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CMS Archives
One of the richest collections of mission and international history in Britain, the CMS archives contain more than two million items.
The main collection is held at the University of Birmingham, but many resources are available at the Crowther Centre for Mission Education at CMS in Oxford - and online.
Feel free to visit the Crowther Centre any time, though if you need to speak to someone or to be sure you will find what you are looking for, please contact the archivist in advance.
In Birmingham
With an estimated 2,000,000 items, this is by far the largest collection in the University Library. It has been received in instalments from 1979, and papers from the Society's foundation in 1799 up to 1949 are currently open for scholarly study. The collection is a rich source of information not only for ecclesiastical history and missiology but for the secular history and anthropology of the many countries, particularly in Asia and Africa, in which the Society has operated. Included are records of the Society's home administration (minute books, ledgers, correspondence and publications) and of the work of individual missions, amongst them letters and diaries kept by missionaries. Over the years the Society has absorbed three other missionary societies, and their archives too now form part of the collection in the University Library; they are the Church of England Zenana Missionary Society (founded 1880), the Female Education Society (founded 1834), and the Loochoo Naval Mission (founded 1843).
In Oxford
The archives are available for consultation during normal library opening hours (9am – 5pm), however if you wish to speak to the archivist it is best to arrange an appointment.
Although the main archive collection is held in Birmingham there are many archival resources that may be consulted in Oxford:
• A full set of the archive catalogues for the Birmingham collection
• Microfilms of the Archive collection (approximately 2/3 of the collection has now been filmed by Adam Matthews Publications and is available for viewing
• Publications:
CMS Proceedings (1801-1921) became CMS Report (1922-1961)
- Lists of current CMS missionaries, by location
- List of Secretaries, Officers and Staff of the Society
- Brief overview of the year's work in each mission station
- Contributions to the Society from individual churches, listed by diocese
CMS Year Book (1962-1980) became CMS Directory (1981-)
- Lists of current CMS missionaries, by location
- List of Secretaries, Officers and Staff of the Society
CMS Intelligencer (A monthly journal of Missionary Information) (1849-1906) became Church Missionary Review (1907-1927); Church Overseas (1928-1934); East & West Review (1935-1964)
- Scholarly publication with in-depth articles
CMS Gleaner (1842-1921) became CM Outlook (1922-1972); YES (1973-)
- more “popular”, briefer articles with illustrations
Annual Letters of the Missionaries (1886-1913)
- “topped & tailed” copies of Missionaries' Annual Letters
Annual Report (1919-1944) became Historical Record (1944-1986)
- Precis of selected Annual Letters / Link Letters
Church Missionary Record (Detailing the Proceedings of the CMS) (1830-1875)
The Missionary Register (Containing the Principal Transactions of the various Institutions for Propagating the Gospel: with The Proceedings, at Large, of the Church Missionary Society) (1813-1855)
Helpful links
Adam Matthew Publications
Missionary Collections
CMS History by Rosemary Keen
Organisation & Classification of the Archive
How to use the CMS archive
Examples of searches for Missionaries
Organisation of the Microfilm Collection
University of Birmingham
CMS Archives at Birmingham
Online catalogue of the CMS Archive
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