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John Henry Budden

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John Henry Budden
Born(1813-11-19)November 19, 1813
London, England
DiedMarch 18, 1890(1890-03-18) (aged 76)
Almora, Uttarakhand, India
Burial placeAlmora, India
MonumentsBudden Memorial Church (Almora)
OccupationMissionary
Years active1841–1887
OrganizationLondon Missionary Society
SpouseSarah Odell Newton
Children4

John Henry Budden (1813–1890) was an English missionary associated with the London Missionary Society who worked in the Kumaon division of Uttarakhand, India, during the 19th century.[1][2] He established the Almora Mission, and took part in setting up of Christian schools and healthcare facilities in the region.[3][4][5]

Early Life

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Budden was born in London, England, to William Budden and Elizabeth Hanson. His family belonged to the Nonconformist tradition, and his father later resided in Kensington.[6] He graduated from the Western College.[7] Budden spent his early years in Canterbury, where he became involved in a local church.[6] In 1835, he returned to London and worked at the wholesale firm of Johnson & Bulmer on Cannon Street.[8] During this time, he attended the Weigh House Chapel, where the ministry of Thomas Binney affected him to pursue missionary work.[9] After completing his preparation, he was ordained alongside his brother-in-law, under the London Missionary Society, and later that year, he departed for India.[10][11]

History

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Budden was ordained on Tuesday evening, June 8, 1841, at the Weigh House Chapel, Fish Street Hill.[12] He had been appointed as a missionary to Benares, North India.[7] On June 17, 1841, Budden departed from Portsmouth on the ship Peking, captained by Laing, and arrived at Calcutta on November 26, 1841, before proceeding to his assignment in Benares, where he arrived by January 12, 1842.[13] In July 1842, he accompanied D.G. Watt to Fatehgarh, returning at the end of September.[14][15] In November 1842, he visited Shimla for health reasons and returned to Benares in 1843.[16] On November 25, 1843, he took charge of the mission at Mirzapur in the absence of Robert Cotton Mather.[17] Budden was stationed in Mirzapur from 1843 to 1848.[18]

On April 27, 1845, He returned to England and married Sarah Odell Newton, a church member from Kensington. They departed for India on August 1, 1845, arriving in Calcutta on November 18 and reaching Mirzapur in January 1846.[19] In 1848, he visited Nainital for health reasons. He returned to Benares at the end of 1849 and continued his work there before resuming duties in Mirzapur in 1850.[20]

Sarah died at Almora on January 31, 1859. In November 1859, John departed for England, arriving there on January 4, 1860.[15] He returned to India in 1862, reaching Almora at the end of March, where he resumed his missionary and educational work.[21] In 1863, he visited England again for health reasons, leaving Calcutta in December and arriving in England on April 2, 1864. He returned to India on September 25, 1865, and remained there until 1884.[22]

In 1884, Budden returned to England on furlough, arriving on April 20.[11] He went back to India in 1885 and submitted his resignation from active service in July 1887, citing age and health reasons. The London Missionary Society accepted his resignation on September 26, 1887.[23]

Missions

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Almora

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Image of the first Mission school in Almora, featuring a stone building with columns and people on the steps.

Budden visited the Himalayan hills for health reasons, where he met Captain Ramsay, a colonial officer based in Nainital.[24] Along with John Hallet Batten, Ramsay offered him a missionary position in the Kumaon Hills.[25] The London Missionary Society approved the appointment, with arrangements for his salary and local expenses to be funded through subscriptions starting in January 1851.[15][26]

In 1850 Budden and his wife with Ramsay’s support, established a mission station.[27] The mission included two buildings and a Chapel, where Sunday services were held in both Hindi and English.[28][29] That same year, the London Missionary Society under Budden founded the first English school in Almora,[30] later named Ramsay High School.[31] While the school was initially supported through local subscriptions, these declined over time, and the Directors in London resumed payment of Budden’s salary.[32] He served in Almora for 46 years,[33][34] and his wife was involved in the mission until her death in 1859.[35]

Leprosy

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Main article: Leprosy Mission of Almora
19th-century illustration of the Almora leprosy settlement

The leper house in Almora was originally established by Captain Ramsay, who had been supporting lepers since 1836.[36] Budden assumed responsibility for its management in 1850, following Ramsay’s departure to England.[37] He relocated the facility to a six-acre site, constructed the necessary buildings, and developed a stable support system. He administered the Almora Leprosy Asylum from 1851 to 1887. In 1864 and 1865, ninety-six lepers were baptized.[38] Between 1880 and 1890, 250 patients were admitted, with ninety-one baptized and forty-two becoming church members.[39] The 1895 report recorded 114 inmates, comprising sixty men and fifty-four women, most of whom identified as Christians.[18]

Highlights

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  • In 1866, Budden noted native workers were effective, reducing the need for additional European missionaries.[40]
  • In 1867, He proposed native workers join the District Committee, but the idea was opposed for years. He saw schools and medical facilities as serving local needs.[41]
  • In 1871, Budden continued to promote religious discussion through the Debating Club, which included a committee called Sat-Sabha.[42]
  • From 1872, He held Saturday meetings on missionary topics and scriptures, with mission school students attending and helping to run a night school for local artisans.[42]
  • In 1874, after the conversion of a Gaur Brahman, Budden reported that local people questioned the conduct of native Christians and described some as "rice Christians" for not following scripture teachings.[42]
  • In 1903, He established a second leper asylum near Almora, which was later transferred to Methodist workers due to funding issues.[43]
  • In 1878, Budden said the Sanskrit Pathshala was started to preserve traditional learning and included both modern and traditional groups. He also received many requests to learn English but saw that students did not follow Christian teachings as expected.[43]
  • Pandit Joshi criticized Christianity in a written speech. Budden later replied with "Christianity Indestructible."[44]
  • As pastor, Budden sold land near the church to Tara Dutt Pant, a Brahmin convert to Christianity, for a residence. He also provided land and housing to converts in Kumaon who had been separated from their communities.[45]
  • In 1860, Budden was assigned to tutor Rai Bahadur Chiranjee Lall Sah Thulgharia in English and British customs.[32]

Memorials

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Main article: Budden Memorial Church (Almora)
Budden Memorial Methodist Church in Almora, named after John Henry Budden, features Gothic-style architecture.

The Budden Memorial Church in Almora was established, After his death, the mission station was overseen by his daughter, Mary Budden.[46] In 1891, the Christian population in the Almora province was recorded at 706, primarily through the activities of the London Missionary Society during Budden’s time. By 1909, the number was 455.[47]

Publications

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  • In 1856, he translated Muir’s Matapariksha from Sanskrit.[42]
  • In 1875, at the Conference of Urdu and Hindi Christian Literature, Budden proposed publishing a Hindi magazine in Devanagari script with an English version alongside it. The proposal was accepted, and he was appointed co-editor of the magazine, Aryan, which began publication from Mirzapur in 1876.[42]

Associates

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  • In 1863, John Hewlett became associated with Budden, who had been in poor health for several years. From 1866 to 1884, Budden continued to work there.[18]
  • In 1868, Robert Ashton of London missionary society referred to Budden’s use of community service in missionary work.[40]
  • In 1868, John Henry Budden disagreed with missionary Kennedy and sought to replace him with William Jones, leading to tensions between them.[50]
  • In 1869, James Kennedy faced criticism for poor management and disputes at Almora and Rani Khet. Henry Budden reported this, suggested appointing a younger replacement, and supported William Jones. Kennedy mainly ministered to troops and opposed native school supervision, while Budden oversaw their work.[40]
  • In 1877, Ram Chandra Basu gave lectures that supported Budden’s work. In 1879, three baptisms took place in Almora: a girl from the bazaar school and two Rajput brothers, baptized after informing their uncle, Nain Singh C.I.E. One brother, Uttam Singh Rawat, later assisted the missionaries.[51]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "QUIET RESTFULNESS - How 'going to the hills' was visually immortalized". Archived from the original on 2019-12-20. Retrieved 2025-04-25.
  2. ^ "Missionaries' Initiative ForThe Public Health In British Kumaun" (PDF).
  3. ^ Scott, Benjamin (1890). A State Iniquity: Its Rise, Extension, and Overthrow. Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Company. ISBN 978-0-7222-1840-2. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
  4. ^ ""The Almora Mission" — Life and Work in Benares and Kumaon, 1839–1877 by James Kennedy". biblehub.com. Retrieved 2025-03-04.
  5. ^ "Daily Alta California, Volume 81, Number 21, 21 July 1889".
  6. ^ a b "Two Indian veterans: the Rev. J. H. Budden of Almora".
  7. ^ a b Register of Missionaries, Deputations, Etc., from 1796 to 1896. London Missionary Society. 1896.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  8. ^ "FIBIS Database - Powered by The Frontis Archive Publishing System". search.fibis.org. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  9. ^ London Missionary Society (1867). The Chronicle of the London Missionary Society. Harvard University. London : Sold by John Snow & Co.
  10. ^ "BUDDEN missionaries in Almora, - Genealogy.com". www.genealogy.com. Retrieved 2025-03-04.
  11. ^ a b Luscombe, Stephen. "The British Empire". www.britishempire.co.uk. Retrieved 2025-03-04.
  12. ^ The Evangelical Magazine and Missionary Chronicle. 1841.
  13. ^ "Life and Work in Benares and Kumaon, 1839–1877" by S. Kennedy (1884)" (PDF).
  14. ^ "Life and Work in Benares and Kumaon' 1839-1877 by James Kennedy, Read free on ReadCentral.com". www.readcentral.com. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  15. ^ a b c "Historical Papers Relating to Kumaun 1809–1842" (PDF).
  16. ^ "Read Life and Work in Benares and Kumaon' 1839-1877 by James Kennedy, Read free on ReadCentral.com". www.readcentral.com. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  17. ^ Badley, B. H. (Brenton Hamline) (1886). Indian missionary directory and memorial volume. Princeton Theological Seminary Library. Calcutta : Methodist Publishing House.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)
  18. ^ a b c d "The History of the London Missionary Society, Vol. 2 (1899)" (PDF).
  19. ^ Scott, Benjamin (1890). A State Iniquity: Its Rise, Extension, and Overthrow. Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Company. ISBN 978-0-7222-1840-2. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
  20. ^ "The Leprosy Mission of Almora" (PDF).
  21. ^ "The Himalayan Journal, Vol. 31 (1975)".
  22. ^ Tewari, Kiran; Joshi, Anil K. (2019). "The Humane Face of Colonial Administration: The Leprosy Homes in British Kumaun". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 80: 635–643. ISSN 2249-1937. JSTOR 27192915.
  23. ^ "British Protestant Missions and the Indian 'Christian Community': Religion, Race, and Culture in North India, 1850–1930" by Hayden J. A. Bellenoit (2007)" (PDF).
  24. ^ Joshi, Sanjay (2015). "Juliet Got It Wrong: Conversion and the Politics of Naming in Kumaon, ca. 1850–1930". The Journal of Asian Studies. 74 (4): 843–862. doi:10.1017/S0021911815001102. ISSN 0021-9118. JSTOR 24738559.
  25. ^ Badley, Bishop Brenton T. (1931). Vision and Victories In Hindustan Vol-i (1931). Methodist Publishing House, Madras.
  26. ^ "QUIET RESTFULNESS - How 'going to the hills' was visually immortalized". Archived from the original on 2019-12-20. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  27. ^ "Missionary Year Book for 1889" (PDF).
  28. ^ "Making Kumaun Modern: Family and Custom c. 1815–1930" (PDF).
  29. ^ Kennedy, James (1993). Life and Work in Benares and Kumaon, 1839-1877. Asian Educational Services. ISBN 978-81-206-0751-4.
  30. ^ Agarwal, Deepa; Ayub, Tahmina Aziz (2019-01-28). The Begum: A Portrait of Ra'ana Liaquat Ali Khan, Pakistan's Pioneering First Lady. Penguin Random House India Private Limited. ISBN 978-93-5305-450-2.
  31. ^ Joshi, Anil K. (1999). ""ALMORA AKHBAR": INITIAL YEARS OF VERNACULAR JOURNALISM IN 19th CENTURY KUMAON". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 60: 473–484. ISSN 2249-1937. JSTOR 44144114.
  32. ^ a b "The Journal of the Families In British India Society" (PDF).
  33. ^ "The Story of the L.M.S., 1795–1895" (PDF).
  34. ^ Behera, Maguni Charan (2021-09-11). Tribe-British Relations in India: Revisiting Text, Perspective and Approach. Springer Nature. ISBN 978-981-16-3424-6.
  35. ^ Luscombe, Stephen. "The British Empire". www.britishempire.co.uk. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
  36. ^ Tewari, Kiran; Joshi, Anil K. (2019). "The Humane Face of Colonial Administration: The Leprosy Homes in British Kumaun". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 80: 635–643. ISSN 2249-1937. JSTOR 27192915.
  37. ^ "History of Kumaun, Vol. 1" by B. D. Pande (1993)" (PDF).
  38. ^ Tewari, Kiran; Joshi, Anil K. (2019). "The Humane Face of Colonial Administration: The Leprosy Homes in British Kumaun". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 80: 635–643. ISSN 2249-1937. JSTOR 27192915.
  39. ^ Verma, Raj Gopal Singh (2022-09-26). The Lady of Two Nations: Life and Times of Ra'ana Liaqat Ali Khan. Global Collective Publishers. ISBN 978-1-954021-88-4.
  40. ^ a b c "Missionary Activity and Conflict in Almora: The Role of Henry Budden" (PDF).
  41. ^ "The Story of the London Missionary Society" by Charles Silvester Horne" (PDF).
  42. ^ a b c d e f g Pande, Vasudha. "Making Kumaun Modern: Beliefs and practices circa 1815–1930". Prime Ministers' Museum and Library Society.
  43. ^ a b "Miller, A. Donald. An Inn Called Welcome: The Story of the London Missionary Society. London: Livingstone Press, 1965" (PDF).
  44. ^ Tyagi, B. K. (2020-07-16). Dr Ronald Ross Mosquito, Malaria, India and the Nobel Prize. Scientific Publishers. ISBN 978-93-89412-40-6.
  45. ^ Verma, Raj Gopal Singh (2022-09-26). The Lady of Two Nations: Life and Times of Ra'ana Liaqat Ali Khan. Global Collective Publishers. ISBN 978-1-954021-88-4.
  46. ^ "Almora church holds mass in evening". The Times of India. 2015-12-24. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2025-05-23.
  47. ^ Luscombe, Stephen. "Almora and Its Mission: History and Overview — British Empire Online". www.britishempire.co.uk. Retrieved 2025-05-23.
  48. ^ "Catalogues Of The Hindi Panjabi Sindhi And Pushtu Printed Books" (PDF).
  49. ^ Taylor, William (1895). Story of My Life: An Account of what I Have Thought and Said and Done in My Ministry of More Than Fifty-three Years in Christian Lands and Among the Heathen : Written by Myself. Eaton & Mains.
  50. ^ "The Project Gutenberg eBook of Life and Work in Benares and Kumaon, 1839-1877, by James Kennedy, M.A." mirror.csclub.uwaterloo.ca. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  51. ^ Society, London Missionary (1896). Register of Missionaries, Deputations, Etc., from 1796 to 1896. London Missionary Society.
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