Postcards and publications of Frederick Onley and Bertha Onley

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

Scope and Content

A small collection of postcards and publications relating to the work of the London Missionary Society, including an account of the life of Frederick George Onley.

Administrative / Biographical History

Frederick George Onley was born on 17 March 1884 at Wellingborough. He studied at Hackney College. He was ordained on 7 October 1909, at Cricklewood Congregational Church, and appointed to Hankow, China, with the London Missionary Society. He sailed on 22 October 1909. He acted at locum tenens at Tsaoshih, 1911-1912. He married Bertha Greenleaves at the LMS Church in Wuhang on 26 April 1911. In 1912, he was transferred to Tsaoshih. During 1921-1922 he had charge of the Mienyang churches of the Hankow country district. He was stationed at Wuchang, 1929-1933. In 1928 he was appointed to Hanyang to open classes for theological students, which in cooperation with the Methodist Church developed into the Central China Union Theological Seminary, of which he beame the first Principal. He resigned from the LMS in 1933 to accept an appointment as Secretary in China of the Religious Tract Society (RTS). In 1934 he became Hon. Pastor of the Union Church Hankow, for English-speaking residents. He was interned 1943-1945. He retired from the RTS in 1949. He died on 31 March 1952. Mrs Onley died on 9 August 1969.

Access Information

Open

Acquisition Information

Donated to SOAS Library in March 2015 by the grandson of Rev Frederick and Bertha Greenleaves Onley, missionaries in Central China (Wuhan Region), 1908-1948.

Geographical Names