Maps From Jan M. Pluvier, Historical Atlas of South-East Asia. Leiden: Brill, 1995.
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Borneo, c. 1760-1920
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West Borneo in the 19th and Early 20th Century
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Sarawak Map 1 |
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Sarawak Map 2 |
Michael Poon, October 2004
See Southeast Asian Anglican Source Documents
Brief History | Primary Sources | Chronology | Clergy and People | Further Reading | Maps
The history of the Anglican Province of South East Asia is bounded with the mission of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts (the SPG).
SPG was founded as a result of an enquiry into the state of the Church of England in the American Colonies carried out by the Revd Dr Thomas Bray on behalf of the Bishop of London. The Church there was found to have little spiritual vitality and to be in a poor organisational condition. Therefore, King William III issued a charter on 16th June 1701, which established the SPG as an organisation able to send priests and schoolteachers to America to help provide the Church's ministry to the colonists. The SPG’s remit was soon broadened to encompass evangelisation of slaves and Native Americans, and by 1710 the Society stated that the “conversion of heathens and infidels ought to be prosecuted preferably to all others”. The Society's first missionaries began work in America in 1702 and by the time the USA claimed independence the SPG had supported the work of about 300 men and had made a substantial contribution to the foundation of the Episcopal Church.
The SPG's horizons began rapidly to expand, first in 1703 to the West Indies and soon after to Nova Scotia, and later in the 18th century to the rest of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and West Africa. Early in the 19th century the SPG began sending missionaries to countries where migrants from Britain and Ireland were not present in large numbers, such as India (1820) and South Africa (1821). Work among indigenous people came to have a higher priority than care of the colonists, although the Society’s emphasis on pastoral ministry and education remained. In 1866 the SPG established the “Ladies’ Association for Promoting the Education of Females in India and other Heathen Countries in Connection with the Missions of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel”, which became in 1895 the “Women’s Mission Association for the Promotion of Female Education in the Missions of the SPG” and which enabled British and Irish women to become missionaries in their own right, rather than only as the wives of male missionaries. The nineteenth century also saw increasing numbers of indigenous missionaries of both sexes being supported by the SPG, as was medical missionary work. In addition the SPG began to work in countries that were outside the British Empire, such as China (1863) and Japan (1873). Throughout the 20th century the SPG continued to represent the missionary aims of the Churches of England, Wales, and Ireland through its pastoral, educational and medical work, until its merger in 1965 with the Universities’ Mission to Central Africa and in 1968 with the Cambridge Mission to Delhi, to form the United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel.
SPG’s archives are kept mainly Rhodes House Library, Oxford, and Lambeth Palace Library. A more detailed account of the holdings can be founded in M D Wainwright and Noel Matthews, A Guide to the Western Manuscripts and Documents in the British Isles relating to South and South East Asia. (London: Oxford UP, 1965), and J D Pearson A Guide to Manuscripts and Documents in the British Isles relating to South and South-East Asia. 2 Volumes. (London: Mansell, 1989-2000). Relevant Sections of the above volumes are available in TTC Library. See also Mundus Gateway: http://www.mundus.ac.uk for details.
SPG Microfilm holdings in TTC Library:
CLR and CLS designate the Letters received and sent by the Mission Board.
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| Reel 12 | USPG X235 Richard Richard’s Collection of sermons, reports, and correspondences in Kudat 1892-1902, and St Andrew’s, Singapore 1902-1934 |
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Chronology of Borneo and Singapore Mission 1805-1941
(B: on Borneo; otherwise, Singapore)
1805 . First chaplain appointed to Penang. Malaya under Calcutta to 1869 1826 . 1834 . First visit of Bishop Wilson of Calcutta to Singapore 1834 . Foundation stone laid for St Andrew's church (9 Nov 1834) 1836 B Singapore became seat of government for the British 1837 . Edward Squire (CMS) arrived 1837 . Church completed and first service held 18 June 1837 by Edward White 1838 . James Brooke arrived in Sarawak 1842 . Mrs Maria Dyer founded a girl's school to rescue girls from slavery, later named St Margaret 1842 . Spire and tower added to church in Singapore 1848 B Francis Thomas MacDougall and W B Wright arrived in Kuching 29 June 1848 1851 B Bishop Daniel Wilson of Calcutta consecrated St Thomas 1851 B Fox and Nicholls arrived 1851 B Walter Chambers posted to Sakarran 1851 B Gomes arrived from Ceylon to Lundu 1851 B Andrew Horsburgh arrived from Hong Kong to Sarawak 1851 B McDougall admitted five Chinese converts to Communion (September 7 1851) 1852 . St Andrew's Church became unsafe and was closed 1852 B McDougall returned to England (Autumn 1852) 1853 B SPG formally took responsibility for mission (January 1 1853) 1853 B Gomes opened Christ Church Mission Lundu, nearr Kuching 1855 B McDougall back to Sarawak, consecrated Bishop of Labuan (St Luke's Day). Sarawak added to jurisdiction 1856 . Foundation stone of new church (St Andrews's, Singapore) laid by Bishop Wilson 1856 . William Humphrey's WhitSun Sermon 1856 B Charles Koch and Miss Wooley arrived 1857 B Chinese insurrection in Kuching 1857 B SPG sent William Chambers, James Glover and W Hacket from St Augustine's Canterbury 1858 B Koch and Glover to Banting; Chambers to Quop 1858 B Chung Ah Luk went with Chambers to Quop, served for 66 years 1859 B Consecration of St Paul's Banting 1859 B T C Smyth wrote to ask Bishop Cotton of Calcutta to request missionary from SPG to work in Singapore 1862 . St Andrew's Church consecrated by Bishop Cotton 25 January 1862 1862 . Appeal to SPG. Edward Venn arrived to become Superintendent of Mission. Chok Loi Fatt, Peter Tychicus as catechists 1862 B William Mesney and William Crossland arrived from St Augustine's; two Lutherans Frederick Abé and John Zehnder joined; John Richardson arrived 1865 B Consecration of St James, Quop 1866 . Edward Venn died 1867 . Straits Settlement (1 April 1867) 1867 B Report stated Chinese congregation numbered 100, 100 baptized Dyaks. Four churches and three chapels built in outstations 1868 . John Beckles appointed Colonial Chaplain 1868 B McDougall resigned; Brooke died 1869 B Walter Chambers became Bishop 1870 B Chambers installed in Kuching 1870 B St Thomas' School built 1870 . St Andrew's Church made into Cathedral 20 Dec 1870 by Bishop Chambers 1871 . Tamil Mission began in Penang (R Balavendrum) 1872 . Henry Gomes arrived from Borneo 1874 B Chung Ah Luk ordained deacon 1875 . Mission Chapel opened 1879 B Walter Chambers resigned 1881 . Bishop George Frederick Hose became Bishop of Singapore, Labuan and Sarawak 1881 B George Frederick Hose became Bishop of Singapore, Labuan and Sarawak 1881 B North Borneo ceded to the British North Borneo Company 1882 B Hose visited Sandakan 1884 . Church of Saint John consecrated by Bishop Hose 1884 . Taiping Chaplaincy founded 1887 . church in Kuala Lumpur 1892 B Richards made deacon and served in Kudat 1893 . church in Seremban 1893 B Under William Henry Elton. St Michael's Church built in Sandakan (foundation stone laid on St Michael's Day) 1894 . Saint Matthew's Church built 1896 B F Perry and H J Edney posted to Keningau to serve the Muruts 1898 B Saint Michael's Sandakan dedicated 1902 . Richards arrived in Singapore, succeeded Gomes 1902 B Fong Hau Kong priested to take up Richard's work in Kudat 1907 B Chinese Institute established (19 January 1907) 1908 B Hose retired 1909 . Bishopric of Singapore created 1909 . Mounsey Bishop of Labuan and Sarawak 1909 . Charles James Ferguson-Davie Bishop of Singapore 1910 . First Clergy Conference at Kuala Lumpur 1910 . Dong Bing Seng from Foochow 1910 . Singapore Diocesan Magazine started 1911 . Auxiliary Association formed in England for recruitment 1911 . Chan Wing Tsuen from Hong Kong 1911 . St David's Hospital opened in Malacca by Dr Mildred Staley 1913 . Cathedral had two assistant chaplains 1913 . St Mary's School for Girls under Miss Eveleigh in Kuala Lumpur 1914 . Library founded in Cathedral 1914 . C R Simmons took up Greenstock's work in Bangkok. Schools built 1915 . Brief imitative in evangelizing the Malays in Singapore. Clinic opened in Pasir Panjang 1916 . Swindell became Archdeacon 1914-1929 1916 . Irregular services at Katong 1916 B F S Hollis arrived to work in Borneo 1916 B Bishop Mounsey resigned 1917 B Danson enthroned in Kuching 1917 . Only one side of the pews in the Cathedral were rented out, seated freed at five minutes before MP and EP 1918 . Dong, Chan and D S Ponniah (Headmaster of St Andrew's School) priested. First ordained priests in Singapore 1918 . Foochow congregation under Dong 1918 B W Linton arrived in Borneo 1919 . S Visvalingam ordained 1920 . Cantonese congregation under Chan Wing Tsuen 1920 B Si Migaat, first Lan Dyak made deacon 1922 . Church Council in Cathedral 1922 . Cantonese congregation became self supporting 1922 B A B Champion arrived in Borneo 1923 . Tamil Diocesan Association formed 1923 B St Columba's Miri consecrated 1923 B Thomas Buda, first Sea Dyak made deacon 1924 . Home for blind children in Malacca (St Nicholas' Home) under Miss Sherman 1925 B Matius Senang made deacon 1926 . St Nicholas Home in Malacca for the blind and crippled children 1926 B F W Synnott posted to Miri 1927 . Ng Ho Le, Tay Chui Lok, T Yessadian and D P Samuel ordained 1927 . Basil Roberts consecrated Bishop on 18 October 1927 1927 . Bishop Ferguson Davie retired and succeeded by Basil Coleby Roberts 1927 B Chong En Siong posted to Miri oil wells 1928 B Chung Ah Luk died 1928 B Five students under E Parry in the College of the Holy Way ordained priest 1929 B Church at Betong consecrated 1929 . Cantonese congregation moved to St Matthew's 1930 . St Nicholas Home transferred to Penang 1931 . Chinese Diocesan Association formed 1931 B Danson resigned, succeeded by Noel Baring Hudson 1931 B E D Logie Danson from Singapore became Bishop of Labuan and Sarawak 1932 . Gnanamani built parsonage for Tamil congregation 1932 . Home for the Bind in Malacca removed to Penang 1933 . Malacca Medical Mission closed due to lack of funds 1933 . Proposal of churches at Katong, Serangoon, Pasir Panjang. 1934 . Feeder schools to St Andrew's School at Upper Serangoon and Katong 1934 . Richards retired 1934 B St Andrew's Brunei erected and donated by Pehin Ong 1934 B Community of the Resurrection came to Kuching (Fr Phillips, Shelley, Thomas. Blair and Wrathall) 1936 . Yip Cho Sang ordained priest 1937 B Consecration of St Luke's Simanggang 1937 . John Lee ordained priest 1937 B Hudson resigned to become Secretary of SPG, Archdeacon Hollis succeeded 1938 B Hollis enthroned in Kuching 1938 . A J Bennitt replaced Richards to supervise Tamil and Chinese work in Singapore 1939 . Orthopedic Hospital built as an extension of St Andrew's Mission Hospital 1939 B St Philip's and James's Church Kuala Belait consecrated 1939 . P I S Baboo arrived Singapore 1940 . Yeh Hua Fen ordained priest 1940 . Mission in Bankok closed due to lack of funds and staff 1940 . Roberts resigned to become Warden of St Augustine's Canterbury 1941 . Bishop John L Wilson from Hong Kong became Bishop
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Bishops of Labuan and Sarawak
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Colonial Chaplains
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Assistant Chaplains (Year of appointments)
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Early Chinese Catechists
- 1850 Admitted to Mission School
- 1860 assisted William Chalmers at Quop
- 1862 assisted and instructed by Abé at Quop.
- 1864 at Kuching
- 1874 ordained deacon for Quop and Sentah
- 1928 Died
Foo Ngyen Khoon, Chinese writer of McDougall. Formerly School teacher and religious leader at Pengangkat in Dutch Borneo.
- 1852 Baptised.
- 1864 at Kuching
- 1870 Opened school in his house. Already deaconed
- 1878 still in Kuching
Kong Kuin En
- 1900s Kuching
- 1913 ordained deacon
- 1918 ordained priest 29 April 1918
Borneo Mission Association. The Chronicle. A Quarterly Report of the Borneo Mission Association in Connection with SPG. Volume 6(1915)-.
Loh Keng Aun. Fifty Years of the Anglican Church in Singapore Island 1909-1959. Number Four: Singapore Studies on Borneo and Malaya. Singapore: University of Singapore, 1963.
O'Connor, Daniel and others, Three centuries of mission: The United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, 1701-2000. London: Continuum, 2000.
Saunders, Graham. Bishops and Brookes. The Anglican Mission and the Brooke Raj in Sarawak 1848-1941. Oxford; Oxford UP,1992.
Thompson, H. P. Into all Lands. The History of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in the Foreign Parts. 1701-1950. London: SPCK, 1951.
Report of the Board of Missions of the Provinces of Canterbury and York on the Mission Field. London: SPCK, 1894.