Collection of Anthony James Broomhall

The collection contains 35mm slides and lantern slides showing scenes in China, southeast Asia, Japan and Taiwan, including scenes related to the China Inalnd Mission.

Anthony James Broomhall, China Inland Mission missionary among the Nosu (Yi) people in Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan and Nosuland, China, and the Mangyan people of Mindoro in the Philippines, was from a family with strong missionary connections in China. The grandson of Benjamin Broomhall and great-nephew of Hudson Taylor he was born in Yantai (earlier known as Chefoo), China in 1911. He was educated in China and in Bath, England, then trained at London Hospital graduating as a doctor in 1937. Broomhall had been interested in the Nosu (Yi people) of southwest China since reading a book about them as a teenager and, in 1938, he sailed for China with the China Inland Mission (CIM).

At first Broomhall's movements were restricted partly by the need to learn the language but also by the Japanese occupation and he spent some time at the CIM hospital at Langzhong. In 1942 he married Theodora Janet Churchill and they began pioneer work amongst the Nosu but the war with the Japanese soon forced them to flee to India. They were able to return in 1946 and continued their evangelical and medical work among the Nosu, especially in Liangshan, until, with the arrival of the Communist Party of China, they and their four daughters were placed under house arrest. In 1951 they were expelled but Broomhall continued to work for the mission. He explored the possibility of medical work in Thailand which led to three CIM hospitals being established there.

In 1953 Broomhall and his wife began pioneering among the Mangyan people of Mindoro in the Philippines where they stayed for 11 years. A gifted writer, Broomhall published several works most notably Hudson Taylor and China's Open Century, a seven volume history of Christianity in China since the mid 19th century written during his retirement. Despite ill health he returned to China twice in 1988 and in 1991 when he met the descendants of the Nosu people with whom he had worked. He also raised money for hospitals in China and donated medical equipment and textbooks. He died on 11 May 1994 in England.

Open to researchers. It is essential to arrange an appointment in advance to view the archive in order that someone can be available to help. Please contact us by email at is-crc@ed.ac.uk . Telephone the Centre on: 0131 650 8900. Postal address: Centre for the Study of World Christianity, University of Edinburgh School of Divinity, New College, Mound Place, Edinburgh, EH1 2LX.

A paper catalogue is available to researchers at the Centre, listing the slides in more detail.

Description originally written and researched by Caroline Brown in June 2001. This had been added to Archives Hub in August 2012 by Louise Williams.

Reproduction of materials (for example by digital camera) is free for private research and educational use, although we ask researchers to sign an agreement. Please contact us for enquiries on using the material in a commercial setting, for which there will be a fee. Contact us by email at is-crc@ed.ac.uk . Telephone the Centre on: 0131 650 8900. Postal address: Centre for the Study of World Christianity, University of Edinburgh School of Divinity, New College, Mound Place, Edinburgh, EH1 2LX.

No further additions to the collection are expected.

Andrew James Broomhall deposited his collection with the Centre in 1986. At the same time, he also donated material related to L C Wood, which is also held by the Centre (CSCNWW17). The School of Oriental and African Studies Library, London, hold papers collected by Bromhall during research for his manuscript, Hudson Taylor and China's Open Century, (GB0102 CIM/PP 158-479).