Robert Stewart Wright: Biographical Notes

Robert Stewart Wright was born on 28 Mar 1858, at Edinburgh. He was appointed to the Central Africa Mission with the London Missionary Society, and left England on 11 May 1887. He settled at Fwambo on 21 Sep. In Mar 1888 he went to Kavala Island, and afterwards settled at Niamkolo. In 1890 he returned to England due to ill-health, and in Dec 1893 resigned his connection with the Society. On 29 Apr 1894 he married May Garland Shilston. between the years 1894 and 1902 Mr Wright was connected with the African Lakes Corporation, and subsequently accepted a position in the British South Africa Company's service. He re-entered the London Missionary Society's service in 1902, and travelled to Central Africa, reaching Kawimbe on 3 Aug. In 1906 he was transferred to Niamkolo. In 1916 he retired from the service of the Society, and took the pastorate of Haydon Bridge Congregational Church. In 1920, he visited Australia as a deputation from the Society, and subsequently settled at Maungaturoto in New Zealand. He died in 1926.

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Notes originally compiled by Robert Stewart Wright's daughter, from his diary. The original document was lent to Irene Fletcher, London Missionary Society Librarian & Archivist, in 1957. At that time two copies were made and added to his folder in the archives [reference: CWM/LMS/Africa/Personal/Box 1]. At the time of Mrs Wright's death in 1961, the document was sent to Rev R. O. Latham, LMS Home Secretary, with the idea that it might be used in the LMS Chronicle. Two further copues were made before returning the original. This typescript copy was made in 1961. An additional note from Irene Fletcher makes reference to fragments of a diary by R. S. Wright in the archive [reference: CWM/LMS/Africa/Personal/Box 1], which states "It was a whole book, but all I ever saw is those pieces, and assume the rest was blitzed."