Retracing the footsteps of Charles and Louise Killie brought about my recollection of more China stories from years past.

These happened to be from the Canadian Methodist missionaries who founded the church I attended in Luzhou. Those missionary founders were Rev. Charles Jolliffe and his wife, Gertrude. The two, along with their children, left for China in 1906. Charles went with his tight-knit graduating class whom all became known as the “Victorian Eight” or the “Vic Eight” for short. They attended the Methodist founded Victoria College, in Toronto, thus the name Victorian Eight. (This educational institute is now known as Victoria University, connected with the University of Toronto.)

The “Vic Eight” were given the following assignments:

Chengtu — N.E. Bowles–Church, Junior and Senior Primary and Charity Schools and H.D. Robertson — Theological and Middle Schools
Penghsien –W.E. Sibley – Church and Outstations, including Tsungninghsien Day and Boarding Schools (until Sept. 1st)
Chungking –E. W. Wallace — Schools (On rise of Council).
Luchow (Luzhou) — C.J.P. Jolliffe – Church, School and Outstations
On furlough–E.W. Morgan

Excerpt of Memories by Charles in his “Our Work in China” memoirs

A Reminiscence of the 1906 Voyage on the Empress of China

I must tell you about the other members of our party. There were Rev. R.B. McAmmond and wife, both of whom are now living at Beamsville Ont. Mr. and Mrs. Harold Robertson, Mr. and Mrs. Egbert Carson. The latter is Aunt Florence. He died in 1910 of typhus fever, got when itinerating. Typhus is caught from the bite of a body louse, sometimes referred to in China as China’s millions. Rev. W.E. Sibley and wife. The latter was beheaded on a Chengtu street in 1926 by a demented Chinese man. Then there were 3 unmarried men, Bowles, Morgan and Wallace. The last of these was afterwards Chancellor of Victoria University. He and Wes. Morgan are both gone. There was another couple, Dr. and Mrs. Frank Allan. Frank was in charge of the Chungking hospital. He worked himself to death. One day after a hard morning he lay down on a couch and went to sleep, his long last sleep. Besides these men and women there were 3 W.M.S. Ladies, Miss Caroline Wellwood, Hattie Woodsworth, afterwards Mrs. Morgan and Uberta Steele. The latter two still live.
“We Go to China”, Our Work in China, (1) & (2)

(Note: Pictures of those mentioned above can be found here: https://library.vicu.utoronto.ca/exhibitions/vic_in_china/portraits/)

Szechwan Traditions and Expressions

The Confucian classics teach filial piety as you know. But is is sometimes shown in ways strange to us. Hsu Hwan Tin helped me [C.J.P. Jolliffe] with building operations [in Luchow] for several years. When his old mother became sick and they thought she was going to die, Hsu had carpenters bring lumber and make her a coffin in the courtyard just outside her window. The sound of the men working on her coffin was music to her ears. Especially did it please her to know that she had such a filial son.
“Notes and Incidents”, Our Work in China, VII (b).

Missionary Dress Code Prior to the 1911 Revolution

The members of the China Inland Mission, who went to China as missionaries from Great Britain, Canada, Australia, U.S.A. and other countries were compelled to wear Chinese clothes as well as the “pig tail”. 
   Gertrude Jolliffe, “The Queue”, Album, [page 39-40], undated.

Recalling a Gruesome Gertrude Story from “Our Work in China”

Years ago, I met the grandson and great-grandson of the Jolliffe’s who shared with me a copy of Our Work in China, the memoirs of Gertrude and Charles. I remember one story I read that stood out to me so vividly that I have always remembered it. Here is my recollection of the incident:

Dr. Ferguson was among us and helped to establish the Western dispensary, which was greatly used by our small clinic. He told this story concerning a Chinese woman who had gone into labor. He was called to assist, and so was the midwife. She had fashionably long fingernails, which the Chinese women of high status wore. Such nails indicated that one did not have to engage in manual labor. Often times, to protect the nails from breaking, the women wore metal guards. In this instance, the midwife had removed the guards, exposing extremely sharp and deadly nails which, as the child was removed from the womb, accidentally sliced across the tender belly of the newborn child. The intestines were exposed, pouring out in such a manner that I was unable to relieve the child’s distress. Needless to say, the baby did not survive.

To this day, I have always wondered if Dr. Ferguson ever again allowed a Chinese midwife with such knife-like appendages to assist in his deliveries.

The Entire “Our Work in China”

If you are truly interested in reading the Jolliffe’s full account of their time in China, here is the digital copy of all 99 pages.  It is one fascinating read.  I encourage anyone who has a curiosity about life in China over 100 years ago to take a look.  It will NOT disappoint!

https://digitalcollections.vicu.utoronto.ca/RS/pages/view.php?ref=6472&k=