 File 111); papers relating to his library, 1916-1926 (Ref: MS 226830 SOAS Library Book Exchange passim). Morrison's collection of several thousand Chinese books was bequeathed to University College London and later passed to the School of Oriental and African Studies.

Unpublished handlist giving summary details.

Published on microfiche by IDC Publishers.

Correspondence and papers of Morrison and his family are also held at the Wellcome Library for the History and Understanding of Medicine and Dr Williams's Library, London.

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

• English