The Special Collections of the Cadbury Research Library, University of Birmingham, hold several collections that contain documents relating to leprosy, primarily missionary archives. The archives are open to members of the public, who must register for a readers card. More information about access is here.

The Church Missionary Society Archive comprises the records of the administrative departments at the Society's headquarters, principally the General Secretary's, Finance, Medical, Candidates and Women's Departments, and the records of its Overseas Missions. The Medical Department sub-fonds include the records of the CMS’s medical missionary work, including anti-leprosy work in Africa (Nigeria, Sudan, Tanzania, and others), China, Japan, and India. Correspondence with other organisations, including The Mission to Lepers (later The Leprosy Mission/TLM) and BELRA, is also included.

The Church Missionary Society Unofficial Papers collection complements the main CMS archive, and includes further correspondence and photographs relating to the CMS’s anti-leprosy work. The Papers of the Mid-Africa Ministry collection contains documentation of the Mid-Africa Ministry’s work at the Lake Bunyoni leprosy settlement, Uganda.

The Sargant Collection comprises miscellaneous circular letters and printed material relating to mission work in South India and to the Church of South India. This material was largely collected by the Rt Rev Norman C. Sargant, as a Methodist missionary in Mysore and later Bishop of Mysore. In this collection, there is a circular letter by E. James Currant on Victoria Leprosy Hospital, Dichpalli, India (1952-1953). In the collection on Mary Calvert Holdsworth Memorial Hospital (Mysore, South India), there are several reports on the hospital’s anti-leprosy work (1963, 1969-1970).

In the University of Birmingham Staff: Papers of John Edwards collection, there is a file of correspondence, chiefly with Indian scientists, and papers, especially relating to studies of HLA-linked leprosy (1992-2003). Another file includes correspondence relating to the visit of S.K. Ghei, Assistant Director, Central Jalma Institute for Leprosy, Taj Ganja, Agra, India (1993).

Entry created 11 January 2016