Eugene Stock

Eugene Stock (26 February 1836 – 7 September 1928), was an English author, historian, journal editor and senior editorial secretary at the Church Missionary Society in London. Widely regarded as an authority among his contemporaries, Stock is best known for his four-volume work, The History of the Church Missionary Society, published in 1899, which is considered the most thorough account on the history of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) and the many missions it had reign over. Because of his extensive knowledge of CMS history, Stock became the senior secretary of the society. He also lectured to women at missionary meeting places in London, and promoted the idea of recruiting women for missionary service.

Early life

Eugene Stock was born on February 26, 1836 in Westminster, London, during the short reign of William IV, when he was King of Hanover. After completing his basic education in London and Brighton public schools he continued with his studies and largely taught himself without the aid of a university or clerical background that secretaries of his caliber were generally known to possess. His first memories of English royalty began when he was a youth during the reign of Queen Victoria. Stock was the eldest child of his father through his first marriage, and was born in a home on Dule Street in Westminster.Because of an unstable circumstances the Stock family never had much of a change to settle into a permanent house His mother died when he was about ten years old. His earliest memories are of a ferry ride with his mother to the Isle of Wight from Portsmouth on the southern coast of England.