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Description
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The Methodist Church of Southern Africa Materials held at the Cory Library for Humanities Research at Rhodes University comprise a significant archival collection, including manuscripts, pamphlets, periodicals, books, and pictorial items related to the church's history and activities in Southern Africa.
Key Details about the Collection:
• Provenance: The Methodist Archival collection was transferred on loan to the then Cory Library for Historical Research, Rhodes University, by the Conference of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa in 1965.
• Content: The collection includes material on church history, Methodism, and Deaconesses of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa.
• Format/Genre: The material includes:
o Collections
o Photographs (e.g., group photographs of annual conferences, images of early church figures)
o Personal correspondence
o Administrative records (e.g., minutes, reports, financial records)
• Access: While the original material is available to on-site researchers, the Cory Library is also digitizing parts of the collection, and resulting finding aids for separate collections are being made available on their digital platform to assist researchers.
Examples of specific items/sub-collections mentioned in the digital archive include:
• Records relating to bequests to St John’s Wesleyan Church, Havelock Street, Port Elizabeth.
• Finding Aids for the Methodist Church of Southern Africa:
o Mossel Bay Circuit records (1888-1968) for English, Dutch (Coloured), and Basuto churches.
o Cradock Circuit records (1906-1931).
• Natal Coastal District: Mission, Circuit, and Administrative Records (circa 1854-2008), covering areas like Zululand Mission, Indian Mission, and various departmental records.
• Photographs of the twenty-first (1903) and twenty-third (1905) Annual Conferences of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa.
• A photograph of Farmerfield Church, built by Daniel Roberts around the 1830s.
• A portrait and correspondence related to Rev. John Edwards (1804-1887), a founding father of Methodism in Graaff-Reinet.
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Provenance
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The Methodist Church of Southern Africa Collection: In 1965 the Conference of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa announced its decision to transfer, on loan, the Methodist Archival collection housed until then at Livingstone House (a Divinity students residence at Rhodes University) to the then Cory Library for Historical Research, Rhodes University. The University undertook to maintain the archive ‘in good condition, reasonable wear and tear excepted.’ By 1968 the first tranch of material had been catalogued, and the Cory Library Accessions List no. 22 was dedicated to listing these manuscripts, pamphlets, periodicals, books and pictorial items. In subsequent years supplements to this initial list were published in further Accession Lists, which were made available to other South African libraries and institutions. With the advent of online cataloguing, the production of Accession Lists ceased. Researchers were now able to discover current accessions on the online catalogue. All archives suffer the problem of large backlogs and too little time, or too few staff, to process such material in detail. Cory Library for Humanities Research is no exception, and has therefore, with the worldwide move towards digitisation, decided that in future all Methodist material in our collection still awaiting processing, will be inventoried and the resulting finding aids for each separate collection will be made available on our digital platform. We hope these will prove a useful tool for researchers. The original material will be housed at the location numbers given at the head of each such finding aid, and remain available to on site researchers.
Bequests to St John’s Wesleyan Church, Havelock Street, Port Elizabeth Records relating to bequests made to St John’s Wesleyan Church, Havelock Street, Port Elizabeth, primarily arising from the estate of John Richard Wills and, to a lesser extent, the estate of F. E. Gardner. Includes wills and codicils; legal opinions; correspondence with exec
Farmerfield Church built by Daniel Roberts ca. 1830s Photograph shows a group of black children (possibly a school class) with their schoolmaster in front of the church building. Inscribed on the back are the words ' ... This picture was taken 1935 aprox by Allan Biggs when he took his mother to see the church built by her father.' Photo accompanied a memorial sketch of Benjamin F. Roberts, kept at MS 19 922.
Group photograph : members of the nineteenth annual Conference of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, held in Port Elizabeth, 1901 Group photograph : members of the nineteenth annual Conference of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, held in Port Elizabeth, 1901. Photographers : J W Goldsbrough & Son
Group photograph : members of the nineteenth annual Conference of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, held in Port Elizabeth, 1901 Group photograph : members of the nineteenth annual Conference of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, held in Port Elizabeth, 1901. Photographers : J W Goldsbrough & Son
Group photograph : members of the twenty-first annual Conference of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa held in Queenstown, 1903 Group photograph : members of the twenty-first annual Conference of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa held in Queenstown, 1903. Photographer : H T Healey
Group photograph : members of the twenty-third annual Conference of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, held in Grahamstown, 1905 Group photograph : members of the twenty-third annual Conference of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, held in Grahamstown, 1905. Photographers : Hepburn & Jeanes
Group photograph : members of the twenty-third annual Conference of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, held in Grahamstown, 1905 Group photograph : members of the twenty-third annual Conference of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, held in Grahamstown, 1905. Photographers : Hepburn & Jeanes
Manguzi Mission Hospital 18 photographs showing an aerial view of the hospital, the aeroplane used to visit out stations, the brick building scheme, the blind furniture workers and the project.
Methodist Church of Southern Africa, Natal Coastal District: Mission, Circuit and Administrative Records An amalgamation of material from Natal Coastal District, including minutes, reports, correspondence, financials and some printed material, categorized as follows: A. Zululand Mission B. Indian Mission C. District Mission Department D. Christian Education and Youth Department E. Women's Auxiliary, Manyano, Biblewomen, Deacons, Evangelists and Local Preachers F. Circuits, Societies and District Executive G. Methodist Connexional Office H. Miscellaneous. Collection circa 1854-2008.,Manguzi Mission Hospital: 18 photographs showing an aerial view of the hospital, the aeroplane used to visit out stations, the brick building scheme, the blind furniture workers and project, the grass Ngezandla Zethu products, the school feeding project, and the orange tree project – c. 1981.
Methodist Church of Southern Africa. Cradock Circuit - Finding Aid Account books, cash books and a Women's Auxiliary Minute Book for Mossel Bay, for the period 1906-1931.
Methodist Church of Southern Africa. Mossel Bay Circuit - Finding Aid Minute books, cash account books, and correspondence, covering the years 1888-1968, for the English, Dutch (Coloured) and Basuto churches.
Rev John Edwards - Letter from Rev N B Kok to Dr Hewson Letter from Rev. N B Kok, the Superintendent Minister, Methodist Church, Graaff-Reinet Circuit, to Dr. Hewson. The letter, dated 29 March 1884, accompanied a picture of Rev. John Edwards (available: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/19428) who was instrumental in establishing of Methodism in the area. Transcription: [Letter dated] 29 March 1984 Dear Dr. Hewson Herewith the print of our Methodist founding father in Graaff-Reinet. He made a very significant contribution to the establishment of Methodism in these parts, both spiritually and materially. The name is still being given to infants, only last year I baptised what must have been a great, great, great grandson of the venerable “John Edwards” by that name in John Edwards Hobson. Trusting that the print is up to standard required. The cost of the same is R10-. We had it done at a place call Reinet Studios here in Graaff-Reinet. Greetings [signed] Rev N.B. Kok.
Rev. John Edwards - Letter from Rev. N.B. Kok to Dr. Hewson The image is of Rev. John Edwards (1804-1887). A letter from Rev. N B Kok, the Superintendent Minister, Methodist Church, Graaff-Reinet Circuit, to Dr. Hewson, accompanied the image. The letter, dated 29 March 1984, stated that Rev. John Edwards was the founding father of Methodism in Graaff-Reinet as well as being instrumental in establishing of Methodism in the area. The letter is available at: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/19394.