Correspondence of Benjamin Pratt

This material is held atSchool of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) Archives, University of London

Scope and Content

Letters of Benjamin Pratt to his family, 1884-1922. Also includes the publication 'By Bullock-Bandy and Bicycle' [1995], by J. Milner and C. Pratt, which includes transcripts of Benjamin Pratt's letters.

Administrative / Biographical History

Benjamin Pratt was born on 9 August 1853. After working as a designer-draughtsman with the family firm, he studied for the ministry at Richmond College and was ordained in 1880. He was sent by the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society to Hyderabad, India, where he learned Telugu. In 1883 he established a station at Karimnagar. The following year he married Mary Newsholme. She died in 1885, and in 1887 he married Edith Amelia Ball, with whom he had five children. In 1896 he became District Superintendent and moved to Secunderabad. In 1907 he returned to England after suffering a stroke. In 1920 he moved to Alberta, Canada. He died on 7 June 1931.

Arrangement

The letters have been arranged in chronological order.

Access Information

Open

Acquisition Information

Donated in 1995.

Other Finding Aids

Unpublished handlist.

Conditions Governing Use

For permission to publish, please contact Archives & Special Collections, SOAS Library in the first instance

Related Material

The School of Oriental and African Studies holds the records of the Methodist Missionary Society (MMS), including its predecessor the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society. Further correspondence written by Benjamin Pratt is held within the correspondence for Madras (MMS/India/Correspondence/Madras/FBN 25) and Hyderabad (MMS/India/Correspondence/Hyderabad/FBN 12-13). Information on his work and the work of his colleagues will also be recorded in the relevant synod minutes (MMS/India/Synod Minutes/FBN 2-7).