Gladys May Aylward (1902 - 1970)

Born 24 Feb 1902 in Edmonton, London, Enfield, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Died 3 Jan 1970 at age 67 in Shilin, Taipei, Taiwan

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Biography

Gladys Aylward was born in Middlesex, England.

Gladys Aylward is Notable.

Gladys was a Protestant missionary.

Gladys Aylward was born 24 February 1902 in Edmonton, Middlesex, England. She was the daughter of Thomas John Aylward and Rosina Florence Whiskin.^[1]

1911 CENSUS - Upper Edmonton, Middlesex, England ^[2]

Household Role Sex Age Birthplace

Thomas John Aylward Head M 33 Walworth London, London

Rosina Florence Aylward Wife F 32 Islington, Middlesex

Gladys May Aylward Dau F 9 Edmonton, Middlesex

Violet Frances Aylward Dau F 6 Edmonton, Middlesex

Laurence John Aylward Son M 0 Edmonton, Middlesex

She went to work as a parlor maid. She and a friend used their day off to visit the theater. Then she was invited to a revival meeting. She felt the call of God to minister in China. The China Inland Mission failed her in the entrance exam. Still she saved most of her earnings for travel money. After hearing Mrs. Jeannie Lawson needed a younger person to continue her work, she wrote and was accepted. She traveled through Russia on the trans-Siberian railroad at a time Russia and China were at war. Her strong faith that God was calling her to China opened doors along the way.

The inn at Yangchen was an overnight stop for mule caravans. Here she learned Chinese, preached to the men, and at Mrs. Lawson's death took over its running. When foot binding became illegal, the government hired Gladys as a foot inspector. This broadened her opportunities to tell others about Jesus. She began to acquire her first orphans at this time. In 1936 she became a Chinese citizen.

In the spring of 1938, the Japanese began bombing. She was reluctant to leave, but a Roman Catholic priest finally convinced her. One hundred orphans had already left the inn with a colleague. She took the remaining 100 children on a twelve day journey across the mountains to the Yellow River. Here the children's faith strengthened her to pray for a crossing. She was dangerously ill with typhus when they arrived at safety. When her health improved she started a church at Sian and later worked at a settlement for lepers near Tibet.

Because her health declined from injuries received during the war, she returned for a short time to England. She sought a return to China but after rejection by the Communist government and a stay in British-administered Hong Kong, she finally settled in Taiwan in 1958 where she established the Gladys Aylward Orphanage, where she worked until her death. She is known to the Chinese as 艾偉德 (Ài Wěi Dé- a Chinese approximation to 'Aylward' – meaning 'Virtuous One').

Gladys Aylward passed away January 3, 1970 and was buried in a small cemetery on the campus of Christ's College in Guandu, New Taipei, Taiwan.^[3]

Her story was told by Alan Burgess in the book "The Small Woman" which was later made into the movie "The Inn of the Sixth Happiness" starring Ingrid Bergman.

Sources

1. ↑ "England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2F8G-QPD), Gladys May Aylward, 1902; from "England & Wales Births, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Birth Registration, Edmonton, Middlesex, England, citing General Register Office, Southport, England.
2. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1911," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XW4T-CB1), Gladys May Aylward in household of Thomas John Aylward, Upper Edmonton, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom; from "1911 England and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 14, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
3. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #17915905

SEE ALSO:

• Gladys Aylward, Missionary to China
• Wikipedia: Gladys Aylward
• Wikidata: Item Q445238, en:Wikipedia
• Gladys May Aylward, British Missionary to China
• Papers of Gladys Aylward in Archives
• Gladys Aylward: The Small Woman With A Great God (A Documentary)

LISTEN:

• Gladys Aylward Speaking c1950s