Appendix C: Chronology of the Life and Times of Mary Slessor

“So teach us to number our days, That we may get us a heart of wisdom.”

— Psalm 90:12, ASV

The dates below are meant as orientation. Dates confirmed by civil records or official documents are given plainly. Where the sources disagree, the disagreement is noted. Where only Livingstone’s biography gives a date, it is followed unless it is plainly wrong.

1843 - The Invitation

The king and chiefs of the Efik towns of Calabar send a written invitation for missionaries, arranged through a Liverpool surgeon, Dr. Ferguson, and missionaries in Jamaica.

1846 - The Mission Founded

Hope Masterton Waddell leads a party from Jamaica, including Jamaicans of African descent, to found the Calabar mission. It passes to the United Presbyterian Church in 1847.

1848 - Birth

Mary Mitchell Slessor is born on 2 December at Gilcomston, Aberdeen, one of eleven children of Robert Slessor, shoemaker, and Mary Mitchell.

1849-1878 - Laws Against Twin-Killing

Efik rulers of Calabar, with British consuls, agree to ban human sacrifice and the killing of twins (1849-1855), and renew the agreements in 1878. Missionaries rescue twins from 1852.

1859 - Dundee

The family moves to Dundee. By 1861 they are in Dura Street. Mary becomes a half-timer at Baxter Brothers’ works at about eleven.

1860-1870 - Deaths in the Family

Her brother Robert dies of croup (December 1860); her brother William dies of tuberculosis (April 1870); her father dies on 16 September 1870. Her brother John dies in New Zealand soon after emigrating (date uncertain).

1874 - Livingstone’s Death

News of David Livingstone’s death moves her to offer for mission service.

1875 - Offer Accepted

In May she offers herself to the Foreign Mission Board of the United Presbyterian Church, and is accepted as a teacher for Calabar.

1876 - Sailing

After three months in Edinburgh, she sails from Liverpool on the SS Ethiopia on 5 August, and arrives at Calabar in September. (Livingstone’s “Saturday, September 11” cannot be right, since that date was a Monday.) Her salary is sixty pounds a year.

1879-1880 - First Furlough

Home from June 1879; returns in October 1880 to take charge of Old Town.

1882-1883 - Janie

She rescues twin babies, Atim Eso and her brother; the boy is killed by relatives. A tornado wrecks her house at the end of 1882, and she is invalided home in the spring of 1883 with the girl, later baptised Janie.

1883-1885 - At Home

Dundee, then Topsham, Devon, with her invalid sister. Her sister Susan dies in Edinburgh in April 1885. She sails for Calabar in November 1885 and is posted to Creek Town.

1885-1886 - Bereft

Her mother dies at Topsham in December 1885; her sister Janie dies there on 5 March 1886.

1886 - Okoyong Decided

In October the mission council decides to send her to Okoyong.

1888 - Into Okoyong

After a year of negotiation she moves to Ekenge, in Okoyong, on 4 August.

c. 1889 - Etim’s Death

The carpenter Charles Ovens arrives. Etim, son of Chief Edem, dies after an accident; Mary prevents the poison ordeal and the funeral takes place without human sacrifice.

1890-1892 - Engagement and Furlough

Engaged to Charles Morrison late in 1890; the Board declines to transfer him to Okoyong. Furlough from January 1891 to February 1892. Her letter to the Missionary Record contributes to the founding of the Hope Waddell Institute (1895).

1891-1893 - The Protectorate

Sir Claude Macdonald becomes Commissioner and Consul-General (1891). About 1892 he authorises her to run a native court in Okoyong, usually described as making her vice-consul. The Niger Coast Protectorate is named in 1893.

1894-1895 - The Consul Called

She appeals to the Consul in 1894; the chiefs agree to abandon killing at funerals. Macdonald renews the agreement the following year. Mary Kingsley visits Okoyong (probably 1895); Susie is born and later dies.

1896 - Akpap and Smallpox

She moves to Akpap. Four of her children die of an infectious disease. In a smallpox epidemic Ekpenyong and Edem die; she buries Edem herself.

1898 - Furlough

Home with Janie, Mary, Alice, and Maggie. Returns at the end of the year.

1899-1901 - Alone

Three years alone at Akpap. Janie marries Akibo Eyo by native oath on 21 December 1899 (Livingstone’s register; some modern accounts give 12 December). Dan is born about 1900.

1901-1902 - The Aro Expedition

British forces invade the Aro country; Arochukwu falls at the end of December 1901. Mary is brought down to Creek Town for about three months and declines a government house.

1903 - Itu and the First Communion

In January she plants Esien, Effiom, and Mana at Itu. In June she visits Arochukwu with Colonel Montanaro. In August the first communion is held in Okoyong, and Jean, Mana, Iye, Akom, and Esien are baptised.

1904 - The Creek

She settles at Itu in July and opens work along the Enyong Creek at her own expense. Onoyom builds his church at Akani Obio.

1905-1909 - The Native Court

Appointed permanent vice-president of the Itu native court (moved to Ikot Obong) in May 1905. She declines the salary. Resigns in November 1909 (possibly 1910).

1906 - Pioneer

After her refusal to return to Akpap, the Church frees her to work as a pioneer missionary. Arochukwu becomes a mission station.

1907 - Last Visit Home

In Scotland with Dan from May to October.

1908 - Use

She fixes the site of the women’s settlement at Use, near Ikot Obong, and makes it her headquarters.

1910-1912 - Ikpe

She opens work at Ikpe on the upper Enyong Creek. In 1912 she completes thirty-six years’ service, and takes a holiday in the Canary Islands with Jean.

1913 - Honour

Visits Akpap in July, and sees Ma Eme for the last time. Made an Honorary Associate of the Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem, on the recommendation of Sir Frederick Lugard. A new church is opened at Use at Christmas.

1914 - Odoro Ikpe and the War

She builds a house at Odoro Ikpe. News of the war reaches her on 13 August. She falls seriously ill and is carried to Use.

1915 - Death

She dies at Use at 3.30 a.m. on 13 January, aged sixty-six, and is buried in the mission cemetery at Duke Town, Calabar. (The government Gazette gives the place as Itu, the district in which Use lay.)

1918 - Jean

Jean (Janie Annan Slessor) dies at Use in the influenza epidemic.

1956 - A Royal Wreath

Queen Elizabeth II lays a wreath on her grave during a visit to Nigeria.

1997-2009 - The Banknote

Her portrait appears on the Clydesdale Bank ten-pound note.