Church Mission Society Archives
A simple guide
Church Mission Society has a long and complex history. Since the founding of the Society on 1799, there has been an emphasis placed on record keeping, which has lead to a detailed and comprehensive archive.
Having been carefully preserved and catalogued over many years by dedicated archivists the collection is now available to be used by researchers all over the world, to aid in the study of many different topics. Our role at the Church Mission Society archives, alongside the ongoing preservation of material, is to provide access and facilitate research. However, we cannot do research for you.
What’s in this article?
- What is in the Church Mission Society Archives?
- Archive material at CMS House
- CMS collection at the Cadbury Research Library
- Digital archives
- Other places with CMS Archive material
If after reading this page you would like some help knowing where to start, this incredibly useful guide, put together by former Cadbury Research Library archivist Ivana Frlan, is a great place to start if you need guidance in you research.
At CMS we are committed to providing archive access around the world, particularly were CMS has had a significant impact. We recognise that this archive tells more than just our story. In light of this, we provide free access to several universities in Africa through Adam Matthew online archives (see below).
What is in the Church Mission Society Archives?
The official Church Mission Society archive
Contains official documents and publications generated by Church Mission Society:
- Minutes
- Reports
- Publications
- Letters
- Finances
- Photographs
Locations
Birmingham
The collection up to 1969 is at the Cadbury Research Library at the University of Birmingham.
Oxford
The collection after 1969 is still being processed at CMS House.
Online
Approximately two thirds of the official CMS archive has been digitised using Adam Matthew.
The unofficial archive (AKA the accessions)
Contains items donated by mission partners, supporters, families and friends of CMS and of organisations with which we have merged (see below):
- Letters
- Diaries
- Photo albums
- Memoirs
Locations
Birmingham
All catalogued donations are at the Cadbury Research Library at the University of Birmingham.
Online
A few accessions collections have been digitised using Adam Matthew, and we are working making more accessible in this way.
Archives of organisations that have merged with Church Mission Society
Contains official documents and publications generated by these organisations, kept alongside CMS’s official records:
- CEZMS (Church of England Zenana Missionary Society)
- Loochoo Naval Mission
- MLA (Missionary Leaves Association)
- FES (Society for Promoting Female Education in the East, often known as the Female Education Society)
- MAM (Mid-Africa Ministry, formerly Ruanda Mission)
- SAMS (South American Mission Society), formerly PMS (Patagonian Mission Society)
- SPAS (Spanish and Portuguese Aid Society)
Locations
Birmingham
The collections of CEZMS, Loochoo, MLA, FES, and MAM are at the Cadbury Research Library at the University of Birmingham.
Oxford
The SAMS, PMS and SPAS collections are still being processed at CMS House.
Online
A significant portion of the CEZMS, Loochoo, MLA, FES archives have been digitised using Adam Matthew. Some of the SAMS Archive is available at the British Online Archives.
Archives of organisations that have worked closely with Church Mission Society
Contains official documents and publications generated by these organisations, kept alongside CMS’s official records:
- Friends of the Church in India
- Sudan Diocesan Association
- Persia Diocesan Association
- Kenya Diocesan Association
Locations
Birmingham
The Persia Diocesan collection is at the Cadbury Research Library at the University of Birmingham.
Oxford
The Friends of the Church in India, Sudan Diocesan Association and Kenya Diocesan Association collections are still being processed at CMS House.
Archive material at CMS House
The majority of the CMS archive is stored permanently at the Cadbury Research Library at the University of Birmingham, but a small amount of archival material is available in Oxford.
Most of the material at CMS House in Oxford is part of the official CMS collection from 1969. It is still being processed will eventually become available at the Cadbury Research Library. A lot of the records are within our archival closure periods. You may enquire as to whether the material you are looking for is here; however, access conditions may mean that it is not possible to view.
We do have complete collections of the publications listed below, which can be viewed at CMS House. To view, please book an appointment with Maddy Peston, our archivist, who will be happy to advise you on using the collection. We are, however, unable to carry out any research on your behalf.
The Crowther Library is open for archive appointments Monday to Wednesday, 9am to 4pm.
Email Maddy, or call 01865 787537.
Explore the timeline of CMS publications:
Publications (hard copy) available at CMS House:
CMS Proceedings (1801–1921) became CMS Report (1922–1961)
- lists of current CMS missionaries, by location
- list of Secretaries, Officers and Staff of the Society
- brief overview of the year’s work in each mission station
- contributions to the Society from individual churches, listed by diocese
CMS Intelligencer (A monthly journal of Missionary Information) (1849–1906) became Church Missionary Review (1907–1927); Church Overseas (1928–1934); East & West Review (1935–1964)
- scholarly publication with in-depth articles
Church Missionary Gleaner (1842–1921) became CM Outlook (1922–1972); YES (1973–2009)
- more “popular”, briefer articles with illustrations
- Annual Letters of the Missionaries (1886-1913)
- “topped & tailed” copies of Missionaries’ Annual Letters
Annual Report (1919–1944) became Historical Record (1944–1986)
- Precis of selected Annual Letters / Link Letters
CMS Year Book (1962–1980) became CMS Directory (1981–)
- lists of current CMS missionaries, by location
- list of Secretaries, Officers and Staff of the Society
Church Missionary Record (Detailing the Proceedings of the CMS) (1830–1875)
The Missionary Register (Containing the Principal Transactions of the various Institutions for Propagating the Gospel: with The Proceedings, at Large, of the Church Missionary Society) (1813–1855)
Cadbury Research Library
For many years CMS Archives have worked in partnership with the University of Birmingham. The majority of the CMS archive is stored in a permanent collection at the Cadbury Research Library at the University of Birmingham. This holds all the CMS material up to 1969.
The Cadbury Research Library in Birmingham is able to answer simple enquiries via phone or email and welcomes personal visitors to the archive for more complex or extensive enquiries. There are very good facilities for visitors, and the staff are very knowledgeable and helpful.
Please visit their website to arrange your visit: Visiting the Cadbury Research Library – University of Birmingham
Phone: 0121 414 5839
Email: special-collections@bham.ac.uk
You can view and search the catalogue for all the CMS collection held at the Cadbury Research Library Online: Church Mission Society archive.
To Search the Catalogue, use the “Advanced Search” button in the top righthand corner of the page. There are a few collections that do not have digital catalogues; a PDF can be requested using the contact details above.
Over time more of the CMS collection will be moving to the Cadbury Research Library so do keep an eye out for new collections being added.
Former Cadbury Research Library archivist Ivana Frlan, has put together a useful guide to the CMS archive which will assist in your research.
Digital archives
Adam Matthew
CMS worked with Adam Matthew Ltd to make our collection more accessible. This originally involved making microfiche copies of the collection. These have now been digitised, and those documents can be accessed through a subscription to the AM Digital website.
Libraries and institutions may contact Adam Mathew Publications directly to apply for access to the Church Mission Society archive.
A searchable online archive of Church Mission Society periodicals 1804–2009 is also available through subscription.
We continue to work with Adam Matthew and are hoping to make more of our archive available online in the future.
British Online Archives
Before merging with CMS in 2010, a small proportion of the South American Mission Society (SAMS) archive was copied on to microfiche by Microform Academic Publishers. This includes most of the material up to 1919, including the journals of Allen Gardiner, Edward Bernau and Adolfo Henriksen, General Committee minutes from 1844 and the Society’s magazine. All this material is also now online at the British Online Archives: South American Missionaries’ Records, 1844–1919.
Other places with CMS Archive material
British Library: Endangered Archives Programme
The EAP gives grants to digitise endangered archives around the world; some of these have a CMS connection:
- Preserving the archives of early Anglican missionaries in Mombasa, Kenya (EAP1552)
- Rescuing and organising Church, Merchant and Burial Records of Lokoja, Northern Nigeria, 1841-1960 (EAP1436)
- Preservation of rare medical records at Albert Cook Library, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University (EAP617)
The British Library also has some collections of CMS books and other publications.
University of Cambridge
Cambridge Centre for Christianity Worldwide
The archive for the Cambridge Centre for Christianity Worldwide has many CMS connections.
Living Archive Project
The Living Archive Project, is a great resource for anyone looking into the history of SAMS
Horniman Museum, British Museum
Objects brought to the UK from around the world were given to museums such as the British Museum and Horniman.
British Film Institute
Some CMS films are preserved at the British Film Institute, including some digital copies.
