Today’s Leader of Faith
HANNAH MARSHMAN
Home Call : 05 March 1847
Pioneer Woman of Modern Missions, Evangelist, Educator, Co-founder of Serampore Mission
Hannah Marshman (1767–1847) was one of the first female missionaries to India and a key member of the Serampore Mission, alongside her husband, Joshua Marshman, and William Carey. She was a pioneer in women’s education in India, advocating for the instruction of girls at a time when it was largely neglected. She was also a great support to William Carey and assisted in Bible translational works and missionary activities. She played a crucial role in supporting the mission financially and spiritually as, she started a school in 1800 and also operated two boarding schools for English children, whose fees helped sustain the Serampore Mission. In doing so, she managed its finances and administration, ensuring its sustainability. On 5 July 1818, William Carey, Joshua Marshman, and William Ward issued a prospectus (written by Marshman) for a proposed new “College for the instruction of Asiatic, Christian, and other youth in Eastern literature and European science.” Thus, Serampore College was born, an institution that continues to this day.
Hannah was born on 13 May 1767 in Bristol, England to John Shepherd, a farmer, and his wife Rachel. She was the granddaughter of John Clark, pastor of the Baptist church at Crockerton, Wiltshire. Her mother died when she was eight. In 1791 Hannah Shepherd married Joshua Marshman. In 1794, the couple moved from Westbury Leigh in Wiltshire to Bristol, where they joined the Broadmead Baptist Church.
Hannah and Joshua Marshman, along with their two children, sailed from Portsmouth to India on 29 May 1799, arriving safely in Serampore on 13 October 1799, despite threats of a French naval attack. They settled in the Danish colony due to the East India Company’s hostility toward missionaries and were joined by William Carey in January 1800. On 1 May 1800, the Marshmans opened two successful boarding schools in Serampore, where their son, John Clark Marshman, was educated. As the mission expanded, more missionaries arrived, including John Fountain, William Ward, David Brunsdon, and William Grant. She, her husband, and William Ward took responsibility for their children and the upbringing of William Carey’s four neglected sons, providing them with structure and education.
Hannah passed away at the age of 80. She was the last surviving member of the Serampore Mission family. An inscription in the Mission Chapel at Serampore honors her dedication, highlighting her role in opening a seminary in May 1800 to support the mission and her 47 years of service marked by piety and benevolence.