| Description | Papers of the Mid-Africa Ministry (CMS), formerly known as 'Ruanda Medical Mission (CMS)', 'Ruanda General and Medical Mission (CMS)' and Rwanda Mission (CMS). Including correspondence and papers dating back to the founding of the Mid-Africa Ministry in 1921, with a few earlier items of correspondence relating to the history of CMS mission to Rwanda 1917-1920 and examples of published works dating back to 1914.
The collection broadly comprises an original deposit of correspondence and papers 1917-c 1952 and printed literature 1914-2009, and a second deposit of correspondence and papers 1920s-c 1990 and printed literature 1930s-2016. The initial deposit is arranged as administrative papers, committee work, education (largely publications published or compiled by MAM) and correspondence with the mission field. The second deposit comprises papers and correspondence arranged by decade 1950-1959 (MAM59), 1960-1969 (MAM69), 1970-1979 (MAM79) and 1980-1989 (MAM89) and thereunder as administrative papers, committee work, education, finance, conferences, outside organisations, politics, correspondence with the field, and miscellaneous papers. The second deposit of papers included some files dating from the 1940s, and printed periodicals which largely filled gaps in the earlier deposits of printed literature (MAM/E1); these records and the periodicals have been added to the original MAM sequence and they can be identified in the catalogue by the Accession Number (AccNo) 2023/80.
The arrangement of this collection means that researchers interested in particular types of records may need to search different parts of the catalogue. For example, Council minutes dating from 1920s-1930s are listed under finding number MAM/C/1; minutes of Council meetings held in the 1980s are listed under finding number MAM89/C/1. Furthermore, although papers and correspondence dating from the 1950s onwards can largely be found in the files of the relevant decade (MAM59, MAM69, MAM79, MAM89), in a few instances, records are filed with those of an earlier or later date; for example, in the MAM59 sequence, there is a Field Executive Committee minute book with entries dating back to 1933 (MAM59/Y/C/1/1).
Work is underway to add details of the second deposit of papers to this online catalogue. Sections of the catalogue will be released as work is completed. |
| Administrative History | The Mid-Africa Ministry (CMS) was founded in 1921. Dr Leonard Ernest Steigenberger Sharp and Dr Algernon Charles Stanley Smith were convinced of God's call to medical missionary work in Rwanda and offered to CMS for that work. They were sent at first to Mengo Hospital in Uganda, but in December 1916 made an exploratory visit to Rwanda. In 1917, the CMS Uganda Missionary committee received an appeal for medical help from Rwandans in Rwanda and Kigezi. The CMS Committee in London were unable to agree to this expansion of work because of the lack of funds but the two doctors began to raise funds independently and, by 1919, were able to guarantee support both for four years' work and for a hospital. There were some remaining difficulties over staffing and finally the Kigezi district of South West Uganda was suggested and agreed as a place to start rather than beginning in Rwanda itself. In February 1920, the CMS Committee in London accepted the doctors' offer for service, on the condition that they be located to the Uganda Mission for pioneer work ('Ruanda if possible') and would work under the instructions of the CMS Uganda Missionary Committee. Drs Sharp and Stanley Smith and their wives established the 'Ruanda Medical Mission' of the CMS in 1921, opening work at Kabale Hospital, Kigezi, Uganda. The long-hoped for establishment of work in Rwanda began at Gahini in 1928.
The aim was to establish mission work in Rwanda and Burundi [then ‘Ruanda-Urundi’] by means of evangelical, medical and educational means. Having been under German East Africa since 1890, the early years of the Mission coincided with Belgian administration of ‘Ruanda-Urundi’ under a single post-First World War League of Nation mandate. Colonial administration finally ended with the Independence of the two nations of Rwanda and Burundi, 1 July 1962.
In the early days of the Mission, support was given and organised by 'Friends of Ruanda'. In a resolution of the CMS Executive Committee, 26 May 1926, it was decided that the 'Ruanda Medical Mission' of the CMS would become a self-supporting mission within CMS, and be known as the 'Ruanda Mission (C. M. S. Auxiliary)' (also 'Ruanda Medical Mission Auxiliary'). The 'Ruanda Council' was formed to act as a separate CMS committee in charge of the administration of the work. The Council was accountable to the London-based CMS Africa Committee. In 1931, the Council took full financial responsibility for the mission although the Mid-Africa Ministry (by that time 'Ruanda General and Medical Mission' CMS or RGMM) was not separated from the CMS Uganda Mission until 1933. Although it had always been part of the Church Mission Society, in February 2002 the Mid-Africa Ministry formally re-integrated with CMS. CMS is the legal successor to the Mid-Africa Ministry.
The main places of work include Gahini (1928), Shyira and Kigeme (1932) in Rwanda; Kabale (1921) and Bunyoni (1931) in Uganda; Matana and Buhiga (1935) and Buye [Ibuye] (1936) in Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire). Other places where MAM Mission partners have worked include: Rwanda: Butare (Astrida), Kigali, Nyamata, Shyogwe; Uganda: Budo, Bwama, Bwerinyangi, Gayaza, Kabarole, Kisiizi, Mengo, Ndeje, Remera, Rugarama, Rukingiri; Burundi: Bujumbura, Gitega, Kibimba, Kivimba, Muyebe, Nyankanda and Vugizo (overlooking Bujumbura); Tanzania: Bugufi.
The first central office of the Mid-Africa Ministry was opened in London in 1932 at 4 Aldermanbury Avenue. These premises were bombed in 1940 and for the duration of the war its staff operated from home. From 1946 until 1956, the office was at 42, St Peter's Road, Croydon, Surrey; from 1956-1960, it was at Dean Wace House, 7, Wine Office Court, Fleet Street, London; and, from 1960 until 1972, at St Mark's Church, Kennington. In 1973, MAM began to operate from 157, Waterloo Road, London before moving to Partnership House in the 1980s.
Chairman of Council:
1926-1933 Rev Earle Legh Langston;
1934-1937 Canon Alfred St. John Thorpe;
September 1937-December 1947 Canon Stephen Mortimer Warner;
January 1948-December 1960 Rev Leslie Francis Edward Wilkinson.
General Secretary (Organising Secretary):
1927-1931: Rev Harold Earnshaw-Smith;
1932-February 1949: Reginald Rutland Webster (died 10 March 1951);
March 1949-1959: Rev Bryan Raymund Isaac (Acting 1949-1951);
1959-1964: Canon E. Lawrence Barham;
February 1964-1966: Rev E. John Collinson;
1966-August 1972 Dr Harold W. Adeney (d 2010);
Acting General Secretary September-October 1972: Canon Albert Brown;
November 1972-January 1977: Canon William ('Bill') H. A. Butler;
1977-1982: Rev David E. Applin;
Acting General Secretary 1982: Joan C. Hall;
1982-December 1987: Rev David Vail;
1988-1991 [Home Secretary' thereafter Acting General Secretary 1988-1990]: Margaret Court;
1991-September 1997: Rev Roger Bowen;
1997-March 1999: Rev Robert de Berry;
1999-June 2000: Chris Hindley, Personnel Secretary, temporarily undertaking work of General Secretary;
July 2000-?: Bill Hawes
Honorary Treasurer:
1924-1926 Mrs MacDonald;
1926-February 1949 Reginald Rutland Webster;
March 1949-1951 Rev T. Gregory Smith (acting);
1952-1979 Harold W. Ballard.
Assistant Secretary (Accounts) (Accounts Assistant 1992-):
1949-1952 Miss K. M. Lucas;
1952-1956 Miss M. McNelly;
1956-1961 Lena Rowe.
Editorial Secretary (Publications Secretary 1985-1993; Publications Editor 1994- ):
1924-1926 Mrs MacDonald;
1926-1946 Miss Edith ('Kiru') Theodora Hill;
1946-1972 Winifred Mary Cox.
Deputation Secretary (1946-):
1946-1949 Rev Bryan Raymund Isaac;
1953-1956 Miss Margaret I. Lloyd;
1956-1968 Frederick John Barff.
Stamp Bureau (the selling of stamps began August 1939):
1939-1942 Miss Edith ('Kiru') Theodora Hill;
September 1943-August 1948 Captain Plomer, Worthing, Sussex;
1951-1965 H. L. Darnell, Chorley Wood, Hertfordshire.
Assistant Secretary (Parcels, 1938; Despatch and parcels, 1946; Despatch, 1955; General (deputation, parcels and despatch) 1956). Work from 1928-1932 dealt with small sums, enquiries, patterns for garments wanted for hospitals and girls' school.
1932 Miss Edith ('Kiru') Theodora Hill;
1933-1945 Mrs Wilkinson;
1945-1955 Miss Margaret I. Lloyd;
1955-1962 Miss M. Cummins;
1957-1965 Miss Betty Ponsford
Rwanda Mission Secretary (CMS Representative 1965):
1933-1939 Archdeacon W. Arthur Pitt-Pitts;
1940-1948 Dr Algernon C. Stanley Smith;
1949-1964 Dr Godfrey Talbot Hindley.
Diocese of Uganda:
1912-1934 Bishop John Jamieson Willis;
1934-1952 Bishop Cyril Edgar Stuart;
1953-1960 Bishop Leslie Wilfred Brown.
Source: Catalogue of the papers of the Mid Africa Ministry by Rosemary A. Keen, 1999; website of the Church Misison Society (accessed 27 November 2023); the magazine of the Mid-Africa Ministry. |