Summary
Henry Townsend (1815–1886) was an Anglican missionary in Nigeria.
Early life edit
Townsend was born in Exeter on December 1, 1815.[1]
Ordained in England in 1842, Townsend set off for Sierra Leone with Charles Andrew Gollmer and Samuel Ajayi Crowther,[2] landing there that same year; after working there only a few months, he was transferred to the Yoruba mission.[1] He returned to England for a year, then travelled to Abeokuta in Nigeria.
Career edit
From 1846 to 1867, he based his mission in Abeokuta. Thomas Birch Freeman was actually the first European to enter Abeokuta. He arrived there on 11 December 1843. When he returned to Badagry on 24 December, he met Rev. Henry Townsend and they celebrated Christmas Day together sharing the Gospel in Badagry. According to Ajisafe, he was the first European person to enter Abeokuta, arriving there on 4 January 1843 and was 'given a grand reception' (Ajisafe 1924: 85).
Working with Samuel Crowther, a Yoruba Anglican priest, Townsend wrote several hymns in Yoruba and aided in the compilation of Crowther's Yoruba primer.[3][4] Townsend was against Crowther, a native Yoruba, becoming a bishop.[5][6]
Townsend published a Yoruba newspaper called 'Iwe-Irohin' in 1859.[a][1] This is said to have started off the print media in Nigeria, as the newspaper was the bilingual paper in Nigeria.[4] The paper used 8 years before it demise.
In 1862, he opened an orphanage[7] and several trade schools.[1]
From 1871 to 1872 Rev Henry and Mrs Townsend were co-principals of CMS Female Institution Lagos Nigeria.[8]
Townsend retired in 1876. His journals and letters are held at the University of Birmingham and Oxford University.[9]
Publications edit
Townsend published several books[4] including two Yoruba school-books and;
- Hymn Book in Yoruba
- Primer in Yoruba
- Book of Common Prayer in Yoruba
- Peep of Day in Yoruba
Family edit
Townsend married Sarah Pearse in 1840.[4]
See also edit
Notes edit
- ^ Iwe Irohin or Iwe Irohin fun awon Ebga
References edit
- ^ a b c d Nigerian Guardian website, Henry Townsend: A Visionary Leader, article dated December 8, 2019
- ^ Justus Anglican website, The Book of Common Prayer among the Nations of the World (Chapter 1)
- ^ JISC Archive website, Papers of Reverend Henry Townsend
- ^ a b c d Dictionary of African Christian Biography website, Townsend, Henry, 1815-1886, Anglican Communion (Church Missionary Society)
- ^ Church Mission Society website, Racial tension in mission: reviewing the Niger mission crisis (1875-97) and its implications for mission, article by Emmanuel A.S. Egbunu (2020)
- ^ Wycliffe Translators website, Samuel Adjai Crowther
- ^ Sedos Mission website, Missions in Seasons of Chaos: Lessons from Yoruba Civil Wars for Contemporary Christian Missions (2023)
- ^ Nigerian Finder website, List of Early Missionaries in Nigeria, article dated January 9, 2022
- ^ UK National Archives website, Townsend, Henry, (1815-1886), missionary to Nigeria
- Freeman, Thomas Birch, Journal of Various Visits to the Kingdoms of Ashanti, Aku, and Dahomi in Western Africa,Third Edition Frank Cass and Co.Ltd. 1968 pp. 223-236
External links edit
- Brief biography
- Msingi Afrika Magazine website First Storey Building - Badagry, article by Chioma Phillips dated August 28, 2019