| Administrative History | The details below relate to members of the family whose papers are held within the collection.
1. First generation
1.1 Edward Guilford (1853-1937), clergyman and CMS missionary 1884-1923, great grandfather of Susan Scott
Edward underwent missionary training in London, at the Church Missionary Preparatory Institution (1877), and then Church Missionary College (1878) where he passed the Oxford and Cambridge Preliminary Theological Examination (2nd Class). He was ordained Deacon 29 June 1881 and Priest 4 June 1882.
He sailed out for the CMS 'Punjab and Sindh Mission' 19 October 1881. Initially based at Amritsar, a few months after marrying his first wife, Edward opened work at Tarn Taran in 1884. In 1911 he became a member of the CMS Punjab Corresponding Committee. In 1915 he was made Honorary Canon of Lahore Cathedral.
Between 1889 and 1890, the Guilfords returned to England twice, from March-October 1889 and March-November 1890. In April 1894 his wife's ill-health led to their returning to England for a third time. Edward returned to the work at Tarn Taran in July leaving his wife in England; he was never to see her again - Edward next left India for England 28 June 1895 on 'special leave' after the death of his wife, mother to their four children, in the previous month.
In October 1895 Edward set sail for India again. Between 1898 and 1920, Edward, by now remarried, went back to England three more times, March to November 1898, June 1906 to December 1907, and July 1919-February 1920. In 1923 the Guilfords returned to England for the last time. Edward's resignation as CMS missionary was accepted October 1923. He died in Clifton, Bristol, 13 August 1937.
Family life:
Edward married his first wife, Louisa Compigné Chase (1847-1895), 25 January 1883. Edward and Louisa had four children: Lilian (known as Lily) born 1884, Edith born 1886, Montmorency (known as Monty) born 1888, and Evelyn born 1890. Louisa died at St Leonard's, England, 23 May 1895. In 1896 Edward married his second wife, Elizabeth Rose Grimwood, at Tarn Taran, 4 November.
Written works:
Translation of the Pilgrim's Progress and the Book of Common Prayer into Punjabi.
Awards:
1908: Kaiser-i-Hind Medal First Class for public service in India
1914: bar to the Kaiser-i-Hind Medal
1919: Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
1923: The Companion of the Indian Empire (CIE)
1.2 Elizabeth Rose Guilford (1857-1938) née Grimwood, missionary with the Church of England Zenana Missionary Society (CEZMS), step great grandmother of Susan Scott
Elizabeth, also known as Rose in the mission records, started working in the CEZMS Punjab and Sindh Mission in 1884. Focusing on 'village work', she was based at Ajnala 1884-1888 and Tarn Taran November 1888-1896. She resigned from CEZMS when she married Edward Guilford. She died in Ipswich, England, 6 January 1938.
2. Second generation
2.1 Charles Lawrence (possibly 'Laurence') Shaw (1886-1965), clergyman and CMS missionary, grandfather of Susan Scott
Born in Fuzhou, China, 30 July 1886, the son of Rev Charles Shaw (c 1856-1926) of Ireland, CMS missionary in South China, and Esther Jane Livingstone (d 1927). He was educated at the Church Missionary Children's Home (Limpsfield) before enrolling at St Lawrence College, Ramsgate in 1900, and Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge in 1905. In 1908 he graduated from Ridley Hall, Cambridge, BA (Class 2, Division 1, Classical Tripos). He was ordained Deacon in 1909 and Priest in 1910. He served as curate of West Ham Parish Church, East London, before being accepted as a CMS missionary 16 May 1911.
In January 1912 he sailed for the CMS 'Central Provinces Mission' where he began work at Biladia. In April 1915 he and his wife of one and a half years, transferred to the CMS 'West India Mission' for work in the 'Bhil Mission' at Lusadia, and later at Kherwara. In 1940 he was appointed Canon of Bombay. He retired from full service with CMS in 1950.
The Shaws travelled back to England January 1921 to October 1922, between 1927-1928, between 1932 and 1933, and in 1938. After retiring from mission service, they continued to live in Western India until Lilian's death in Lusadia in 1954. Canon Shaw died in England in 1965.
Family life:
Charles married Lilian (Lily) Compigné Guilford 15 October 1913. Charles and Lily had two children, both born in India. Edward Charles Francis Shaw, known as Teddy, was born 28 July 1914; Teddy died 25 February 1915. Nora Compigné was born in 1915.
2.2 Lilian ('Lily') Compigné Shaw (1884-1954) née Guilford, wife of CMS missionary C. L. Shaw, grandmother of Susan Scott
Lily was born in India, the eldest child of Rev Edward Guilford and Louisa Compigné Guilford née Chase. In 1912 she was engaged to be married to Charles L. Shaw. She left Liverpool for Bombay heading for the CMS Central Provinces Mission, 11 December 1912. When she married Rev Shaw at Tarn Taran, 15 October 1913, she took on all the responsibilities and commitments of the wife of a missionary.
Lily and Charles had two children. Edward ('Teddy') Charles Francis Shaw (28 July 1914-25 February 1915) and Nora Compigné Shaw born 1915.
Lily died at Lusadia 27 January 1954 after suffering a stroke whilst in Kherwara. She was survived by her husband and daughter.
Awards:
1936: Kaiser-i-Hind Medal, 3rd Class
3. Third generation
3.1 Nora Compigné Scott (1915-1995), née Shaw, teacher, mother of Susan Scott
Nora was born in Kherwara, India, 14 August 1915, the second, and only surviving, child of Lily C. and Charles L. Shaw. She was educated at boarding school in England whilst her parents were based with the CMS in India. She married W. M. F. Scott, 17 December 1943.
4. Fourth generation
4.1 Susan Compigné Scott, writer, and editor
Daughter of Nora Scott née Shaw and W. M. F. Scott. Susan's published works include a transcription of her step great grandmother Elizabeth Guilford's hagiography of husband Rev Edward Guilford.
Sources: the records; 'Register of missionaries (clerical, lay & female) and native clergy from 1804 to 1904', Church Missionary Society, 1905; CMS manuscript register of missionaries 1804-1918; Records of the Church of England Zenana Missionary Society, CEZ/G EA2/1N; CMS 'Gazette', 2 February 1914; CEZMS Roll of Missionaries, volume 1 (CEZ/C AM/1). |
| Custodial History | The papers were passed down through the family to Susan Scott, great granddaughter of Edward Guilford. Susan Scott took the Shaw family photograph album (CMS/ACC1040 Z3) when she visited India and showed it to people who remembered many of those pictured. |