On 5 February 1924, Aeneas and Clara, with their two young children (aged seven), sailed from Calcutta aboard SS Hosang (Indo-China Steam Navigation Company) to Shanghai, China.
Upon their arrival, they then caught a steamer and sailed 1,000 miles up the River Yangtze (Cháng Jiāng) to the Church of Scotland (Training Institution) in Ichang.
Here, Aeneas was Principal at the Anglo-Chinese College Mission in Ichang from 1924 to 1927.
Alfred and Beatrice attended the private Redcroft School in the resort of Kuling, where they boarded during the school terms.
Aeneas and Clara immediately took Chinese language lessons, and both became fluent in Mandarin.
The port of Ichang was one of four ports open to foreign trade, and the highest reached by steamers.
The city of Ichang was situated right in the center of China, on a low promontory on the North bank of the River Yangtze.
It was a prefectural city of considerable importance in the province of Hupeh, and conveniently situated as a mart for the tea trade of Hoh-fung-chow.
Opium was also grown in the district, as was the tung tree, from which tung oil is extracted. ‘
The China Inland Mission possessed a number of unique features which set it apart from established missionary societies and gave it an intensity and, perhaps, a glamour, which other more conventional organisations must have envied.’
During his stay in China, Aeneas wrote the poem Voice of an Oracle (in Old China).
In December 1926, Aeneas received a worrying letter from the Church of Scotland offices in Edinburgh talking of anxious happenings in Hankow and the possibility of a General Strike in China.
In the House of Commons, the Foreign Secretary Austen Chamberlain intimated that the British Government was talking of taking immediate steps to protect U.K. nationals stationed in China.
The letter also mentioned that alternative arrangements had been made for the Williams' two 10-year-old children, Alfred and Beatrice.
Soon after, Clara and her two children departed from China for their safety and sailed to the U.K. When Clara and her two children arrived back in the U.K., they travelled to Edinburgh, where they temporarily resided with Clara’s brother in Leith.
Due to the political instability in China and the uncertainty of whether Clara and her children could return, the two children attended school in Edinburgh, Alfred at George Watson’s Boys’ College, Edinburgh, and Beatrice at George Watson’s Ladies’ College, Edinburgh.
Their first term commenced on 11 March 1927, and both children would continue their studies at the College until 26 July 1934.
Also, in March 1927, due to growing civil unrest in Ichang and localised uprisings in the surrounding province, Aeneas was advised by the British Consulate (Ta Ying ling-shih-shu) to leave China for his own safety.
Aeneas departed Shanghai on 4 April 1927 just before the Shanghai massacre occurred on 12 April 1927.
From Shanghai, Aeneas sailed to British Columbia on missionary work, and then to Vancouver.
In late April 1927, Aeneas sailed from the Port of Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, on board the SS Montclare (Canadian Pacific Line).
The ship arrived in Liverpool, England, on 1 May, from where he journeyed to Edinburgh to be reunited with his wife and two children who were now staying at 22 Queen Street, Edinburgh.

In October 1927, while in the U.K., Aeneas was invited to attend the annual Church of Scotland Young Men's Guild Conference held in Kirkcaldy, Fife, over the weekend commencing Friday 21 October.
The main objectives of the conference were to revive interest in the work of the Guild, and to demonstrate anew the value and usefulness of such an organization as auxiliary of Church life.
Two halls were booked for the occasion, the Beveridge and Adam Smith Halls.
On Friday evening, Aeneas gave a missionary address at the Beveridge Hall about his work in Kalimpong, India, and in Ichang, China.
It was at the 1888 meeting of the Guild held in the town of Kirkcaldy that Dr. John Anderson Graham made the momentous decision and choice to establish a charitable schoo
On 5 February 1924, Aeneas and Clara, with their two young children (aged seven), sailed from Calcutta aboard SS Hosang (Indo-China Steam Navigation Company) to Shanghai, China. Upon their arrival, they then caught a steamer and sailed 1,000 miles up the River Yangtze (Cháng Jiāng) to the Church of Scotland (Training Institution) in Ichang. Here, Aeneas was Principal at the Anglo-Chinese College Mission in Ichang from 1924 to 1927. Alfred and Beatrice attended the private Redcroft School in the resort of Kuling, where they boarded during the school terms. Aeneas and Clara immediately took Chinese language lessons, and both became fluent in Mandarin. The port of Ichang was one of four ports open to foreign trade, and the highest reached by steamers. The city of Ichang was situated right in the center of China, on a low promontory on the North bank of the River Yangtze. It was a prefectural city of considerable importance in the province of Hupeh, and conveniently situated as a mart for the tea trade of Hoh-fung-chow. Opium was also grown in the district, as was the tung tree, from which tung oil is extracted. ‘The China Inland Mission possessed a number of unique features which set it apart from established missionary societies and gave it an intensity and, perhaps, a glamour, which other more conventional organisations must have envied.’ During his stay in China, Aeneas wrote the poem Voice of an Oracle (in Old China). In December 1926, Aeneas received a worrying letter from the Church of Scotland offices in Edinburgh talking of anxious happenings in Hankow and the possibility of a General Strike in China. In the House of Commons, the Foreign Secretary Austen Chamberlain intimated that the British Government was talking of taking immediate steps to protect U.K. nationals stationed in China. The letter also mentioned that alternative arrangements had been made for the Williams' two 10-year-old children, Alfred and Beatrice. Soon after, Clara and her two children departed from China for their safety and sailed to the U.K. When Clara and her two children arrived back in the U.K., they travelled to Edinburgh, where they temporarily resided with Clara’s brother in Leith. Due to the political instability in China and the uncertainty of whether Clara and her children could return, the two children attended school in Edinburgh, Alfred at George Watson’s Boys’ College, Edinburgh, and Beatrice at George Watson’s Ladies’ College, Edinburgh. Their first term commenced on 11 March 1927, and both children would continue their studies at the College until 26 July 1934. Also, in March 1927, due to growing civil unrest in Ichang and localised uprisings in the surrounding province, Aeneas was advised by the British Consulate (Ta Ying ling-shih-shu) to leave China for his own safety. Aeneas departed Shanghai on 4 April 1927 just before the Shanghai massacre occurred on 12 April 1927. From Shanghai, Aeneas sailed to British Columbia on missionary work, and then to Vancouver. In late April 1927, Aeneas sailed from the Port of Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, on board the SS Montclare (Canadian Pacific Line). The ship arrived in Liverpool, England, on 1 May, from where he journeyed to Edinburgh to be reunited with his wife and two children who were now staying at 22 Queen Street, Edinburgh.
In October 1927, while in the U.K., Aeneas was invited to attend the annual Church of Scotland Young Men's Guild Conference held in Kirkcaldy, Fife, over the weekend commencing Friday 21 October. The main objectives of the conference were to revive interest in the work of the Guild, and to demonstrate anew the value and usefulness of such an organization as auxiliary of Church life. Two halls were booked for the occasion, the Beveridge and Adam Smith Halls. On Friday evening, Aeneas gave a missionary address at the Beveridge Hall about his work in Kalimpong, India, and in Ichang, China. It was at the 1888 meeting of the Guild held in the town of Kirkcaldy that Dr. John Anderson Graham made the momentous decision and choice to establish a charitable schoo
Aeneas Francon Williams