1910s Charles & Margaret Bridgman and Family | Missionaries and Mission Stations | Vic in China

Rev. Charles & Mrs. C.A. Bridgman were missionaries in China between 1913 and 1942. They had two children: Betty & Donald.

Donald Bridgman served in the RCAF in World War II, and was killed in action. Elizabeth Bridgman studied Medicine in Canada and England, specializing in tropical medicine. She worked in Angola in the United Church of Canada Mission.

In 1930 Reverend Bridgman and his Chinese colleague, Pastor Din were kidnapped by bandits while touring an outstation near Fowchow. Reverend Bridgman wrote an account of his three week captivity and subsequent escape for the West China Missionary news.

The Bridgman family photographs provide a view of Mrs. Bridgman’s nursing work in Penghsien where she oversaw Baby Welfare Clinics' and the Bridgmans' involvement with famine relief work in the 1930s in Jungshien. .

Junghsien Famine Relief

Inscribed on the back of a photograph,
"We are standing in the river bed which is dry. There were over five hundred adults & children in this camp. We succeeded in getting the old folks removed to another place so that we could make the place more sanitary for the children. Heads were shaved, dirty ragged vermin infested clothes burned & new clothes supplied. A bath room is now available & wash cloths & towels for each & basin & bibs. There are now almost five hundred children in the West Gate (?) camp ranging in ages from 2 to 12 years. Hundreds have been saved from blindness & scores of lives have been saved by prompt treatment."

From the back of the photograph of the first picnic on the lawn of the missionary:
"The first picnic on the lawn of hte missionary from the famine relief camp. 30 little children. The Christian Post Master is standing right to Miss McTavish. He is making it possible for us to get cloth towels, bibs, etc. to help clean up the camps. A Bible woman is on each side of Mrs. C.A. Bridgman the other two Chinese men have charge of West Gale Camp. Rev. C.G. Bridgman. They have all had a bath & nearly all had their heads shaved. It has been necessary for all boys & girls alike to have their hair shaved right off. It's much cooler and cleaner."

The Bridgman family photographs were provided by Betty Bridgman.

Missionaries, [possibly 1930s]. Credit: Bridgman Family.

Mr Bridgman in his nursery in Penghsien Credit: Bridgman Family.

Peiling County, Comemmorative Farewell for Rev. Bridgman, 1919 Credit: Bridgman Family.

Mrs Bridgman, Jean Bridgman, Donald C. Bridgman, [undated]. Credit: Bridgman Family.

Charles A. Bridgman; Margaret J. Bridgman with Pastor Din's wife; Charles Bridgman & Pastor Din and the three men who escorted them back, [1930]. (4 photographs) Credit: Bridgman Family.

Charlie Bridgman on Easter Morning in the Pulpit Credit: Bridgman Family.

Charlie on Easter Sunday, (back of the photograph), [undated] Credit: Bridgman Family.

Baby Welfare Clinic, Jungshien & Mothers & Babies Credit: Bridgman Family.

Nurses, babies, Bible women Mrs. Bridgman in Penghsien [top] & Babies in Bathing Department, Penghsien Baby Clinic, [undated]. Credit: Bridgman Family.

After the Fire in Penghsien:1-6 Nothing on their backs Credit: Bridgman Family.

After the Fire in Penghsien:7-9 Nothing on their backs Credit: Bridgman Family.

Our Womans [sic] Bible Class in Penghsien & War Orphans [top] & Some Church Folk Credit: Bridgman Family.

Famine Camp Sufferers, [ca. 1937]. Credit: Bridgman Family.

War orphans who came to our city from Shanghai, Hankow & Five new cases of small pox, [ca 1936]. Credit: Bridgman Family.

War Orphans who came to our city from Shanghai, Hanbow (inscription on back) and Five new cases of small pox (inscription on back) Credit: Bridgman Family.

Entertaining a group from the famine camp just before they broke up camp & went back (C.A. Bridgman) to their own chores. Credit: Bridgman Family.

Entertaining a group from the famine camp just before they broke up camp & went back (C.A. Bridgman) to their own chores.(back of photo) Credit: Bridgman Family.

Miss Holt and Miss Rouse & the 6 Chinese children who were in the famine camp (1936 last year) & Some of the babies from the famine relief camp Credit: Bridgman Family.

Picnic on the lawn of the missionary from the famine relief camp, [1937] Credit: Bridgman Family.

Three people by the Copper Tower & C.A. Bridgman with two young children, a couple and a nurse, [undated] Credit: Bridgman Family.

Compound, [part of Bridgman family, Baby Welfare photographs, undated] Credit: Bridgman Family.

Dorcas Society working on garments for needy children [undated] Credit: Bridgman Family.

Bridgman departure from Fowchow, February 18, 1931 Credit: Bridgman Family.

Charles Bridgman. "Letter to Howard," 1913.

C.A. Bridgman. "An Enforced Holiday in the Hills of Szechwan, 'Where Poppies Grow" West China Missionary News, June 1930

Transcript of the writing on the back of Bridgman family photos