John Abbs
Encyclopedia
Rev. John Abbs was an English missionary. Sent out by the London Missionary Society
, he spent twenty-two years in Travancore
, Southern India
, a period rarely exceeded by European missionaries at that time. He was the husband of Louisa Sewell Abbs
and the author of Twenty-two years' Missionary Experience in Travancore.
on 20 December 1810. His father Zachariah Abbs was a boot and shoemaker born in 1775 in Sustead
, Norfolk
and his mother Mary Holl, born in 1776 in Norwich
. His father was a respected member of the congregation of St Michael's, Coslany in Norwich and a witness to various wills and testaments during his lifetime.
at the conclusion of the Norfolk Auxiliary Meeting on 23 August 1837, and on the same day appointed to Neyyoor
, South Travancore
. He married Louisa Sewell Skipper
on 15 September 1837 at Princes Street Chapel, Norwich. The couple departed from England in October 1837, arrived in Quilton, South India in March 1838, and reached the mission station in Neyyoor on 20 April 1838.
Abbs worked in Neyyoor under Rev. Charles Mead; the western portion of the district was put under his charge. His wife and Mrs Mault, also the wife of a missionary, began to teach lace making and embroidery to the local girls. While in Neyyoor, the Abbs's had three children: John Henry (born 1838), Amelia (born 1841) and Louisa (born 1842).
In 1845 Abbs was transferred to Pareychaley, South Travancore, where a bungalow had been erected for Abbs to found his own mission. Here he continued to labour and educate local inhabitants in various subjects, including literacy, health and religion. His mission became the headquarters for the mission district. The village and district prospered, and the mission became one of the largest in the world, with over 10,000 native Christians under the charge of one European missionary.
His wife taught the local girls at the boarding school subjects included religion, history, geography and some elements of natural philosophy. She continued the work she had done in Neyyoor and began an embroidery industry in the district. The workers were paid a reasonable wage and the surplus used mostly for building up institutions intended for women.
While in Pareychaley they had two more children, Selina (born 1847) and Charles (born 1849). In 1850 Louisa briefly went to England with her children, leaving them there at missionary schools and with family members. She remained with her husband in Travancore until 1959, when they returned to Norwich.
The success of Abbs's mission can be seen today: the district contains some 100 congregations and the famous Abbs Memorial Church in Parassala
built in his honour.
in the library archives of the School of Oriental and African Studies
, along with an 1861 history of Travancore that remained in manuscript.
After the Abbs's return to England in 1861, he was appointed to be minister of the Bethel Chapel in Kirkbymoorside
, Yorkshire
where he moved with his wife and three daughters, all by then governesses
. In 1870 he published his book Twenty-two years' Missionary Experience in Travancore, which was published by his son C. J. Abbs in Dewsbury
and by John Snow & Co. in London. His wife died in 1872. He retired as minister in 1877 but remained in Kirkbymoorside until his death on 19 March 1888.
London Missionary Society
The London Missionary Society was a non-denominational missionary society formed in England in 1795 by evangelical Anglicans and Nonconformists, largely Congregationalist in outlook, with missions in the islands of the South Pacific and Africa...
, he spent twenty-two years in Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
, Southern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, a period rarely exceeded by European missionaries at that time. He was the husband of Louisa Sewell Abbs
Louisa Sewell Abbs
Louisa Sewell Abbs was the wife of English missionary Rev. John Abbs who helped establish the lace and embroidery industry in Travancore, Southern India. She also founded and taught at girls boarding schools during her time in India....
and the author of Twenty-two years' Missionary Experience in Travancore.
Background
Abbs was born in NorwichNorwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
on 20 December 1810. His father Zachariah Abbs was a boot and shoemaker born in 1775 in Sustead
Sustead
Sustead is a small village and parish in the county of Norfolk, England, about four miles south-west of Cromer.The parish also includes the villages of Bessingham and Metton. The parish is bounded by Aldborough and Hanworth to the south, Roughton to the east, Felbrigg and Aylmerton to the north...
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
and his mother Mary Holl, born in 1776 in Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
. His father was a respected member of the congregation of St Michael's, Coslany in Norwich and a witness to various wills and testaments during his lifetime.
Missionary work
From 1834 to 1837, Abbs studied at the nonconformist theological college of Cheshunt. He was ordainedOrdination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
at the conclusion of the Norfolk Auxiliary Meeting on 23 August 1837, and on the same day appointed to Neyyoor
Neyyoor
Neyyoor is a village situated in the south of India near Kanya Kumari. The nearest major towns are Thiruvananthapuram and Nagercoil . The nearest railway station is Eraniel Station....
, South Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
. He married Louisa Sewell Skipper
Louisa Sewell Abbs
Louisa Sewell Abbs was the wife of English missionary Rev. John Abbs who helped establish the lace and embroidery industry in Travancore, Southern India. She also founded and taught at girls boarding schools during her time in India....
on 15 September 1837 at Princes Street Chapel, Norwich. The couple departed from England in October 1837, arrived in Quilton, South India in March 1838, and reached the mission station in Neyyoor on 20 April 1838.
Abbs worked in Neyyoor under Rev. Charles Mead; the western portion of the district was put under his charge. His wife and Mrs Mault, also the wife of a missionary, began to teach lace making and embroidery to the local girls. While in Neyyoor, the Abbs's had three children: John Henry (born 1838), Amelia (born 1841) and Louisa (born 1842).
In 1845 Abbs was transferred to Pareychaley, South Travancore, where a bungalow had been erected for Abbs to found his own mission. Here he continued to labour and educate local inhabitants in various subjects, including literacy, health and religion. His mission became the headquarters for the mission district. The village and district prospered, and the mission became one of the largest in the world, with over 10,000 native Christians under the charge of one European missionary.
His wife taught the local girls at the boarding school subjects included religion, history, geography and some elements of natural philosophy. She continued the work she had done in Neyyoor and began an embroidery industry in the district. The workers were paid a reasonable wage and the surplus used mostly for building up institutions intended for women.
While in Pareychaley they had two more children, Selina (born 1847) and Charles (born 1849). In 1850 Louisa briefly went to England with her children, leaving them there at missionary schools and with family members. She remained with her husband in Travancore until 1959, when they returned to Norwich.
The success of Abbs's mission can be seen today: the district contains some 100 congregations and the famous Abbs Memorial Church in Parassala
Parassala
Parassala is a small but busy town in India, at the the southern end of Kerala, bordering Tamil Nadu. Malayalam and Tamil language is spoken by the residents.-Parassala town:The name of Parassala became more popular after the rise of Prof. Parassala B...
built in his honour.
Return to England
His correspondence during his time in Southern India is preserved at the University of LondonUniversity of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
in the library archives of the School of Oriental and African Studies
School of Oriental and African Studies
The School of Oriental and African Studies is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the University of London...
, along with an 1861 history of Travancore that remained in manuscript.
After the Abbs's return to England in 1861, he was appointed to be minister of the Bethel Chapel in Kirkbymoorside
Kirkbymoorside
Kirkbymoorside is a small market town and civil parish in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, England which lies approximately 25 miles north of York midway between Pickering and Helmsley, and has a population of approximately 3,000.-History:...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
where he moved with his wife and three daughters, all by then governesses
Governess
A governess is a girl or woman employed to teach and train children in a private household. In contrast to a nanny or a babysitter, she concentrates on teaching children, not on meeting their physical needs...
. In 1870 he published his book Twenty-two years' Missionary Experience in Travancore, which was published by his son C. J. Abbs in Dewsbury
Dewsbury
Dewsbury is a minster town in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. It is to the west of Wakefield, east of Huddersfield and south of Leeds...
and by John Snow & Co. in London. His wife died in 1872. He retired as minister in 1877 but remained in Kirkbymoorside until his death on 19 March 1888.