These are photos of the grave of Rev. Arthur J. Small, who was the longest serving Australian Methodist missionary in Fiji. He started at Bua in 1879 and served in many areas before becoming Qase Levu in 1900. He oversaw the shift of the mission HQ from Bau to Suva in 1903. He was the first missionary to live at the Pender St. property and his home stood for almost 100 years. The printing press was housed in the original wooden building next to the Butt St. Methodist Church. The Qase Levu was a man of gentle temperament with great wisdom and concern for all people. Small died in 1924 and his funeral stopped the nation. People lined the road from Davuilevu (where the funeral service was held) to the Suva cemetery.
29 comments:
Nice to see mention of Rev. Arthur Small. Arthur and Amy enjoyed years of pleasant service, mainly in the Loma I Viti region of Fiji. We have access to Amy's memoirs. My wife and family are great grandchildren.
Dear David,
Thankyou for your message.
It is good to hear from descendants of Arthur Small, the longest serving European missionary in Fiji: 1879-1925.
He was a gracious and wise Chairman of the Methodist Mission from 1900 until his death in 1925.
May I ask if the family wishes to keep Amy Small's memoirs in their possession or are they interested in them going to an institution such as the National Archives of Fiji?
Very best wishes - Andrew Thornley
Hi,
My name is Savu Tawake from Fiji. I am interested in a piece of Fiji's church history. A list of Fijian Matrys in recent Church history.
Loloma levu -
savu.tawake@gmail.com
Regards,
Savu
Bula Savu,
I would suggest you consult the records and library at the National Archives of Fiji.
There is the one European martyr, Thomas Baker and then there are the Fijian martyrs,including those who died along with Thomas Baker and the four Wesleyan teachers who were killed on the island of New Britain in 1878.
The Roman Catholic church may also have their own list of martyrs.
Best wishes, Andrew Thornley
The Reverend AJ Small is my Great Grandfather. His granddaughters Frieda Vuikaba McHugh and Sheila Fai Stewart - identical twins - are still alive - 90 years old in August 2013 and reside in Auckland and Hamilton respectively in NZ.
Dear Pamela,
What a delight to hear from you. I apologize for this very late reply.
Your great grandfather (and his wife) were remarkable misionaries, greatly loved by the Fijians. Arthur's legacy was considerable but not trumpeted in any way because of his essential humility. It was a privilege for me to read his many letters and other material from his time in Fiji, all of which is in the National Archives of Fiji. I am hoping that Arthur Small will be the subject of academic study by a Fijian student in the not too distant future.
Please pass on my greetings and best wishes to Frieda and Sheila in Auckland and Hamilton.
Dear Pamela,
What a delight to hear from you. I apologize for this very late reply.
Your great grandfather (and his wife) were remarkable misionaries, greatly loved by the Fijians. Arthur's legacy was considerable but not trumpeted in any way because of his essential humility. It was a privilege for me to read his many letters and other material from his time in Fiji, all of which is in the National Archives of Fiji. I am hoping that Arthur Small will be the subject of academic study by a Fijian student in the not too distant future.
Please pass on my greetings and best wishes to Frieda and Sheila in Auckland and Hamilton.
298655453Dear David,
I have just stumbled upon your blog and am reading with great interest. I am a great-great grand-daughter of Reverend Small - his grand-daughter, my grandmother, was christened Viwa Emma Nellie in 1914. I have always wanted to visit Fiji and the island of Viwa. I have seen photos of Reverend Arthur Small's funeral procession. Thank you for taking the time to write this blog.
Regards and best wishes - Linda Hume
Dear Linda,
I have just seen your entry. My apologies for not replying sooner.
As noted in other responses to family descendants, your great great grandfather was a fine missionary, serving the longest of any European Methodist missionary in Fiji. His grave (pictured) is in the Suva cemetery but a bit hard to find. There is a memorial plaque to him on the wall of the main Fijian church (Centenary) in Suva. He served in Bua(Vanua Levu) and then Viwa and Bau. He was responsible for shifting the headquarters of the Methodist Mission from the island of Bau to Suva in 1903.
If you wish to visit some of these places in Fiji, I would be happy to introduce your name to the Methodist authorities in Fiji. Trips to Bau and Viwa have to be organised through the Church. Bua, Small's first missionary appointment in 1879, can be visited without any special permission.
Thanks for your reply, Andrew! Sharing your knowledge and interest of the Methodist Church history in Fiji is much appreciated. Yes, (Nana) Viwa was immensely proud of her family history which she knew all about. I hope that we would be able to organise a visit to Fiji in the near future and see for ourselves a part of our history.
Regards
Linda
Hi Andrew - I am a great grand daughter of Arthur and Emma Small, grand daughter of their daughter Winifred Mary, and daughter of Sheila Faioa. Having read my great grandmother's memoirs, Amy was one of their daughters, (therefore not Arthur's wife as per David George). Winifred's daughter Viwa's other Christian name was Hanisi - I am not aware of her having the names Emma Nellie (as per Linda Hume). - Kind regards - Barbara Browning (nee Stewart)
Dear Barbara,
I must apologize for replying so tardily to your interesting contribution. This "entry" on Arthur Small has stimulated the most number of responses, perhaps a testament to the impact that the memory of Arthur Small had on his descendants. I am interested to know where you read your great grandmother's memoirs and if there are any other papers still in family hands?
In appreciation,
Andrew Thornley.
Hi David here Bula Vinaka,
The Smalls are Anne's family, with aunts, grandmothers with names like Viti and Viwa. We took the kids over there, to Fiji and were invited over to Bau after meeting Epinesa Cakobau at Levuka. This was some years ago. Anne's branch of the family are Gosnells, which will place us.
We have just had Fiji Independence Day celebrated here in Cromwell Central Otago. Lots of Fijians are moving here for work- and we are looking at ways of responding. [Anne no longer goes to church.]
To respond the the graciousness and generosity of Fijians is no mean task.
Currently I am using the old hymn book to start creating some worship items.
In this modern age the key to such endeavour is talanoa... meeting and chatting and working out ways through...
I have read a copy of Ema Small's memoirs.
Not sure where the original is at the moment.
I have researched Small items at the archives in Suva- but cannot remember exactly what this moment.
The Gosnell family hold tabua. And I assume other branches of the family will have some too.
Rev Small settled the dust over the Baker affair at Nausori years ago- and tabua were exchanged.
Rev Baker was warned not to go into the interior, but he insisted on trying.
I would not dare to enter a village today without going through the necessary rituals and protocols.
The Talatala made a great difference to the history and culture of Fiji... something I believe that should be recognised and celebrated.
If you don't have links to the Gosnells and the Olds I have frequent contact with all of them.
Keep networking folks!
PS for Fiji Day this month Anne was rounded up and invited to take part in the meke... uniforms were made up and she enjoyed it immensely. The whole family came along...
Moce,
David.
Thankyou David for your contribution.
It is sometime since I have consulted the blog and your entry is welcome.
On the matter of Thomas Baker, it is very likely that he did not follow good Fijian protocol in his final inland journey, pushing on despite counsel from his Fijian companions that he should avoid certain villages.
With regard to Arthur Small, I am interested to know what happened to one of his sons who was sent to Australia (or maybe chose to go to Australia) as a young man.
I am sorry this information is so vague but any leads would help.
Andrew Thornley.
Hi Barbara
I am the eldest granddaughter of Viwa Hanisi Cole nee McHugh. I warmly recall great aunts Frieda and Sheila but family always used to call them by their pet names and here I'm going to spell these by how it sounded: Vee, Vi and Vooey.
Hello Sandra,
It's Andrew Thornley writing; I initiated this Fiji Methodist Blog and wrote the brief entry on your great grandfather Arthur Small.
I noticed your entry straight away but have neglected the blog for some time. I still keep in touch with people in Fiji and am happy to help if you have any queries.
Rev Arthur Small is buried in the original Suva Cemetery.
If you have not visited Fiji, it is a beautiful place for a holiday and the people are very welcoming.
Yours in appreciation,
Andrew.
Hi Andrew
I am delighted to hear from you and have confirmation of family connection to Rev A J Small.
Time does not permit but I would like to give you a brief account of Grandma's connection to me.
with warmest regards
Sandra Augarde Cole
Hullo Andrew - and Sandra Augarde,
Andrew, David Jones here - you may recall we corresponded many years ago, in this 'Sub Blog' about A. J. Small. I am one of his Great Grandchildren - via his 3rd child Amy V L Small who was my grandparent with Rev Robt B Gosnell. I was also at one time a parishioner of your father "Uncle Bob" at Taranaki Street.
We exchanged family information in our previous contact.
Since then I have been a little more scientific about my family tree and reading SANDRA'S blog above I am interested to make contact with her, to share history and fill in some gaps in the descendants of Winifred Small. I was a work colleague of Don Cole who I guess might have been Sandra's brother? The McHugh family was well known to me via Lyall J F McHugh in my Sydney days.
Are you able to pass this message to Sandra - or if Sandra reads this I would be grateful of contact. My contact is dwjones001@gmail.com
With many thanks,
David Jones
Great to hear from you again Bob.
Yes, I hope that Sandra is reading your post and able to contact you directly. I do not have a separate contact for you.
All the very best with your research,
Andrew.
Sorry Bob - I meant David of course.
Andrew.
Got that Andrew. Thanks for prompt reply. David.
PS Recently made initial contact with a 3rd cousin [lives in Sydney] -descended from brother of A J Small. She has been reading A J Small diaries at Mitchell Library.
Hi David, since we made contact I have been fully immersed in 'getting to know the family' so to speak. I was enthralled with the account of Emma's reminiscences of Fiji, as was my own daughter upon reading them. I note that Emma made the best of of conditions unimaginable today, Arthur chose well in Emma for his wife!
Hi David, since we made contact I have been fully immersed in 'getting to know the family' so to speak. I was enthralled with the account of Emma's reminiscences of Fiji, as was my own daughter upon reading them. I note that Emma made the best of of conditions unimaginable today, Arthur chose well in Emma for his wife!
Viwa Emma Nellie Small is the daughter of Stanley James Wilkinson Small, one of Winifred's brothers.
Hullo Sandra, I have a fairly complete record of the descendants of AJ and Emma Small. if you are interested in sharing the chain down to today's generation please email me direct.
Regards David Jones
I am the enthralled daughter of Sandra, and popped on to say the Emma name is still going! My youngest, who is 5, is an Emma.
Dear Small Family and Friends,
What a great legacy has been bequeathed by this fine missionary couple - Arthur and Emma Small. Thanks for the continuing entries. Perhaps there needs to be a Small Reunion sometime!
Andrew Thornley.
Hi...
A call out to wider family here.
The Gosnell branch of the family are looking at improving the lot of Rev Arthur's grave.
Fiji has been through a long period of crisis- and it seems that is is over, at last.
PS Michelle- we have an Emma in our family too! A beautiful woman... !!!
Dear David and Small family descendants,
This is the most active blog that I have started and I am delighted to read all the correspondence.
It is very welcome to hear that there are efforts to improve the grave of Rev Arthur Small in the Suva cemetery. You probably know that Arthur Small was leader of the Methodist Church in Fiji (Qase Levu is the Fijian title) from 1901 to his death in 1924. During his time, the HQ of Methodist Church organisation in Fiji shifted from Bau to Suva - no doubt on the initiative of Arthur. There was a house built for him at a site in Pender St. Suva and I recall staying in the house in 1976 when I did research on Methodist Church history. The house has since been replaced by a modern concrete dwelling.
Arthur was a very skilled and wise church leader. He was greatly loved by the Fijian chiefs and people and people lined the streets when his funeral cortege travelled from Davuilevu to the Suva cemetery (about 20kms)
I have always wondered what happened to Arthur Small's son after he left Fiji to work in Australia. Any information on this would be very welcome.
Blessings to you all.
Andrew Thornley.
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