Duff Papers

IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 0233 MSS 2257, 8957, Acc 8508, 8670, 9220, 9447
Held at: National Library of Scotland, Manuscripts Division
Domain: archival
Title: Duff Papers
Date(s) of contents: *
Level of description: Sub-fonds
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CONTEXT

Name of creator(s): Duff, Alexander (1806-1878)

Administrative/Biographical history: Alexander Duff was born in Perthshire, Scotland in 1806 and was educated at St Andrews University where he helped to found a student missionary society. In 1830 he arrived in Calcutta to set up an educational institution as part of the Church of Scotland's first mission. In this work he was assisted by the Hindhu reformer Ram Mohun Roy. Duff also produced a magazine: the Calcutta Christian Observer .

In order to recover from a breakdown in health Duff returned to Scotland in 1834 where he became a powerful and influential advocate of missions. By 1840 Duff was back in India continuing to develop his institution. In 1843, at the time of the Disruption Duff and his colleagues joined the Free Church of Scotland though the Church of Scotland claimed the building. Duff began again expanding the work to beyond Calcutta and laying the foundation of an indigenous clergy. During the period 1850 to 1854 Duff visted both Scotland and America before returning to India in 1855 to commence his final term of service. By 1863 his health again dictated a return to his homeland to become convenor of the Free Church's foreign mission committee.

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CONTENT AND STRUCTURE

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ACCESS AND USE

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ALLIED MATERIALS

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Archivist's note: The biographical history is based upon the entry in Biographical Dictionary of Christian Missions , edited by Gerald H. Anderson, Grand Rapids/Cambridge, 1998 by Andrew Walls.

Date(s) of descriptions: July 2002

INDEX ENTRIES

Subjects

Personal names

Duff | Alexander | 1806-1878 | Church of Scotland missionary in India

Corporate names

Church of Scotland

Places

India

South Asia