This Is Your Life: Gladys Aylward

Gladys AYLWARD (1902-1970)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Gladys Aylward, missionary, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at the BBC Television Theatre.

Having worked as a housemaid from an early age, Gladys spent her life savings on a train passage to Yangcheng, China in 1932 to fulfil her ambition to become a missionary. Initially she worked with an older missionary, Jeannie Lawson, to help establish The Inn of the Eight Happinesses, a hostel for muleteers.

She became a Chinese citizen in 1936 and was a revered figure among the people, taking in orphans and adopting several herself, intervening in a volatile prison riot and advocating prison reform, risking her life many times to help those in need. In 1938, the region was invaded by Japanese forces, and Gladys led over 100 orphans to safety over the mountains, despite being wounded herself. A film based on her life, The Inn of the Sixth Happiness, was released in 1958, and drew from the book The Small Woman, by Alan Burgess.

programme details...

Edition No: 226
Subject No: 227
Broadcast live: Tue 14 May 1963
Broadcast time: 7.55-8.25pm
Repeated: Wed 18 Sep 1963 9.25pm
Venue: BBC Television Theatre
Series: 8
Edition: 31

on the guest list...

Rev David Davies
Eileen Younghusband
Violet Braithwaite
Evelyn Jago
Jean Davies
Frances Major
Dr H Stockley
Dr Olin Stockwell
John Lu
Laurie Aylward
Mrs Wong Kwai
Rev Michael Chen

production team...

Director: Vere Lorrimer
Producer: T Leslie Jackson

related page...

A Charitable Life

the unsung heroes

Photographs of Gladys Aylward This Is Your Life

Series 8 subjects