 The Broomhalls were a missionary family, and Jim was the third generation to be involved in such work.His grandfather, Benjamin Broomhall, had been the general secretary of the China Inland Mission for 20 years and had married Amelia, sister of the founder of the agency, James Hudson Taylor.His uncle, Marshall Broomhall was the most famous of Benjamin's sons as a missionary and historian – a professional pattern repeated in Jim's life.