Page 17 - Three Score Years & Ten
P. 17
“THREE SCORE YEARS AND TEN” MISSIONARY WORK IN CHINA
Amy Moore
Andrew 1893-1922; George Findlay Andrew (GFA) 1887-1971; George Andrew 1857-1930.
(Front) Alfred Andrew 1897-1916
GEORGE ANDREW (23.11.1857 - 10.2.1930)
FAMILY BACKGROUND
George Andrew, my mother-in-law Esther's father and my husband Percy's grandfather, was the
youngest son of Abraham Andrew of Manchester and Reddish. He was born on the 23 November
1857 at 49 Brook Street, Chorlton-upon-Medlock in Lancashire. The Medlock River runs on the west
side of Manchester, north of Droyleaden. We have no record of when and why Abraham Andrew and
his wife Esther Grimshaw moved from Brough in the Hope Valley of Derbyshire to live in Manchester,
but his grandson, Arthur John Andrew told me that he opened a "string and paper" business there
which he called "Andrew & Sons". I would guess it was for economic reasons they moved and to give
their three young sons a better education.
Abraham's two other sons were both older than George. The eldest, Isaac, was the organist and
choir master of the Methodist Church at Reddish, and his son James Stothard, held these positions
after him. Isaac also had one daughter who never married. James Stothard married and had one
child Dorothy, who also never married. When writing to me in June 1982 she said, "I am the only
one left of this branch of the Andrew family". She was living then with a companion at 2C Church
Road, Thornton, Cleveleys. She said of George Andrew, "We always referred to him as 'China
George'. He was my grandfather's brother and my father's uncle, always held in high esteem."
Abraham's other son was John of whom we also know very little, except that he had a son who
became a sea captain, plying up and down the China coast. It was John I think, who later lived at
Bridlington on the west coast of Yorkshire and with whom Findlay Andrew, his nephew, lived for some
time after coming home from Chefoo. The whole family were active in the Methodist Church and
Abraham himself was a lay preacher.
THE MISSIONARY CALL
George Andrew joined the YMCA in Manchester and later claimed that "I first became acquainted with
the work of the China Inland Mission when I was a member of the YMCA. The call came to me to go
to China in 1880 and I said, 'Here am I Lord. Send me'."
If as he said, he only felt called in 1880, the preparation and training for missionary work must have
taken a lot less time than it does now, for by the 15 January 1881, he and two other young men were
on their way to France to transfer to a steamship for China. The other two were Arthur Eason from
London and William Glassick from Stoke-on-Trent. A big farewell meeting was held at the YMCA in
Aldersgate Street, London on 23 December 1880. An address was given by Lord Radstock, and Mr.
J.H.Tritton who chaired the meeting gave a word of encouragement and commendation to each of the
young men. Many other meetings were held in churches in and around London, and by the time they
sailed in mid-January, there was a band of praying people ready to stand behind them in prayer and
finance.
WELCOME TO CHINA
They posted letters home from Singapore and on the 18 February arrived in Shanghai. George was
23. Mr. Hudson Taylor, the founder of the Mission was there to welcome them. George said, "He
took me by the hand and expressed his thankfulness to God for bringing me to China, concluding with
17
Amy Moore
Andrew 1893-1922; George Findlay Andrew (GFA) 1887-1971; George Andrew 1857-1930.
(Front) Alfred Andrew 1897-1916
GEORGE ANDREW (23.11.1857 - 10.2.1930)
FAMILY BACKGROUND
George Andrew, my mother-in-law Esther's father and my husband Percy's grandfather, was the
youngest son of Abraham Andrew of Manchester and Reddish. He was born on the 23 November
1857 at 49 Brook Street, Chorlton-upon-Medlock in Lancashire. The Medlock River runs on the west
side of Manchester, north of Droyleaden. We have no record of when and why Abraham Andrew and
his wife Esther Grimshaw moved from Brough in the Hope Valley of Derbyshire to live in Manchester,
but his grandson, Arthur John Andrew told me that he opened a "string and paper" business there
which he called "Andrew & Sons". I would guess it was for economic reasons they moved and to give
their three young sons a better education.
Abraham's two other sons were both older than George. The eldest, Isaac, was the organist and
choir master of the Methodist Church at Reddish, and his son James Stothard, held these positions
after him. Isaac also had one daughter who never married. James Stothard married and had one
child Dorothy, who also never married. When writing to me in June 1982 she said, "I am the only
one left of this branch of the Andrew family". She was living then with a companion at 2C Church
Road, Thornton, Cleveleys. She said of George Andrew, "We always referred to him as 'China
George'. He was my grandfather's brother and my father's uncle, always held in high esteem."
Abraham's other son was John of whom we also know very little, except that he had a son who
became a sea captain, plying up and down the China coast. It was John I think, who later lived at
Bridlington on the west coast of Yorkshire and with whom Findlay Andrew, his nephew, lived for some
time after coming home from Chefoo. The whole family were active in the Methodist Church and
Abraham himself was a lay preacher.
THE MISSIONARY CALL
George Andrew joined the YMCA in Manchester and later claimed that "I first became acquainted with
the work of the China Inland Mission when I was a member of the YMCA. The call came to me to go
to China in 1880 and I said, 'Here am I Lord. Send me'."
If as he said, he only felt called in 1880, the preparation and training for missionary work must have
taken a lot less time than it does now, for by the 15 January 1881, he and two other young men were
on their way to France to transfer to a steamship for China. The other two were Arthur Eason from
London and William Glassick from Stoke-on-Trent. A big farewell meeting was held at the YMCA in
Aldersgate Street, London on 23 December 1880. An address was given by Lord Radstock, and Mr.
J.H.Tritton who chaired the meeting gave a word of encouragement and commendation to each of the
young men. Many other meetings were held in churches in and around London, and by the time they
sailed in mid-January, there was a band of praying people ready to stand behind them in prayer and
finance.
WELCOME TO CHINA
They posted letters home from Singapore and on the 18 February arrived in Shanghai. George was
23. Mr. Hudson Taylor, the founder of the Mission was there to welcome them. George said, "He
took me by the hand and expressed his thankfulness to God for bringing me to China, concluding with
17
