Theodore Leighton Pennell

Theodore Leighton Pennell (1867 – 23 December 1912), was an English Protestant missionary and doctor who lived among the tribes of Afghanistan.

He founded Pennell High School and a missionary hospital in Bannu in the North-West Frontier of British India, now Pakistan.

Born in England in 1867, Theodore Pennell was educated at Eastbourne College and qualified as a doctor (MB, MRCS, LRCP) in 1890, completing his MD and FRCS in 1891.

They reached Karachi in 1892 and went to Dera Ismail Khan, where Pennell began medical work.

The mullahs tried to drive people away by telling them that the medicines contained alcohol and pig's blood, and would turn them forcibly into Christians.

In 1903 his disciple, Jahan Khan, went as the first Afghan foreign missionary to the Gulf and East Africa (Mombasa).

During 1904 Pennell traveled through the Punjab by bicycle, mixing with the local people, with one Afghan companion.

He was disappointed at the low level of conduct of most Chuhra and Chamar (Untouchable) Christians who had been baptised without inadequate instruction.

He felt that pressure to produce results in terms of numbers of baptismal candidates was leading to superficial evangelism and slipshod practices, although he acknowledged that many of the Chuhra Christians were worthy spiritual leaders.

[2] In 1909, Pennell was again seriously ill in Bannu and on his recovery, he was showered with flowers and congratulations by the local people.

On 15 March 1912, a very sick patient was admitted to Bannu hospital with a dangerous infectious illness.