Photocopies of documents relating to William Eakin

Bundle of photocopied documents comprising newspaper accounts of farewell meetings for Eakin held at Ballymoney and Belfast, a letter, dated Sept 1916, from Eakin to his wife 'Lillie' in Belfast and letters of condolence sent from Nigeria to Mrs Eakin following his death in a Calabar hospital in January 1919. Also, three papers written by Eakin on education, on the needs and work of the Qua Iboe Mission and notes on incidences of sleeping sickness in Eket District, Nigeria.

William Eakin, thought to be a native of Ballymoney, Northern Ireland underwent a conversion experience in 1892 after which he developed a passionate interest in foreign missions. He first learned about the Qua Iboe Mission, which had been founded by Samuel Alexander Bill (1864-1942) of Belfast in 1887, at a Faith Mission Convention at Portrush. He applied and was accepted for service shortly afterwards.

He went out to Nigeria in 1905 where he remained, apart from a number of furloughs, until his sudden death in January 1919. By the time of his death he had a parish of 55 out-stations catering to a population of 60,000 including 6,000 pupils attending schools.

Open

Donated in 1982.

This description is the only finding aid at present.

The extensive archive of the Qua Iboe Mission is held at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.