Hole Manuscripts

This collection comprises the research papers of Reverend Charles Hole, including notes relating to and texts of both published and projected writings on ecclesiastical history, including the history of missions. In addition to research materials for his History of the Church Missionary Society , which includes part of the prospective text, the collection includes notes and texts relating to prominent individuals associated with the Evangelical Movement in the Church of England and the manuscript text of a work entitled The Four Methodist Leaders of the Eighteenth Century - John Wesley, Charles Wesley, George Whitefield, Lady Huntingdon - with an Essay on the Rise and Progress of Methodism, 1875 .

Charles Hole (1824-1906), clergyman and author was the second son of Captain Henry Hole of Barnstaple, Devon. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge obtaining a BA in 1846 and was ordained deacon in 1846 and priest in 1847. He was curate of St Mary's Reading, 1846-1852; Chaplain of the Reading Union, 1852-1858; curate of Shanklin, Isle of Wight, 1858-1868; rector of Loxbeare, Devon, 1868-1876; lecturer in Ecclesiastical History at King's College, London, 1879-1906. He died aged 82. He was the author of a number of books: A Brief Biographical Dictionary , 1865, 2nd ed. 1866; The Life of Archdeacon Phelps . 2 vols, 1871, 1873; The Maintenance of the Church of England as an Established Church , 1874; A Manual of the Book of Common Prayer , 1887; Early Missions to and within the British Islands , 1888; By Paths of English Church History , 1889; The Early History of the Church Missionary Society for Africa and the East : to the end of A.D. 1814 , 1896.

Reference: Alumni Cantabrigienses ( Part II from 1752 to 1900 (Cambridge University Press, 1947) ). ; Crockford's Clerical Directory, 1904

This collection forms part of the Church Missionary Society Unofficial Papers. It has been arranged and catalogued in a different way from the other CMS Accessions. It has been organised under twelve subject type headings - represented by the letters A to M - which presumably reflect the way in which Hole organised his papers. A. Diaristic; B. Dictionary of Christian memoirs; C. Fathers and promoters of the evangelical revival in the Church of England; D. Fathers of the Evangelical Movement; E. Persons and places CMS; F. History of CMS: materials for 1815-17; G.Minutes and letters CMS; H.. Missions since Columbus: text; J. Memoirs of the times of George I; K. Newspaper cuttings: biographical; L. Newspaper cuttings: miscellaneous; M. Four Methodist leaders.

Open. Access to all registered researchers.

The original provenance of this collection is unknown. It was transferred on permanent loan to the Special Collections Department by the CMS in the 1980s.

Please see full catalogue for further details.

Permission to make any published use of any material from the collection must be sought in advance in writing from the University Archivist, Special Collections. Identification of copyright holders of unpublished material is often difficult. Special Collections will assist where possible with identifying copyright owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material.

The University of Birmingham, Special Collections Department and the Orchard Learning Resources Centre hold a rich collection of archives relating to missions, charities and other religious and ecclesiastical organisations and individuals these include the official archive of the Church Missionary Society Archive (GB150 CMS).