Papers of Rev Kenneth Maltus Smith

Personal papers of Revd Kenneth Maltus Smith, 1953-1986, relating to his service as an LMS missionary and teacher at Inyati Mission, Southern Rhodesia [Zimbabwe] and Moeding College, Bechuanaland Protectorate [Botswana]. The correspondence and papers reflect the considerable changes that were taking place in the political and educational fields in both Southern Rhodesia and the Bechuanaland Protectorate, together with changes in church government, particularly as it affected Southern Africa. Material relates largely to Revd Smith's work as a teacher and Principal, but also reflect his involvement with committees and events associated with church work.

Rev Kenneth Maltus Smith, son of Frederick Maltus Smith, was born on 22 November 1926 at Jammalamadugu, where his parents were serving as missionaries with the London Missionary Society. He studied at St Catherine's College, Cambridge. He married Mavis Threlfall Roberts on 1 April 1953. He and his wife were appointed as missionaries with the London Missionary Society on the teaching staff of the secondary school at Inyati Mission in Southern Rhodesia, in January 1954. Four years later he was promoted Head of the School. In 1960 he was again in Cambridge reading Theology and was ordained minister of the Congregational Church. From 1961 to 1965 he was back in Inyati, with one year as Acting Principal at Moeding College in Botswana in 1966, before returning to Inyati for two more years. In January 1969 he moved back as Principal of Moeding College, where he served until his return to England in 1986. He resigned from service with the Council for World Mission on 31 October 2986. He was awarded an MBE for services to Education in Botswana, January 1974.

Physical arrangement and file titles assigned by Revd Smith have been retained.

A small number of papers of a sensitive personal nature have been removed from the files and will remain closed.

Open

Donated to SOAS Library by Revd Kenneth Maltus Smith in June 2011.

Official papers of Revd Maltus Smith's missionary service are held with the London Missionary Society archive [SOAS ref: CWM/LMS]. Many of the documents prepared by him during his time at Inyati and Moeding have necessarily been filed at the schools.