Congo/Zaire: missionaries to Zaire 1920

[gramsie]

I have a couple (Rev Arthur and Mrs Audrey Allen) who sailed to Matadi, Congo (Zaire) from England on 1/9/1920 as missionaries.
I don't know how to find out any more about them from this point, can anyone assist please?

Thank you

[lizdb]

Do you know which Missionary Society they went with? If so, it would be worth contacting them to see if any records survive.

I know the Baptist Missionary Society goes/went to Zaire, but there are probably others . Africa Inland Mission for example.
Googling should find contact addresses for them.

[gramsie]

Thank you for your reply
No, unfortunately I don't know which missionary society they went with - the page of the passenger list that I have has 7 other misiionaries with them (there are 2 more pages that I haven't purchased, so there could be more) but unfortunately it doesn't give the denomination or society.

I'll try googling again

[Keziahemm]

I had an ancestor who was a missionary in the Congo 1881-1893.  He was with The Regions Beyond Missionary Union founded by Henry Grattan Guinness. 

http://www.worldteam.org/content.asp?id=84

The archives are held by Edinburgh University http://www.mundus.ac.uk/cats/3/42.htm

Copies of the yearly journals are also at The British Library.

Susan 

[gramsie]

thank you for your reply

[ShaunJ]

One of the other British missionaries on that voyage was Clement Chesterman - later Sir Clement. He was a member of the Baptist Missionary Society. His obituary in The Times (July 23 1983) confirms that he travelled to the Belgian Congo with his wife in 1920 - to Yakusu.

[lizdb]

Here is the website for BMS (Baptist Missionary Society) - found as I suggested, by googling!

http://www.bmsworldmission.org/index.aspx?id=1

There is a contact us button - so Go For It! they could well have some archives of interest - and if you dont ask ....

[gramsie]

One of the other British missionaries on that voyage was Clement Chesterman - later Sir Clement. He was a member of the Baptist Missionary Society. His obituary in The Times (July 23 1983) confirms that he travelled to the Belgian Congo with his wife in 1920 - to Yakusu.

Thank you - I presume that would suggest that the other missionaries on the ship were probably also from the BMS, so will see if they are able to assist - thanks for the link, lizdb

[gramsie]

Wow! The BMS responded exceeding quickly with some very useful details, thank you for your help in pointing me in the right direction.
I have been sent their obituaries - Arthur Allen first sailed for the Congo in 1910 and was a missionary for 38 years. Audrey went with him in 1914, after their marriage.