| Administrative History | Ida Susan Davey (also 'Davy') Hamilton, née Mitchell, missionary, was born in Devon in 1873. She emigrated to Ohio, USA, with her family in the 1890s. Her mother's decision to move the family overseas is believed to have been motivated by the desire to remove Ida from missionary influence. Although CMS records indicate that Ida was a dressmaker for a while, the move did not have the desired result: Ida returned to England to study at the first missionary training college for women in the UK, the 'YWCA Testing and Training Home', Chelsea (now Redcliffe College, Surrey). She enrolled at the CMS training home, 'Highbury', in 1895 and was accepted 'in full connexion' 18 May 1897. She sailed for the CMS West China Mission, Ngan-Hsien (later 'Anhsien') station, 8 October 1897. Smithills Chapel, Bolton-le-Moors, England and later 'a friend' supported her missionary service.
Ernest Adolphus (also 'Adolph') Hamilton, clergyman and missionary, was born at St Helier's, Jersey in 1872. Before applying to the CMS, he served with the army in Mhow, Central India (7th Dragoon Guards and 7th Hussars). He enrolled for training at the CMS Preparatory Institution in 1897 before being accepted 'in full connexion' 5 April 1898 on the understanding that he 'be allowed a further period of training under a clergyman' [source: minutes of the Committee of Correspondence, CMS/G/C1/62 page 424]. He left for the CMS West China Mission, 'Ngan-Hsien' station, 20 October 1898. St Peter's, Mowbray, S. Africa supported his missionary service until 1902; thereafter he was supported by three Sowers' Bands in 'Cape Colony' [South Africa].
Ida and Ernest married in China 12 March 1903. They had four daughters: Mary born 1904, Eleanor born 1906, Irene born 1909 and Beatrice Courtney (also 'Courtenay') born 1910. In 1912, Ida and the children returned to live in England and the older girls enrolled at the Church Missionaries' Children's Home. Ernest continued as the only European working in the Sintu district of China until he retired to England in 1925.
After returning to England, Ernest's clerical work included chaplain to the Seaman's Hospital, Greenwich (c 1927), rector of Hopton Church, Suffolk (c 1937) and rector of Belton Church, Suffolk (1940-1947). Ida died at Belton Rectory, Yarmouth, 1 March 1947. Ernest died 9 September 1951.
CMS mission stations where Ida Mitchell was based in West China
1897/1898 'Mien-Cheo'
1898/1899 'An-Hsien'
1899/1900 'An-Hsien'
1900 Shanghai
1900/1901-1902 to England and the United States (on furlough)
CMS mission stations where Ernest Hamilton was based in West China
1898 30 November arrived Shanghai (unassigned)
1899/1900 'An-Hsien'
1900 Shanghai
1900/1901 'An-Hsien'
1901/1902 'Sin-tu'
CMS mission stations where Ida and Ernest Hamilton were based in West China (Ida in England from 1912)
1903 'Teh-yang'
1903/1904 'Teh-yang'
1903/1904 'Ngan-hsien'
1905 Spring 'Teh-yang'
1906 April to England (on furlough)
1907 'Teh-yang'
1908-1924 'Sin-tu'
Sources: the records; 'Register of missionaries (clerical, lay & female) and native clergy from 1804 to 1904', Church Missionary Society, 1905 (annotated version); 'Proceedings of the Church Missionary Society for Africa and the East'; BBC website, online magazine, 3 December 2003 available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3234516.stm (accessed 24/08/16). |