Guide to the Records of the Commonwealth and Continental Church Society (as filmed by the AJCP), 23 September 1835-1955

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Summary

Collection number:

M413-M416, M577-M579

Creator:

Commonwealth and Continental Church Society

Extent:

20 items

Language:

English

Preferred citation:

Acknowledgement of use of this material should refer to the London Metropolitan Archives and to the Australian Joint Copying Project.

Items from this collection should include references to the London Metropolitan Archives and to the AJCP nla.obj number, which serves as the online identifier for the digital copy.

Example: Western Australasian Trade Section Minute Book. 22 April 1895- 12 October 1904, London Metropolitan Archives. MS 16512 (AJCP ref: http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-798920226).

Availability:

Available

Access conditions:

Available for reference.

Background

Content Summary:

Annual reports of the Society 1834-1957. These are printed reports and in some cases only the sections relating to Australia have been microfilmed. There is an index to the earlier volumes. Each report lists missionaries and agents, and shows financial returns, as well as detailing colonial operations in Australia, New Zealand, India, Africa, Canada and North America.

Minutes of meetings of the Society in London 1839-1901, excluding 1843-1850. They are contained in six volumes, each of which has an index. As well as detailing financial matters and affairs in England, the minutes give summaries of letters from missionaries in Perth; Goulburn and Armidale, New South Wales; Queensland; and Christchurch, New Zealand.

Biographical / Historical:

The Newfoundland School Society was founded at a meeting in London in 1823 with the aim of promoting the education of the poor in Newfoundland. Its activities gradually spread to other parts of Canada. In 1835, following an appeal from Captain Frederick Irwin who had returned from the Swan River colony, the Western Australia Missionary Society was established. In the first year it sent two clergymen and a catechist to Western Australia. In 1838 its name was changed to the Colonial Church Society and its purpose was defined as 'sending out clergymen, catechists and schoolteachers to the colonies of Great Britain and to British residents in other parts of the world'. In 1851 the Newfoundland School Society and the Colonial Church Society merged to form the Colonial Church and School Society. The first secretary was Mesac Thomas, who was later the first Anglican Bishop of Goulburn.

During the 1850s, in addition to its colonial work, the Society established a growing number of chaplaincies on the European continent. This development led to another name change in 1861. The Colonial and Continental Church Society remained the name of the organisation until 1958, when it was changed to the Commonwealth and Continental Church Society. In 1979 it became the Intercontinental Church Society.

The earliest activities of the Society in Australia took the form of the selection and financial support of missionaries, catechists and schoolteachers in the settlements at the Swan River, Port Phillip and Van Diemen's Land. Funds were also provided for the purchase of books and the appointment of chaplains on emigrant and convict ships. By 1856 the Society was supporting three lay missionaries in the diocese of Sydney, one lay missionary in Newcastle, eight missionaries, one lay missionary and a teacher in the diocese of Melbourne and one missionary in the diocese of Perth. In the 1860s and 1870s the Society began to give priority to the large rural dioceses, which often lacked resources. In 1873 it paid for the stipends of eight missionaries in the diocese of Goulburn and five in the diocese of Bathurst. By 1887 grants to the dioceses of Sydney and Melbourne had come to an end, but the Society had extended its support to the dioceses of the Riverina, Ballarat and North Queensland, followed in later years by the dioceses of Gippsland, Wangaratta, Grafton and Armadale, and Carpentaria. In New Zealand its support was largely limited to the dioceses of Auckland, Waiapu and Nelson. In 1904 the Society funded 45 clergy and four lay evangelists in twelve Australian and New Zealand dioceses.

After 1914 the Society gradually reduced its involvement in Australia and New Zealand. In 1924 it supported 18 clergy, eight lay evangelists and teachers, and nine divinity students in nine dioceses. It also provided some funds to the Bush Church Aid Society. By 1934 it was supporting eight clergy, six lay evangelists and five divinity students in eight dioceses.

Access and use

Conditions Governing Access:: Available for access.
Conditions Governing Use:: Readers wishing to publish or reproduce documents should seek permission, in the first instance, from the London Metropolitan Archives. For more information contact London Metropolitan Archives Enquiry service [https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/london-metropolitan-archives/visitor-information/Pages/enquiry-service.aspx].