Background
Abbs was born in Norwich on 20 December 1810. His father Zachariah Abbs was a boot and shoemaker born in 1775 in Sustead, Norfolk and his mother Mary Holl, born in 1776 in Norwich. His father was a respected member of the congregation of Street Michael"s, Coslany in Norwich and a witness to various wills and testaments during his lifetime.
Education
From 1834 to 1837, Abbs studied at the nonconformist theological college of Cheshunt.
Career
Sent out by the London Missionary Society, he spent twenty-two years in Travancore, Southern India, a period rarely exceeded by European missionaries at that time. He was the husband of Louisa Sewell Abbs and the author of Twenty-two years" Missionary Experience in Travancore. He was ordained at the conclusion of the Norfolk Auxiliary Meeting on 23 August 1837, and on the same day appointed to Neyyoor, South Travancore.
The couple departed from England in October 1837, arrived in Quilton, South India in March 1838, and reached the mission station in Neyyoor on 20 April 1838.
Abbs worked in Neyyoor under Charles Mead. The western portion of the district was put under his charge.
While in Neyyoor, the Abbs"s had three children: John Henry (born 1838), Amelia (born 1841) and Louisa (born 1842). In 1845 Abbs was transferred to Pareychaley, South Travancore, where a bungalow had been erected for Abbs to found his own mission.
Here he continued to labour and educate local inhabitants in various subjects, including literacy, health and religion.
His mission became the headquarters for the mission district. She continued the work she had done in Neyyoor and began an embroidery industry in the district. The workers were paid a reasonable wage and the surplus used mostly for building up institutions intended for women.
While in Pareychaley they had two more children, Selina (born 1847) and Charles (born 1849).
The success of Abbs"s mission can be seen today: the district contains some 100 congregations and the famous Abbs Memorial Church in Parassala built in his honour. His correspondence during his time in Southern India is preserved at the University of London in the library archives of the School of Oriental and African Studies, along with an 1861 history of Travancore that remained in manuscript.
He retired as minister in 1877 but remained in Kirkbymoorside until his death on 19 March 1888.