Record

LevelSub-fonds
Finding Number (Click this to view full catalogue structure)CMS/ACC1013
TitleAccession 1013: Montgomerywala mission station
Extent1 volume, 8 items
Date1871-1954
DescriptionManuscript notebook relating to Montgomerywala mission station [of the CMS Punjab and Sindh Mission], Lahore 1901-1905 with miscellaneous loose inserts. The loose items comprise letters and testimonials relating to Rev Thomas Howell dated 1873-1894 [missionary in charge at Montgomerywala 1901-c 1905] and two sheets of notes on paper with the letter head of a Bhawalpur [Bahawalpur] food grain dealer and commission agent dated 1954.

This collection is an excellent source for history of work in Montgomerywala at the turn of the 20th century and for biographical information on Thomas Howell, one of the 'Native Clergy' who offered to the CMS for missionary service in their homeland.
ArrangementThis collection forms part of the Church Missionary Society Unofficial Papers. It is arranged into one series: Official papers
LanguageEnglish
Access StatusOpen
Administrative HistoryMontgomerywala covered 3000 acres: 'The land was allotted by Government, at the instance of Colonel Montgomery, ... Settlement Commissioner and member of CMS Punjab Corresponding Committee, for Christian settlers only.' It was divided into 120 squares which were shared amongst 'colonists' on the understanding that they would acquire tenant-right over the land if they managed to cultivate it successfully within five years. In 1899, a student of the Divinity School at Lahore left to assume quasi-pastoral care of the area (CMS Annual Report 1899, pp 216-218). He was succeeded by Rev Thomas Howell.

Thomas Howell was a CMS missionary of Indian and European descent, from Bahawalpur, Punjab, India [now Pakistan]. He was sent to be educated at the Mission School, Multan in 1866 and studied at the Divinity College, Lahore in 1872 before being appointed CMS catechist in 1875 (honorary until 1877). He was ordained deacon 28 May 1882 and priest 18 December 1892. Originally based at Pind Dadan Khan as an evangelist and later as pastor, in early 1892 he began work at Clarkabad and went on to become missionary in charge of Montgomerywala mission station from July 1900-c 1904. In 1905, he was appointed pastor of Holy Trinity Church, Lahore a post he held for 10 years until his death at Amritsar 22 November 1914. A tribute by Rev Dr Weitbrecht published in the 'Punjab Mission News' of February 1914, notes: 'Few Indian clergy have gained more general esteem and affection from all races, and none have deserved them more.'

Sources: 'Register of missionaries (clerical, lay & female) and native clergy from 1804 to 1904', CMS, 1905 (annotated copy); CMS printed Annual Reports; the records; CMS Gazette, June 1915.
Custodial HistoryThe records were offered to the General Synod Archives of the Anglican Church of Canada by a public library in Canada. No information is available regarding how the records came to be in Canada.
AcquisitionPresented October 2015.
Archival NoteCatalogued by I. Frlan. Cataloguing completed October 2015. Prepared in accordance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000 and Church Missionary Society cataloguing guidelines.

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