A few people have commented on this thread asking about Thomas Norton. My mother has recently written a book about Thomas Norton.
"First CMS Missionary to Travancore, Kerala.
I am descended from Thomas Norton through his first wife, Ann and have been researching his background. This has now all come together and I have just published his story in paperback at £3.99. and also on Kindle, through Amazon.
‘Thomas Norton - Man on a Mission’
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thomas-Norton-Gillian-Mary-Webb/dp/1523779950/Most of my information came from direct source material:
i.e. Thomas’s missionary journal, family memorials in Allepie Church, letters to and from the CMS, minutes of the Madras Corresponding Committee and government papers from the British in India (held at the British Library).
I have included family trees, photos and a wealth of genealogical material.
It also makes a good story!
A companion volume to this, published at the same time and available on Kindle and in paperback at £2.99 is:
‘Seasickness and Prayers: the journal of Harriett Spragge’
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Seasickness-Prayers-Journal-Harriett-Spragge/dp/1523781939/This is the story of my great, great grandmother who travelled out to Allepie, India, by ship, in 1835, as governess to the children of Henry Baker, one of the missionaries at Kottayam. She also kept a journal. This book is my transcription of that journal, as well as an excited letter she wrote to her sisters back home in England. She married Thomas and Ann Norton’s younger son, Benjamin, and they had three children, Benjamin Charles, George Francis and Harriet Mary Ann. My connection is through Harriet.
Her story is told in ‘Tough Times for the Broughtons,’ which is also available from Amazon (
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tough-Times-Broughtons-Gillian-Mary/dp/1500984361/ ). I am just about to produce a new edition which will include all the new information I found while researching the life and mission of Thomas Norton."