| Administrative History | Douglas Montagu Thornton of Southwold was educated at Marlborough College and Cambridge University where he was Educational Secretary of the Student Volunteer Missionary Union. He was accepted by the CMS as a missionary in 1897 and sent to Cairo. He was ordained there by the bishop of Jerusalem the following year. He was the author of several papers and articles and was particularly known for his work in education and developing links with muslim communities as at the missionary conference in Cairo which he organised in 1906. With Rev W Gairdner he jointly edited a weekly paper in Arabic and English entitled Orient and Occident. He died suddenly in Cairo in 1907 leaving a widow Elaine (nee Anderson) who he had married in 1899 and who went on to hold the post of CMS Women's Secretary (Foreign ) 1910-1934.
Reference: Register of missionaries (clerical, lay & female) and native clergy from 1804 to 1904 (Church Missionary Society, 1905) |
| Custodial History | Deposited with the CMS June 1989 |