William Key missionary

Parents:

• Birth*: William Key missionary was born on 7 July 1858 at Monikie, Forfarshire, Scotland, .¹
• He was the son of William Key farm servant and Elisabeth Myers.
• (Groom) Marriage*: William Key missionary married Margaret Symon twin, daughter of John Symon railroad worker and Elizabeth Lindsay, on 20 September 1886 at Tai-yuen Fu, Shansi, China, ; At Tai-yuen Fu, Shansi, on the 20th September by the Rev W W Cassels, William Key to Margaret Symon, both of the China Inland Mission. As reported in the North China Herald and Supremem Court & Consular Gazette; Shanghai, October 13th 1886.
  
  [Additionally - William is stated as 'widower' on his 1899 marriage registration in Perth, Scotland to Mary Stewart. In 1888, reporting of his parents' Golden Wedding there is mention "Besides the above mentioned members of their family, they have a daughter in America, and a son engaged as a missionary in China who together have eight children." On his death in 1924, the probate papers are lodged in favour of Lizzie Lindsay Key, spinster. The death of Elizabeth Lindsay Key aged 75 is found at Broughty Ferry in 1963 - her mother is stated as Margaret Symon.]^2,3,4,5
• Marriage*: William Key missionary married Mary Stewart, daughter of William Stewart and Mary Scott, on Friday, 29 September 1899 at 30 King Street, Perth, Perthshire, Scotland, ; 1899 marriages in the district of Perth in the county of Perth, ref 229; 1899 on the Twenty-ninth day of September at 30 King Street Perth after publications according to the forms of the Baptist Church; signed William Key foreign missionary, widower, aged 41, 17 Park Avenue Dundee, parents William Key, railway surfaceman (dec) and Elizabeth Key ms Meyers (dec); signed Mary Stewart housekeeper, spinster, aged 52, 30 King Street Perth, parents William Stewart contractor (dec) and Mary Stewart ms Scott (dec); signed J A Grant Robinson, signed John Aitchison witness; Mary Scott witness; registered 1899 September 30 at Perth, J Bridges assistant registrar.^6,2
• (Deceased) Death*: William Key missionary died on 20 January 1924 at Springfield, Wandsworth, Surrey, England, , at age 65 1924, Key William of 35 Leghorn road Harlesden Middlesex dies 20 January 1924 at Springfield Wandsworth Surrey Administration London 5 February to LIzzie Lindsay Key spinster. Effects £61.⁷

• Occupation*: In 1884 at China, , William was a missionary with the China Inland Mission.⁸
• Newspaper Article: He was mentioned in a newspaper article At a public meeting of the Young Men's Foreign Missionary Society held in the Young Men's Christian Association, Aldersgate Street, this evening, farewell addresses were delivered by several young men who are about to leave as missionaries to China to-morrow. Among them was Mr William Key of Monitieth, who gave an address about his colportage* work in Dundee and other parts of Scotland.
  * the distribution of publications, books, and religious tracts by carriers called "colporteurs" or "colporters". The term does not necessarily refer to religious book peddling. [Wikipedia] on 16 January 1884 at YMCA, Aldersgate Street, London EC, England, .⁹
  

  YMCA reading rooms Aldersgate St
• (Witness) Newspaper Article: He and Margaret Key, James Todd, Sarah Key, David McDonald, George Key, Ann Gibson Ford, Helen Key powerloom weaver, John Bews coal salesman and Ann Key were mentioned in a newspaper article about William Key farm servant and Elisabeth Myers on 17 December 1888. GOLDEN WEDDING - Mr William Key and Mrs Key, who have resided in Monifieth for about 20 years, celebrated their golden wedding on Saturday evening. The aged couple had with them on the occasion three daughters with their husbands, and one son and his wife, together with thirteen grandchildren. The company spent a very enjoyable evening in a manner appropriate to the interesting event. It may be mentioned that Mr Key is in his 82nd year, while Mrs Key is 72 years of age, and both are hale and hearty. Besides the above mentioned members of their family, they have a daughter in America, and a son engaged as a missionary in China who together have eight children. Mr and Mrs Key have twenty-three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.³
  
• Newspaper Article*: William Key missionary was mentioned in a newspaper article on 27 August 1892 at Dundee Courier and Argus, Address by Mr William Key, Missionary from China, in Y.M.C.A. Hall To-Morrow Evening, at 6.30. All Invited.
  --------------------------
  Address to Young Men by Mr William Key, from China, in Y.M.C.A. Hall To-Morrow Afternoon, at 5.^11,12
  
• Newspaper Article: He was mentioned in a newspaper article on 28 June 1898 at The Bury and Norwich Post and Suffolk Standard, The British and Forgeign Bible Society has promptly utilised the openings which are presented by recent changes in China. One of its agents, Mr. William Key, is already at Wei-hai-wei, the new British naval station, and German missionaries are also supplied with Bibles by the Society.¹³
  
• (Informant) Death: He registered the death of William Key farm servant on 12 April 1899 at Bayfield Lodge, West Ferry, Dundee, Forfarshire, Scotland, ; 1899 deaths in the district of St Andrew in the burgh of Dundee, William Key farm grieve widower of Elizabeth Myres, 1899 April twelfth 9h 10m am Bayfield Lodge West Ferry parish of Dundee, m, 91 years, parents George Key estate joiner (dec) and Isobel Key ms Law (dec), cystitis chronic exhaustion as cert by James Gowans MBCM, William Key son 17 Park Avenue Dundee; registered 1899 April 13th at Dundee Jas Murray registrar.¹⁴
• (Witness) Newspaper Article: William Key missionary and Elisabeth Myers and David McDonald was mentioned in a newspaper article about William Key farm servant on 13 April 1899. Broughty Ferry - Death of a Nonagerian. - Yesterday morning there passed away at the residence of his son-in-law, Bayfield Lodge, West Ferry, one who was perhaps the oldest resident in the burgh - namely, Mr William Key, who was 91 years of age last October. Deceased in his younger days was a ploughman, and was engaged on several farms in the northern part of the parish for many years, the later period of his life previous to coming here to reside being spent in Monifieth. Mr Key, whose wife predeceased him some years ago, brought up a family of sons and daughters. One of his sons, William, has laboured for many years in China as a missionary, and he only arrived here from that country on Monday last, just in time to see his aged father before he expired.¹⁵
  
• Newspaper Article: William Key missionary and Mary Stewart were mentioned in a newspaper article on 31 October 1900 at London, England, , The North China Herald and S C & C Gazette; page 957; Passengers Outward ... per str. Oldenburg - for London - ... Mr & Mrs William Key.^13,16,17
  
• Passenger List*: William Key missionary was found on the passenger list of Southwark Ship and with Mary Stewart on 29 December 1900 at Southampton, England, , Arrival at Southamption, ship Southwark. Port of Embarkation - Shanghai. Mr W Key, male aged 44, profession missionary, English; Mrs W Key aged 53, English.¹⁸

Census & Directory Entries

Member of Household	7 April 1861	They was listed as a member of the household of William Key farm servant and Elisabeth Myers in the 1861 census at North Powrie Farm Cottage, Murroes, Forfarshire, Scotland, . William Keay, son, 2, Forfar Monikie; William Keay, head, mar, 57, ag lab, Forfarshire Monifieth; Elisabeth M Keay, wife, mar, 43, Kincardinshire Marykirk; 2 children in school; 2 rooms with windows.19
Member of Household	2 April 1871	They was listed as a member of the household of William Key farm servant and Elisabeth Myers in the 1871 census at Burnside Cottage, Monifieth, Forfarshire, Scotland, . William Kay, son, 13, labourer at foundry, Forfar Monikie; William Kay, head, mar, 59, labourer, Forfarshire Monifieth; Elisabeth Kay, wife, 52, labourer's wife, Kincardineshire Marykirk; 1 child in school; 1 room with window. Header information for this census record reads 'County of Forfar, registration district of Monifieth, enumeration district no 9, name of enumerator John M Walton. Description of enumeration district : N By Seaview and road leading to Nursery and Ashlude, S River Tay, E Parish of Monikie, W By road from South Grange to River Tay. This district comprises the Village of Monifieth.20,21'
Not Found	3 April 1881	William Key missionary has not been found in the 1881 census. In China? But may be living with others at Kinnoull in Perthshire as servant to head Grace MacIntyre aged 56, and working as a gardener?22
Not Found	5 April 1891	He has not been found in the 1891 census. Was he maybe in China?
Head of Household	31 March 1901	He was listed as head of household along with spouse Mary Stewart in the 1901 census at 10 Finchley Road, House of Rest for Christian Workers, St Marylebone, London, England, . William Key, married, aged 42, Preacher, London City Missionary, b Scotland Forfarshire; Mary Key, married, aged 55, b Scotland Perth.23
Head of Household	31 March 1911	He was listed as head of household along with spouse Mary Stewart in the 1911 census at 35 Leghorn Road, Harlesden, London NW, England, . William Key, head, 52, married, Missionary, City Mission, London, b Forfarshire Murroes NB; Mary Key, wife, 65, married 11 years 0 children, b Dron Perthshire NB.24

Notes

• (Witness) History: The China Inland Mission was officially set up in 1865 under the direction of Rev. James Hudson Taylor and William Thomas Berger. Refusing to appeal for funds but relying on unsolicited contributions, the goal of the China Inland Mission (CIM) was the interdenominational evangelization of China's inland provinces. Missionaries were to have no guaranteed salary and were expected to become closely involved in the Chinese way of life. The first missionary party, including Taylor, left for China on the Lammermui in May 1866. They reached Shanghai in September, and the first Mission base was established at Hangchow, Chekiang. Between 1866 and 1888, work was concentrated on the coastal provinces.
  
  In 1868 the headquarters moved to Yangchow, which was better situated for beginning work in the interior. From its foundation, William Berger acted as Home Director while Taylor, as General Director, was in charge of the Mission's work in the field. Berge's retirement in 1872 led to administrative changes with the formation of the London Council to deal with home affairs. The role of the London Council was to process applications and send new recruits to China, promote the work of the Mission at home and receive financial contributions. The China Department was headed by the General Director, who was advised by the General Council composed of senior missionaries including the Superintendents of provincial districts. The campaign to find volunteers was led by Taylor. He organised the departure of the popular Cambridge Seven in 1886 and that of the Hundred in 1888. In 1889, he was asked to address the Shanghai Missionary Conference, during which he made an appeal for 1,000 volunteers to join Chinese missions over the next five years. New recruits undertook a definite course of study and examination to become a missionary. Six months initial training covered Chinese language, geography, government, etiquette, religion and the communication of the Gospel. Trainees were then posted to an inland station where they were supervised by a senior missionary. After two years, successful candidates became junior missionaries, and after five years took responsibility for a station. Experienced missionaries were appointed over a number of districts within a province. The China Inland Mission underwent considerable growth and development in the years leading up to 1934, which saw the peak of its activity. In 1866, there were 24 workers at 4 mission stations. By its Jubilee year in 1915, there were 1,063 workers at 227 stations and by 1934, 1,368 workers at 364 stations throughout China. The CIM also reached parts of Manchuria, Mongolia, Tibet and Upper Burma. In 1873 the headquarters of the Mission moved to Shanghai. In 1881 a school was established at Chefoo for the children of missionaries. From its inception, women played a crucial role in the CIM. From 1878, amidst much public criticism, Taylor permitted single women to work in the mission field. By 1882, the CIM listed 56 wives of missionaries and 95 single women engaged in the ministry. The success of the CIM also led to the establishment of Home Councils outside China. By 1950, there were Home Councils in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Eire, Australia (1890), New Zealand (1894), South Africa (1943), Canada and the United States (North American Council established 1888), and Switzerland (1950). Several smaller missionary societies from Scandinavia and Germany also became connected with the CIM as associate missions. The CIM began its work just as China was becoming more open to foreigners, but missionaries still had to overcome considerable hostility. The CIM was particularly badly hit by the massacres of the Boxer Rebellion of 1900. The losses suffered during the Boxer Rebellion affected Taylor's health and he resigned officially in favour of D.E. Hoste in 1903. He died in 1905. In the years following 1934, war and revolution led to a decline in the number of CIM missionaries in China. During the Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945), missionaries remained at their station where they could, caring for refugees and organising welfare camps. Many were sent to the internment camps in Shanghai and Yangchow. In 1942 the headquarters were evacuated from Shanghai to escape the Japanese army, and temporarily re-located to Chungking. Staff moved back to Shanghai in 1945. At that time the civil war between the Nationalist and Communist forces intensified. Following the Communist victory in 1949 there was mounting suspicion against foreign missionaries, who were labelled as 'imperialist spies'. In 1950 the General Director decided that further work in China was impossible and ordered all CIM missionaries to leave. In 1951 a temporary headquarters was established at Hong Kong to oversee the withdrawal. The last CIM missionaries left China in 1953. The Mission directors met in Australia (Kalorama) to discuss the future of the CIM. Teams were appointed to survey the extent of the need of Chinese nationals outside China, particularly in South East Asia and Japan. At a conference held in Bournemouth, England, in November 1951, it was decided that the Mission should continue its work and missionaries were sent to new fields in Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, Philippines, Indonesia and Taiwan (later Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong). New headquarters were established in Singapore and the name was changed to the China Inland Mission Overseas Missionary Fellowship. At a meeting of the Mission Overseas Council held in October 1964, the name became the Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF). This acknowledged the additional need for work amongst non-Chinese nationals in the new fields of work. The structure of the Mission was altered so that non-western Christians could become full members and set up home councils in their own countries.
  
  Home Councils were subsequently established in Japan (1965), Malaysia (1965), Singapore (1965), Hong Kong (1966), Philippines (1966), Germany (1967) and the Netherlands (1967). The General Director remained the head of the Mission, with the Overseas Director responsible for missionary activities in Asia, and Home Directors responsible for OMF activities in their own countries. Work retained a strong emphasis on evangelism, with support for literature programmes, medical services, linguistic work, student work and outreach. The OMF continues its work today. Further reading: Broomhall, A.J., Hudson Taylor and China's Open Century , (London, 7 volumes, 1981-1989); Guinness, G., The Story of the China Inland Mission , (London 1893); Lyall, L. A Passion for the Impossible , (London 1965.)^25,26
  

  The China Inland Mission, Newington Green, Mildmay, Islington, London.
  © Fin Fahey, 15 October 2005, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic license.
• Note for Web*: William Key missionary between 7 May 1890 and 20 May 1890 at Shanghai, China, , attended the General conference of the Protestant Missionaries of China held at Shanghai, May 7-20, 1890; notes in the confernce documents indicate that William Key arrived in China 1884, was currently with the China Inland Mission and stationed Sihchow .²⁷