About the Project

What are the aims of the ‘Living Archive Project’?

The aim of the ‘Living Archive Project’ is two-fold:

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  • To bring to public notice the long history of connections between the Anglican church in Ireland and particular regions of South America through the work of the South American Missionary Society Irish Auxiliary.
    • To highlight the stories of individuals who, over the course of more than 170 years, have been involved in what is now known as ‘SAMS Ireland’ and the breadth of interest in parishes across the island of Ireland in South America.
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  • To create a rich and varied archive of materials relating to the Irish Auxiliary that builds on the existing collection held in the Representative Church Body (RCB) Library, Dublin.
    • The project is intended to be collaborative, seeking to include contributions from individuals and parishes across the island of Ireland and beyond. We hope to enhance our understanding of the long-standing heritage links between Ireland and South America through these materials.
What is the focus of the project?

In its first phase, the project focuses on primary materials that give us insights into the lives and stories from an all- Ireland perspective, particularly pre-1900. It will then extend into the 20th and 21st centuries. This particularly European focus does not intend to exclude the importance of the South American perspective but, as a first step, it seeks to address the large gap in knowledge around the Anglican missionaries in South America. As the project progresses many other voices will be included to illustrate the complexity, dynamism, and impact of this shared heritage and the challenges these experiences pose in the 21st century.

Would you like to get involved?

We invite you to explore the stories of the men and women from across Ireland whose lives have been connected to South America and who maintain ongoing relationships with communities among whom they lived and in whose lives they shared. Find out if your parish or your ancestors formed part of these transatlantic histories.

Might you have papers, photos, other materials in your home or your church records that could form part of our living archive? Or would you be interested in staying in touch for further updates? We would love to hear from you!

New content is still being added to this site and edits or new features will appear as necessary.
Contact details can be found here.

Project Creation

The ‘Living Archive Project’ website is designed by New Creation Design and Print Ltd and funded by Queen’s University Belfast.

In creating this website, we aim to follow a process that is as sustainable and environmentally friendly as possible in line with Queen’s University Belfast Net Zero Plans. https://www.qub.ac.uk/about/sustainability/net-zero/

Careful account will be maintained relating to privacy and ethical issues in the use of any personal data, in line with regulations under Queen’s University Belfast and the RCB library. Should there be any concern, please contact: living.archive@qub.ac.uk

Thank you …

To the CMS Crowther Library for kindly granted permission for use of images from the various issues of the South American Missionary Society Magazine (SAMM).

To Queen’s University Belfast for the funding to make this website possible.

To Dr Susan Hood, Representative Church Body Library, Dublin, and Maddy Peston, Crowther Library, Church Missionary Society, Oxford, for their support and contributions to the archivists of the two key collections relating to the South American Missionary Society,

To Bishop Fanta Clarke who donated the first SAMS materials that inspired this project and to the Clarks, Whiteheads, and Clarkes who agreed to be the first missionary interview candidates!To Revd Geoff Hamilton and the staff SAMS Ireland who have given time and support to this project, donating materials for the archive.

To those of you visiting the site and who have contributed and continue to contribute to its development and to the materials relating to the SAMS Irish Auxiliary.

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