| Level | Sub-fonds |
| Finding Number (Click this to view full catalogue structure) | CMS/ACC21 |
| Title | Accession 21: Diaries and photograph albums of Edith Baring-Gould |
| Extent | 48 volumes, 11 items, 1 file |
| Date | 1887-1941 |
| Description | This collection includes an impressive sequence of 41 travel journals of Edith Baring-Gould. One series relates to travels, in the company of her father, in North America, Japan, China and Ceylon, August 1894-February 1895 and the first volume, for example, encompasses New York, Niagara, Toronto, Winnipeg, the Rocky Mountains and British Columbia. Another series relates to travels, again with her father, to Egypt, India and Italy, November 1899-April 1900. Other journals relate to her travels in which she accompanied CMS delegations, including a delegation to the Far East, 1912-1913, another to Egypt and Palestine, 1921 and a third to India and Ceylon, 1921-1922. She also toured Central Africa in 1927 where she experienced the celebrations marking the 50th birthday of the CMS mission in Uganda. In the 1930s she made two visits to East Africa.
The journals are complemented by an important series of early photograph albums, two of which directly relate to the journals of her travels in India and Ceylon in 1899-1900 and in Egypt in 1921. Other albums relate to Ceylon, Japan and China at a time when her father was secretary in charge of the missions. One album, covering the period 1887-1888, relates to her father's visit with a 'Jubilee Missionary Band' on board the P & O steamer SS 'Khedive' to India. |
| Arrangement | This collection forms part of the Church Mission Society Unofficial Papers. It is arranged into two series: Family Papers (divided into sub-series) and Miscellaneous Papers. |
| Access Conditions | Access to all registered readers. |
| Language | English |
| Finding Aids | A catalogue of this collection (forming part of the wider CMS/ACC unofficial papers catalogue) is available on the online archive catalogue. Click on the Finding Number to display the summary contents list of the catalogue and to view the full catalogue. A paper copy of this catalogue is also available for consultation at Special Collections. |
| Access Status | Open |
| Administrative History | Edith Baring-Gould was a member of the CMS Headquarters (London) staff and served on many of its Committees in the 1940s and 1950s. Her active involvement with the CMS lasted more than 50 years. Her father, Rev Baring Baring-Gould was CMS Home Secretary from 1888 until 1894 and later Secretary in charge of the Ceylon, China, Japan and Canada Missions; he retired in 1913 and died in 1917. |
| Custodial History | Presented to the CMS per Miss Vera Bois, August 1961. Transferred on permanent loan to the University of Birmingham by the CMS in the 1980s. |
| Copies | Part available on microfilm and online.
All 41 of Edith Baring-Gould's travel journals were micropublished as part of a publication entitled 'Women's Language and Experience, 1500-1940. Women's Diaries and Related Sources' (Marlborough: Adam Matthew Publications, 1996). A copy of the microfilm and accompanying printed guide are available for consultation in Cadbury Research Library. See the file level catalogue entries for CMS/ACC21 F1-F8.
Some of the journals have been digitally published by Adam Matthew under the title: ‘Empire Online' and can be seen online by members of, and visitors to subscribing institutions. Further information and URL links are given in the catalogue: CMS/ACC21 F2. |
| Related Material | The University of Birmingham holds the Church Mission Society Archive, the official archive of the society, (GB 0150 CMS) which includes papers relating to Miss Baring-Gould's service with the CMS. There is also an additional deposit of her photograph albums relating to East Africa and the Sudan, 1927-1939, in the CMS Unofficial Papers (CMS/ACC28) |