Hudson Taylor's Timeline

Hudson Taylor (1832-1905) ministered in China for 27 years over a 51 year period 1854-1905, making 11 trips. Married twice. Sadly, his first wife died at the age of 33, and many of his children died young. On his 11th trip, just after his second wife had died in Switzerland, he was in China just one month when he died at the age of 73. He was buried next to his first wife next to the Yangtze River.


  1. 1854-1860 Trip of Six Years. Arrived as an agent of the Chinese Evangelisation Society in Shanghai from 1854-1855. In Ningbo (200 kms south of Shanghai on the Yangtze River) from 1856-1860. In June 1857 resigned in Ningbo and started the Ningbo Mission. Married Maria Jane Dyer in January 1858 in Presbyterian Compound. Grace born 1859. With Maria in September 1859 undertook charge of William Parker's hospital.

1860-1866 19 July 1860 sailed from Shanghai to London (via the Cape of Good Hope) on furlough aboard the tea clipper Jubilee with Maria, Grace and Wang Laijun. The Jubilee arrived 20 November 1860 in Gravesend, England. Settled in 63 Westbourne Grove, Bayswater, London. Completed the revision of a version of the New Testament in the colloquial of Ningbo for the British and Foreign Bible Society.


  2. 1866-1871 26 May 1866 Trip of Five Years. Sailed from East India Docks London to Shanghai, China (via the Cape of Good Hope) aboard the Lammermuir with Maria and his four children, and a party of 18 missionaries. Arrived 29 September 1866. Settled in December 1866 with the Lammermuir Party people in Hangzhou, 150 kms west of Ningbo. One daughter and two of his sons died, then Maria died, apparently from cholera, in July 1870.

1871-1872 5 August 1871 Sailed from Guangzhou to Marseilles on furlough via Saigon, Ceylon, Aden, Suez aboard the MM Ava. Arrived in England 25 September 1871 (via Paris).
Married Jane Elizabeth Faulding (who had been part of the Lammermuir Party in China) on 28 November 1871 in Regent's Park Chapel, London.
On 15 January 1872 moved to 6 Pyrland Road, Islington, London.


  3. 1872-1874 9 October 1872 Trip of Two Years. Sailed from Marseilles, France (via Paris from London) to Shanghai, China aboard the M M Tigre with Jennie, arriving 28 November 1872. Two children born in Nanjing, 300 kms west of Shanghai. In May 1874, fell from steps in a river boat and hurt spine.

1874-1876 30 August 1874 Sailed to England on furlough with Jennie. Arrived in England 15 October 1874. Paralyzed in London during that winter in 1874–75. Two children born.


  4. 1876-1877 8 September 1876 Trip of One Year. Sailed to China, arriving 22 October 1876. General Missionary Conference 10 May 1877 in Shanghai, China.
Sailed back to England 9 November 1877, arriving 20 December 1877.


  5. 1879-1883 24 February 1879 Trip of Four Years. Sailed to China arriving 22 April 1879. In August 1880 made first visit to Guangxin River, Jiangxi in the south.
Returned to England 6 February 1883 from Yantai (Chefoo), about 900 kms north of Shanghai. Sailed to England on furlough 10 February 1883, arriving in England 27 March 1883


  6. 1885-1887 20 January 1885 Trip of Two Years. Sailed to China arriving 3 March 1885. Made a second visit in May 1886 to Guangxin River, Jiangxi. Pastor Hsi was set apart 5 August 1886 in Shanxi in northern China. On 13 November 1886 first meeting of China Council in China with an Appeal for "The Hundred missionaries".

1887-1888 9 January 1887 Sailed to England arriving 18 February 1887. Addressed the Keswick Convention in Keswick in February. On 23 June 1888 sailed to US aboard the RMS Etruria. Arrived 1 July 1888 in New York City, attended Niagara Bible Conference and crossed the continent on the Canadian Pacific Railway to return to China.


  7. 1888-1889 5 October 1888 Brief Trip of 6 Months. Sailed to China from Vancouver, Canada via Yokohama, Japan, arriving in Shanghai 30 October 1888.

1889-1890 12 April 1889 Sailed back to England via France, arriving in England 21 May 1889. Sailed to New York City, arriving 6 July 1889. Sailed back to England 17 August 1889, arriving 24 August 1889.


  8. 1890-1892 17 March 1890 Trip of Two Years. Sailed to Shanghai arriving 27 April 1890. On 7 May 1890 in Shanghai preached opening sermon at General Missionary Conference. On 26 August 1890 sailed to Australia.  On 20 November 1890 sailed back to China, arriving in Shanghai 21 December 1890.

1892-1894 March 1892 Arrived with Jennie at Vancouver in Canada. On 10 May 1892 sailed with Jennie to England, arriving 26 July 1892. In 1893 addressed the Keswick Convention. The book "Union and Communion" published in England in 1893 and "A Retrospect" autobiography published in 1894. Provided testimony to the Royal Commission on Opium as an opponent of the trade. On 14 February 1894 sailed to New York via Liverpool and Queenstown aboard the RMS Germanic with Jennie, arriving 24 February 1894 at Ellis Island. Spoke at Students' Conference in Detroit, Michigan.


  9. 1894-1896 17 April 1894 Trip of Two Years. Arrived with Jennie in Shanghai, staying until 2 May 1896. Sailed aboard the Oceania (M. M. Oceanien?) with Jennie. His daughter Maria Hudson Taylor, 30 years old, died the following year 28 September 1897 in Wenzhou at Zhejiang in China.

1896-1898 17 June 1896 Arrived in England. Addressed the Keswick Convention. Sailed to US with Jennie, 24 November 1897. Arrived with Jennie, 18 December 1897 in US. The book "Separation and Service" published 1898 in England


  10. 1898-1899 15 January 1898 Trip of 20 Months. Arrived with Jennie in Shanghai. "A Ribband of Blue", and other Bible Studies published 1899 in England. Attended Conference, 16 January 1899 in Chongqing in Sichuan. Attended China Council meetings 28 June 1899 in Shanghai. On 25 September 1899, sailed to Australia, then to New Zealand, finally the US with Jennie, arriving at San Francisco on 5 April 1900. 

1900 Now preparing to retire with Jennie to Davos in Switzerland.  Addressed the Ecumenical Missions Conference at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Sailed to England from US with Jennie just as the Boxer Uprising was beginning in China on 9 June 1900. Arrived in England on 19 June 1900 in England, and left for Davos in Switzerland. Resigned as Director of the China Inland Mission in November 1902.

Jennie died of cancer on 31 July 1904 in Les Chevalleyres, Switzerland


  11. In 1905, Taylor returned to China for the eleventh and final time. On 15 February 1905 sailed from Liverpool in England to New York City aboard the RMS Baltic, arriving in March. Sailed to China from San Francisco on 23 March 1905, arriving in Shanghai 17 April 1905. There he visited Yangzhou and Zhenjiang and other cities, before dying suddenly on 3rd June 1905 while reading at home at Changsha in Zhenjiang. He was buried next to his first wife, Maria, in Zhenjiang in a small English Cemetery near the Yangtze River.

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