Missionary Settlement for University Women, Bombay

IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 0059 Mss Eur F186
Held at: British Library, Asia Pacific and Africa Collections, India Office Private Papers
Domain: archival
Title: Missionary Settlement for University Women, Bombay
Date(s) of contents: 1893-1998
Level of description: Fonds
Extent and medium: 391 files

CONTEXT

Name of creator(s): London Committee of Management of Missionary Settlement for University Women, Bombay

Administrative/Biographical history: The Missionary Settlement for University Women was founded in 1895 by a group of British University women who wished to take Christianity to the educated women of India. As well as providing a base for female missionary workers, the Settlement established a hostel for women students in Bombay, a smaller hostel in Poona which operated from 1935 to 1946, and a training school for social work in Bombay from 1926 to 1947. The hostel was always ecumenical and from an early date accepted students from all faiths. The Social Training Centre was superseded by training courses in various Bombay colleges, but the Hostel, which was gradually transferred to Indian management, continues in being.

Custodial history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

CONTENT AND STRUCTURE

Scope and content/abstract: The core of the collection consists of the minutes, papers (including financial papers), correspondence, and membership records of the London Committee of Management, its sub-committees, and the Annual General Meeting. There is extensive correspondence, papers and subscription lists of the numerous branches of supporters set up all over the United Kingdom (mostly in University towns) and Ireland, reflecting the wide support which the settlement attracted from educated women in the British Isles, including some well known academics such as the historian Helen Cam and the theologian Katherine Bliss. The archive includes minutes, reports, journals and logs sent by the Bombay Settlement to the London Committee, files relating to individual ‘settlers’, i.e. women sent out from London to staff the Bombay Settlement, and numerous slides and photographs illustrating its buildings and activities. There are also some personal papers of the missionary Mary Dobson (1872-1923), given to the Settlement by her family.

System of arrangement: By record series

ACCESS AND USE

Language: English

Conditions governing access: Access unrestricted

Conditions governing reproduction:

Finding aids: Handlist

ALLIED MATERIALS

Related material: Papers of Miss (Helen) Diana Hunt (1920-85), settler and warden of the Missionary Settlement for University Women, Bombay 1951-71, comprising: (1) diaries; (2) Olive Cardwell (ed), 'Christmas Letters from Diana Hunt 1957-83' (1986); (3) typescript letters to her mother 1951-71 edited by her brother; (4)letters to her from Indian friends; (5) article on Sir Robert Grant (1780-1838) and the Grant Medical College (1980); (6) photographs and slides. 3 boxes. Ref: GB 0059 Mss Eur D1115.

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Date(s) of descriptions: 18 July 2002

INDEX ENTRIES

Subjects

Educational missionaries

Educational missionary work

Home Mission administration

Mission administration

Mission policy

Missionary societies

Missionary support organizations

Missionary work

Women missionaries

Women’s missionary work

Personal names

Dobson | Mary | 1872-1923 | missionary

Corporate names

Missionary Settlement for University Women, Bombay

Places

Asia

India

South Asia