New, Charles (1840-1875)

Charles New was one of the pioneers of the mission to East Africa, being sent out to join Thomas Wakefield in Ribe after all his companions had died.

Charles was born in Walham Green, Fulham on January 25th 1840, when Fulham was still a rural area, and baptised into the Wesleyan Methodist Church. He began work as a shoemaker, but soon experienced a call to the Free Methodist ministry.

His circuits were:

1859    Preston I

1860    Camelford

1863    Ribe, East Africa

1866    Galas Country, East Africa

1869    Ribe, East Africa

He died on Rabai, East Africa on February 14th 1875, and was buried near Rebecca Waklefield and Edmund Butterworth at Ribe.

In addition to his missionary work he was active in exploring what is now Kenya, and has the distinction of being the first Englishman to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, writing about his activities in Life, wanderings and labour in Eastern Africa

Sources:

Beckerlegge United Methodist ministers and their circuits (1968) p169

Barton, S.S. ‘Memorials of Charles New’ London: Methodist Free Church Book Room, 1876 230pp

New, Charles Life, wanderings and labours in Eastern Africa. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1873  525pp