Mary and Annie Bell

Mary Bell (22 April 1844 – 23 October 1874) and Annie (Ann) Bell (22 April 1844 – 26 March 1926) were pioneering Christian Missionaries and members of the China Inland Mission (CIM). They were born in Great Waltham, Essex,[1] the twin daughters of William Bell (a local shoemaker) and his wife Sophia (née Collins). The family were raised as members of the Little Waltham Independent Congregational Church. Mary travelled to China as a member of the Lammermuir Party[2] in 1866 and subsequently married William David Rudland,[3] a fellow missionary and member of the CIM. Annie followed her sister to China a year and a half later, sailing on the Clipper Taitsing.[4] She subsequently married Edward Fishe, also a fellow missionary with the CIM. Both Mary and Annie worked alongside their husbands in the various mission stations where they were based. They gave Bible classes to the local women and established and ran schools for local children. Their work was instrumental not only in spreading the gospels, but crucially, in establishing and building trust within the local communities.

Mary Bell
Born	(1844-04-22)22 April 1844[1] Great Waltham, Essex, England
Died	23 October 1874(1874-10-23) (aged 30) Islington, London, England
Resting place	Abney Park Cemetery, Stoke Newington, London, England
Other names	En Sing
Spouse(s)	William David Rudland
Children	Ebenezer William, Mary Annie, Mary Annie, Grace Bell, Charles Asher

Annie (Ann) Bell
Born	(1844-04-22)22 April 1844[1] Great Waltham, Essex, England
Died	26 March 1926(1926-03-26) (aged 81) Denmark, Western Australia
Resting place	Denmark, Western Australia
Spouse(s)	Nathaniel Bohannon Edward Fishe
Children	Jessie Marion, Charles Hugh, Lucy Mary, Arthur Henry

Notes

1. General Register Office Reference: Chelmsford, 1844, Qtr J, Vol 12, Page 48
2. Broomhall 1915, page 38
3. Occasional Papers Vol 3 page 22
4. Knill 2017, page 103

References

• The Occasional Papers of the China Inland Mission, Volumes 1-38. London: James Nisbet & Co. 1866–1874.
• China’s Millions. London: Morgan and Scott. 1875–1912.
• The Chinese Recorder and Missionary Journal. Shanghai: Presbyterian Mission Press. 1868–1913.
• Broomhall, M (1915). The Jubilee Story of the China Inland Mission. London: Morgan & Scott Ltd.
• Guinness, M.G. (1894). The Story of the China Inland Mission. London: Morgan & Scott.
• Registers of Births, Marriages, and Deaths. Southport, England: The General Register Office for England and Wales. 1837–2017.
• Taylor, J H (1902). J.Hudson Taylor An Autobiography. Charleston, SC: Amazon. ISBN 9781611043303.
• Illustrated Missionary News. London: Elliot Stock. 1867–1880.
• Knill, James L (2017). Mary and Annie Bell - Unsung Pioneers of the China Inland Mission. Charleston, SC: Amazon. ISBN 9781542522557.

Further reading

• Knill, James L (2017). Mary and Annie Bell - Unsung Pioneers of the China Inland Mission. Charleston, SC: Amazon. ISBN 9781542522557.