This service is intended for Wheaton College students, faculty and staff; people who live in convenient driving range to campus; or people who will be visiting Wheaton's campus. Every month, this Bulletin Board will highlight a new document or set of documents that are available in the Archives. Come on over and have a look!

Walter Guilding (1889-1981) and Clara (Cook) Wight Guilding (1886-1974) traveled to Africa as single missionaries with Africa Inland Mission (Walter in 1913 and Clara in 1907). Both married AIM missionaries and then suffered the loss of their spouses. Walter was married less than a year and Clara for about ten years. In 1922 Clara, a mother of three young children, married Walter in Kijabe, Kenya. Together they worked at Machakos (Kenya) among the Akambas. While returning with many other missionaries to Africa on the S.S. Zamzam they were attacked and their vessel was sunk by a German ship on April 17, 1941. They were taken prisoners and held in several prison camps. Clara was released the following year but Walter was held until the end of the war in Europe in 1945. After Walter was released he and Clara continued their work in Kenya until their retirement in 1966.

More information on the Guildings can be found in these collections:

Records of Africa Inland Mission, International - Collection 81, Box 21, Folders 3, 4, &5, Personnel files of Walter &Clara Guilding

Records of The Moody Church - Collection 330, Box 13, Folder 4, H.A. Ironside Correspondence "G," Box 35, Folder 6, Missions Committee Correspondence, G, Individuals, The Moody Church News, July 1945

Papers of Stanley Roy Kline - Collection 477, Photo Album IX

More information on the sinking of the S.S. Zamzam is found in these collections:

Records of Africa Inland Mission, International - Collection 81

Records of The Moody Church - Collection 330

Papers of Paul Adrian Buyse - Collection 478

Papers of Mabel Easton Buyse - Collection 496

Interview with Phillips, Geraldine Julia (Hinote) Phillips - Collection 502

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