Notes |
- Rev. Richard Birt 1812-1892 came to South Africa in 1838. His first mission was at Umxelo near Fort Beaufort and then on to Peelton.
" The decease of Rev. Richard Birt removes another honoured name from the list of South African missionaries. Mr. Birt was a patriarch in service, having been born May, 1810, at Bromsberrow, Gloucestershire ; ordained in June, 1838, at the Weigh House Chapel ; and appointed to Kafirland. Early in 1843, the health of his first wife (née Eliza Budden) having failed, Mr. and Mrs. Birt visited the sea-coast ; but on their way back the wagon was overturned, and Mrs. Birt was killed on the spot. Mr. Birt afterwards married Mrs. Margaret Fleischer. In 1846, he was compelled by the Kafir War to retire to Somerset, while his station at Umxelo was destroyed. After various delays arising from the Kafir War, he, in August, 1948, commenced a new station at Peelton. On Christmas Day, 1850, another Kafir outbreak upon the station compelled the flight of Mr. Birt, with his family and the people of the station, who all took refuge at King William's Town, while all the newly-erected mission buildings were destroyed. Mr. Birt proceeded to Cape Town, and in September, 1852, he rejoined his people, who were still at King William's Town, and steps were taken towards restoring the station at Peelton. The church there has for some years been partially self-supporting, and more closely connected with the South Africa Congregational Union than with the Society. In 1888, the Directors joined in celebrating Mr. Birt's jubilee of service. "
Deaths : BIRT. - March 20th, at Peelton, South Africa, the Rev. Richard Birt, aged 81 years.
source:
Pg 120
The Chronicle of the London Missionary Society, Volume 1 John Snow & Company, 1892 https://books.google.ca/books?id=E7BNAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA120&lpg=PA120&dq=%22rev+richard+birt%22+africa&source=bl&ots=-WC2D2Cdin&sig=ZbvmFDodxUtglJkVPSRC8oPI_TY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj0jrC_pqXVAhVU0WMKHXk3A-gQ6AEIMDAC#v=onepage&q=%22rev%20richard%20birt%22%20africa&f=false
|