Jerusalem and the East Mission Collection

Papers, 1841-1976, relating to the Diocese of Jerusalem and St. George's Cathedral, missionary activities, chaplaincies, health and education provision in Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Iran, the Gulf, Egypt, Sudan, Cyprus and N. Africa. The collection also contains correspondence relating to the political situation in Mandatory Palestine. Presscutting volumes. Quarterly newsletter/magazine of the Jerusalem and East Mission, later Jerusalem and Middle East Church Association Bible Lands from 1899. Photographic collection.

Jerusalem and the East Mission

The Diocese of Jerusalem was founded in 1841 under the joint auspices of Queen Victoria and King Frederick William IV of Prussia. The bishops were to be nominated alternately by the English and Prussian sovereigns, to be consecrated by Anglican bishops and to have spiritual jurisdiction over Anglican and Lutheran Christians in Palestine. In 1881, however, a failure to obtain episcopal orders for the Lutherans prepared the way for the withdrawal of Prussia, and the bishopric fell into abeyance for almost six years. It was finally reconstituted on a purely Anglican basis and on 25 March 1887 the Venerable Archdeacon Blyth was consecrated Bishop in Jerusalem with jurisdiction over Syria, Egypt, Asia Minor, Cyprus, the region around the Red Sea, and, later, the Sudan and Iran. The Jerusalem Bishopric Fund, later the Jerusalem and East Mission Fund was set up by Bishop Blyth for the maintenance and development of the work of the diocese. In 1920 Egypt and the Sudan were separated from Jerusalem to form a new diocese with Llewellyn Gwynne as bishop. In 1939 the Archbishop of Canterbury's Assyrian Mission came fully under the control of Jerusalem and the East Mission. The diocese of Jerusalem became the seat of a province in July 1957 and at the same time a new diocese of Jordan, Lebanon and Syria was created. At the time of writing the province is composed of the following dioceses: Jerusalem; Cyprus and the Gulf; Egypt; Iran.

Geographical areas; central organization; minute books.

Open

For further information on how to use the Middle East Centre Archive, please see our Archon entry at http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/a/A13531965

Received on permanent loan from the Jerusalem and the Middle East Church Association in November/December 1975 and in July 1978 with boxes 81-125 received since December 1979. Loan status changed to a gift on 8 Feb 2007.

Jerusalem and East Mission Catalogue (pdf file)

Fonds level description prepared by Clare Brown in February 1999 and last revised by Debbie Usher on 26 May 2011

No restrictions on copying or quotation other than statutory regulations and preservation concerns

In the custody of J&EM either in England or in regional offices

In Middle East Centre Archive

• GB165-0027 Bickersteth Collection
• GB165-0031 Blyth Collection
• GB165-0099 Emery Collection
• GB165-0109 Forster Collection
• GB165-0121 Gordon Collection
• GB165-0208 Morgan Collection
• GB165-0219 Norman Collection

In Other Repositories

• Jerusalem & the East Mission Papers at Lambeth Palace Library

Microfiche published by Inter Documentation Co., 1985 under the title ''Jerusalem and East Mission Archive 1842-1976''. Please note that the microfiche only covers part of the collection.

A history of the Anglican Diocese in Jerusalem has been written by Rafiq Farah and is available in the Archive reading room. The details of the book are as follows: Farah, Rafiq A.; In troubled waters. A History of the Anglican Church in Jerusalem 1841-1998 (Christians Aware 2002). ISBN 1 873372 16 7

The following book is also available in the Archive reading room: Hechler, William H., The Jerusalem Bishopric Documents with translations (London: Trubner and Co, 1883).