in Chronicle, London Missionary Society 497 Words

LMS Biographies, Part III

To make up for a whole bunch of blog posts, I am publishing in post format the biographies I compiled for my world-famous “The Chronicle of the London Missionary Society for all articles relating to their Central Africa Mission from 1876-1905.” I appreciate your patience!

Rev. William Griffith
Born: November 6, 1853, at Llangadock, Carmarthenshire

Rev. W. Griffith studied at Carmarthen and Western Colleges and was ordained April 1, 1879, at Gwynfe, Carmarthenshire [May 1879]. He departed England for the Central Africa Mission on April 18, 1879 [May 1879], arrived in Zanzibar May 27 [Jul 1879], and set out for Lake Tanganyika on June 13 [Aug 1879]. He arrived at Ujiji on September 23, 1879 [Jan 1880] and departed for the western side of the lake on October 22 [Mar 1880]. He settled at Mtowa and then Butonga [Jun 1882]. He departed Butonga September 3, 1883 and arrived in London on February 23, 1884 [Apr 1884]. He resigned from the London Missionary Society in June 1885.

Rev. John Harris
Born: February 3, 1856, at Staveley, Derbyshire
Died: May 29, 1885, at Niamkolo [Oct 1885]

Rev. John Harries studied at Rotherham College and was ordained on April 21, 1884, at Garden St. Church [May 1884]. He departed England on June 11, 1884 [Jul 1884], and travelled to Lake Tanganyika via Lake Nyasa, arriving at Liendwe on December 16, 1884 [May 1885]. He travelled to Uguha, arriving January 27, 1885, before returning to the southern end of Lake Tanganyika at Niamkolo.

James Henry Emmanuel Hemans
Born: December 6, 1856, in Manchester County, Jamaica
Died: September 1908, in Hampton, Jamaica

Mr. J.H.E. Hemans arrived in England alongside his wife on October 16, 1887 [Nov 1887]. He was appointed a schoolmaster at Fwambo for the Central Africa Mission and the couple departed England on June 2, 1888 [Jul 1888]. They arrived at Lake Tanganyika on October 18, 1888 [Ninety-Fifth Report] and at Fwambo on November 3. In 1891 they transferred to Niamkolo but returned to Fwambo in September 1894. The Hemans returned to England on furlough, arriving October 16, 1895 [Dec 1895], and then travelled to Jamaica, departing England on May 20, 1896 [Jun 1896] and arriving back on February 3, 1897 [Mar 1897]. They departed England on June 8, 1897 [Jul 1897] to return to Niamkolo [Jan 1903]. The Hemans returned to England a final time, arriving October 15, 1905 [Nov 1905], after which their connection with the London Missionary Society was terminated. They returned to Jamaica, departing England on February 23, 1907.

Maria Cecilia Clementina Hemans, née Gale
Born: September 20, 1876, at Fourth Paths Mission Station, Jamaica

Having married Mr. Hemans on December 25, 1884, Mrs. Hemans arrived in England alongside her husband on October 16, 1887 [Nov 1887]. She worked alongside him in Central Africa, returning to England and Jamaica once on furlough before settling again in Jamaica after their connection with the London Missionary Society ceased.

Notes:

Unless otherwise noted, missionary biographies are derived firstly from London Missionary Society: A Register of Missionaries, Deputations, Etc. From 1796 to 1923, prepared by James Sibree, D.D., Fourth Edition, published by the London Missionary Society, London, 1923. Brackets with [Month Year] indicate the issue of The Chronicle of the London Missionary Society which records the preceding event. Information denoted by a dagger (†) is from Christian Missionaries and the Creation of Northern Rhodesia 1880-1924, by Robert I. Rotberg, published by Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, 1965. Other sources are denoted by a footnote.