Scope and content
The collection primarily comprises papers relating to Douglas Harman's medical missionary
service at Changchow Union Hospital, Changchow [Zhangzhou], China in 1939-1950, and
his service at the LMS hospital in Mbereshi, Northern Rhodesia [Zambia] in 1952-1955.
1. Changchow material The bulk of the Changchow material comprises loose photographs,
glass slides, film strips, and a large collection photographs mounted on display boards
which may have been used in publicity for the London Missionary Society.
The non-photographic material includes minutes and other papers relating to the Three
Missions Council (some of it pre-dating Harman's arrival in Changchow); reports, statistics
and other papers relating to the Changchow Union Hospital; a circular letter and an
article by Douglas Harman; and later correspondence between Douglas Harman and other
former Changchow missionaries and their families, including the families of Dr Ahmed
Fahmy and Dr Wilfrid Busby. Some maps and two brochures relating to Zhangzhou Municipal
Hospital relate to later contacts with Zhangzhou by the Harman family.
2. Mbereshi material BR Most of the material relating to Harman's service in Mbereshi
is also photographic, including loose photographs, negatives and 35mm slides mainly
of scenes in and around the mission and hospital at Mbereshi, including photographs
of hospital personnel, patients and medical cases. Some of the photographs can be
related to accompanying lists of photographs which Harman sent back to his family
in Britain. However, it is also clear that many photographs in the collection do not
appear in the lists, while many photographs which are mentioned in the lists do not
form part of the material transferred to SOAS. The non-photographic material includes
circular letters from Harman at Mbereshi, a report for Mbereshi hospital, magazine
cuttings, and a small number of commemorative booklets.
Record creators history
Douglas Harman (1915-2003) trained as a doctor at the University of Edinburgh (1933-1938),
where he joined the Edinburgh Medical Missionary Society, and decided to undertake
medical missionary work with the London Missionary Society (LMS). After graduation,
Harman completed a year of hospital work in England, and was then assigned by the
LMS to Changchow Union Hospital in Changchow [Zhangzhou], Fujian, China. Harman and
his wife Gladys (born Mary Gladys Gunstone; 1914-2003) sailed for China in 1939, arriving
in Amoy in December 1939. After nine months of language study in Amoy, the Harmans
moved to Changchow in autumn 1940, where Douglas Harman commenced work at the Changchow
Union Hospital.
The LMS's medical mission in Changchow had been commenced in 1887 by Dr Ahmed Fahmy,
whose hospital continued until Dr Fahmy's return to Britain and retirement in 1920.
Medical work was resumed in 1928 when Dr Wilfrid Busby was posted by the LMS to Changchow.
Dr Busby carried on in Dr Fahmy's hospital until his resignation from the LMS in 1939.
By then it had been agreed that the Changchow hospital would be operated jointly by
the London Misssionary Society, the English Presbyterian Mission and the Reformed
Church in America Mission, with a medical staff drawn from the LMS and the Reformed
Church in America Mission. Local oversight of the hospital was in the hands of a joint
committee of the missionary societies known as the Three Missions Council. By the
time Douglas Harman commenced work in 1940, Changchow Union Hospital had been relocated
to the buildings of the Changchow Theological College in order to escape Japanese
bombing. It remained at the College for the remainder of the Second World War. As
Changchow was outside the zone of China occupied by the Japanese, the Harman family
were able to continue in Changchow until 1944, when a Japanese offensive led to the
evacuation of European staff to India. The Harmans arrived in Britain in January 1945.
Douglas and Gladys Harman returned to Changchow in August 1946. In 1947-1949 Douglas
Harman was involved in the building of a new Changchow Union Hospital, made possible
by funds donated by Susan Duryee Fahmy, the widow of Dr Ahmed Fahmy. Following the
rise to power of the Communist Party, the LMS decided to withdraw its missionary staff
from China, and the Harmans returned to Britain in 1950. In 1952 Douglas Harman was
assigned by the LMS to the hospital at its mission station in Mbereshi, Northern Rhodesia
[Zambia]. Gladys Harman remained in Britain with the Harman's children. Harman served
at Mbereshi until 1955, when he was seconded to the Mission to Lepers in Hong Kong.
Harman moved to Hong Kong with his wife and part of his family, and continued to work
at the leprosarium until 1960. The family then returned to London, where Douglas Harman
worked at the Leprosy Study Centre until his retirement.
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Copyright held by SOAS, University of London unless otherwise indicated
Other finding aids
Related material
Papers relating to Douglas Harman are held in the archives of the London Missionary
Society held at SOAS, including Harman's candidates papers (CWM/LMS. Home. Candidates
papers. Second Series. Box 17), and correspondence and reports from Harman to the
LMS (CWM/LMS. 1941-1950. CH/2, CH/23; CWM/LMS. 1951-1960. AF/44). A set of four prints
thought to be by Douglas Harman are in CWM/LMS. China. Photographs. Box 18.
The LMS archive also includes the following personal papers relating to Douglas Harman
(see CWM/LMS. China. Personal. Box 15 in both cases):
(1) A file of correspondence to Harman from a leprosy patient, Li Pak Chwan, and the
text of a story 'Tien Ming' based on Chwan's case (1946-1952).
(2) Album of photographs of the new Changchow Union Hospital, showing hospital buildings,
staff, patients and activities. Includes typed notes by Douglas Harman, and sketch
plans of the hospital site and hospital floors (c1950). Many of the photographs in
the album are duplicated in this collection.
Extent
3 boxes of files and photographic material, plus outsized display boards
Keywords
Subjects:
Medicine
Missionaries
Missionary work
Travel abroad
Geographic names:
China, Asia
Eastern Asia
Southern Africa
Zambia, Africa
Zhangzhou, Fujian, China, Asia
Mbereshi, Luapula, Zambia, Africa
Mbereshi Mission, Luapula, Zambia, Africa
Personal names:Harman; Douglas (1915-2003); medical missionary Harman; Mary Gladys (1914-2003); Missionary wife
Language of the material
English Bemba (Zambia)Chinese
Record creator
Harman; Douglas (1915-2003); medical missionary
Harman; Mary Gladys (1914-2003); Missionary wife
Content provider
School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) Archives, University of London