CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY ARCHIVE

Section IV: Africa Missions
Part 11: Nigeria - Niger, 1880-1934, and Nigeria - Northern Nigeria, 1900-1934

This Part continues coverage of the Niger Mission with Original Papers for 1929-1934 and Précis Books for 1880-1934.

There are also papers for Northern Nigeria for 1900-1934 consisting of Letter Books, 1907-1934, Original Papers, 1900-1934, and Précis Books for 1907-1934.

• Some of the most interesting material includes reports from schools, lists of buildings at different missions, sketches and plans of mission buildings and reports by missionaries describing their year’s work.
• There are Minutes of Executive Committee meetings, reports of the Medical Mission, documents on the Onitsha Industrial Mission and statistics for the various mission stations.
• The material provides a vivid insight into the way of life of the native people of the Niger Mission.
• For Northern Nigeria there are many letters and reports from the missionary Walter Miller as well as an excellent printed diary of Rev John Lloyd illustrated with pencil drawings.
• There are Minutes of the Northern Nigeria Executive Committee, annual reports of the Lokoja Native Pastorate Auxiliary Association and reports on all the different mission districts.

The papers reveal that CMS work in Northern Nigeria expanded in four areas. Work amongst the Hausa was pioneered from 1905 at Zaria by Dr Walter Miller. Guy Bullen was responsible for developments at Wusasa along with Dr Norman Cook who took charge of the medical mission and hospital. The Cambridge University Missionary Party started work on the Bauchi plateau in 1907 and opened a new station among the Angass at Kabwir in 1910. Work among the Nupe began in 1903 at Bida and extended to Katcha in 1909.

Miss K E Ritsert and Miss Christine Matthews were transferred from Lokoja to Kpata in the Bassa district in 1931 where they had a significant impact and started medical work.