Aitken and Gale research notes on South African medical missions

Research notes and papers compiled for a history of medical missionaries and medical hospital missions in South Africa (1920s-1950s), and arranged in five sections:
1. Research material and draft chapters
2. Mission hospitals
3. Medical organisations and topics
4. Papers relating to individuals
5. Miscellaneous research material
The forty-nine stations investigated included hospitals in Natal, KwaZulu, Transkei, Transvaal, Orange Free State, Cape Province, Botswana and Lesotho. There is, inter alia, material relating to the South African Mission Council (minutes and medical reports 1928-1934): The Salvation Army; Voluntary Organisations; the Natal Missionary Conferences, 1955 and 1956; a bibliography on medical missionaries and mission hospitals in South Africa (Pretoria, State Library).

Robert Douglas Aitken was born in April 1900. His parents moved the family to Durban in 1905. He undertook his undergraduate studies at the University of Cape Town, and then proceeded to Natal College in Pietermaritzburg for his MSc degree before studying botany at the University of South Africa. Aitken pursued his doctoral studies at Edinburgh University, where he graduated in 1926. Aitken worked with the Edinburgh Medical Missionary Society in the Edinburgh Medical Mission Hospital for two months in the summer in Nazareth, Israel. He returned to South Africa in 1930 and, with his wife, Irene, began their work as missionaries at Shawbury Methodist Mission in Transkei near Qumbu. In 1933, Aitken and his family moved to Sibasa. He was “Appointed by the Church of Scotland as Medical Missionary at their station near Sibasa” (Venter) in the north of South Africa. Aitken founded and directed the Donald Fraser Hospital in Sibasa. The hospital was supported by and monitored by the Church of Scotland and Aitken worked there for 37 years. The project to write the history of medical missions in South Africa was begun by Aitken, who was joined in the project by his lifelong friend, Dr George Gale, who attempted to complete it after Aitken's death in 1974.

George William Gale, was born of missionary parents in Durban in May 1900. He studied medicine on a scholarship in Edinburgh, where he was a member of the Edinburgh Medical Missionary Society. Beginning his career as a mission doctor, he went with the Church of Scotland Mission to Tugela Ferry, in central KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Gale was Medical Superintendent there from 1928 to 1936. He opened the Gordon Memorial Hospital of the Church of Scotland at uMsinga. Having then served as an assistant medical officer, officer of health in Benoni, and in time Secretary for Health in the Smuts government, he was later to be instrumental in the establishment of the medical school at the University of Natal in Durban, becoming its first dean in 1952. A pioneer of primary healthcare, he died in Surrey in 1976 after a distinguished career, both in South Africa and internationally.

The papers were left by Dr Gale in a semi-ordered condition. In preparing the papers for microfilming the original order of the documents was not disturbed although the files and envelopes were organised into five principal categories.

Records are open to the public, subject to the overriding provisions of relevant legislation, including the Data Protection Act.

The papers were filmed in August-September 1976 by the University of York Photographic Unit as part of the Southern African Documentation Project at the Centre for Southern African Studies, University of York.

Robert Douglas Aitken was born in April 1900. His parents moved the family to Durban in 1905. He undertook his undergraduate studies at the University of Cape Town, and then proceeded to Natal College in Pietermaritzburg for his MSc degree before studying botany at the University of South Africa. Aitken pursued his doctoral studies at Edinburgh University, where he graduated in 1926. Aitken worked with the Edinburgh Medical Missionary Society in the Edinburgh Medical Mission Hospital for two months in the summer in Nazareth, Israel. He returned to South Africa in 1930 and, with his wife, Irene, began their work as missionaries at Shawbury Methodist Mission in Transkei near Qumbu. In 1933, Aitken and his family moved to Sibasa. He was “Appointed by the Church of Scotland as Medical Missionary at their station near Sibasa” (Venter) in the north of South Africa. Aitken founded and directed the Donald Fraser Hospital in Sibasa. The hospital was supported by and monitored by the Church of Scotland and Aitken worked there for 37 years. The project to write the history of medical missions in South Africa was begun by Aitken, who was joined in the project by his lifelong friend, Dr George Gale, who attempted to complete it after Aitken's death in 1974.

George William Gale, was born of missionary parents in Durban in May 1900. He studied medicine on a scholarship in Edinburgh, where he was a member of the Edinburgh Medical Missionary Society. Beginning his career as a mission doctor, he went with the Church of Scotland Mission to Tugela Ferry, in central KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Gale was Medical Superintendent there from 1928 to 1936. He opened the Gordon Memorial Hospital of the Church of Scotland at uMsinga. Having then served as an assistant medical officer, officer of health in Benoni, and in time Secretary for Health in the Smuts government, he was later to be instrumental in the establishment of the medical school at the University of Natal in Durban, becoming its first dean in 1952. A pioneer of primary healthcare, he died in Surrey in 1976 after a distinguished career, both in South Africa and internationally.

The authors sadly died whilst their work was still in the research stage, among their notes however are drafts which show the approach each intended to follow in writing.

35mm microfilm, negative.

A reprographics service is available to researchers. Copying will not be undertaken if there is any risk of damage to the document. Copies are supplied in accordance with the Borthwick Institute for Archives' terms and conditions for the supply of copies, and under provisions of any relevant copyright legislation. Permission to reproduce images of documents in the custody of the Borthwick Institute must be sought.

The material consists of papers collected by Dr Douglas Aitken and Dr George Gale, gathered before their death, in preparation of a book dealing with the history of medical missions in South Africa. The work had not gone beyond the research stage, though the extent and range of material collected indicates the very wide scope of the proposed book. Amongst the notes are drafts written by Dr Aitken and Dr Gale which show the approach each would have followed in writing. Background to York's Southern African Documentation Project can be found in Anne Akeroyd and Colin Hunt (eds.), A Guide to the Southern African Archives in the University of York, (York, 1979).

Further accruals are not expected

* Records of Dr George Gale (GB 193 GA)
* S. Moberley, 'The bamboo cross: a history of the Diocese of Zululand and Swaziland' (GB 193 CSASMF/4a-b). An unpublished, but privately circulated, book on the Anglican Diocese of Zululand, which contains some references to the development of medical work.

The original documents were retained by the family of Dr George Gale.

Aitken, Robert, Who is my neighbour?: the story of a mission hospital in South Africa. (Lovedale Press, 1944).

Published

GB 193