The name of Hutchings, as is the name of most the English people, is of Saxon origin, occurring most commonly in the South-West of England. The ancestors of the Hutchings were Devonshire people. The earliest Hutchings who was repectable enough to be traced was John Hutchings who was a wealthy enough merchant, judging from the fact that he was able to send his son to Christ Church College, Oxford, the favoured college of the aristocracy. This son, also John Hutchings, is to be the father of the Founder.
He grew up to become Rev. John Hutchings, Rector of Dittisham. His marriage to Sarah Sparke of Dartmouth, a woman of some position, brought him 16 children. Living too fast and too well, he was not too well-off. Yet he managed to send his youngest son, Robert, born in 1783, to Christ Church where the latter matriculated in 1798.
The birthplace of Penang Free School
Getting aboard the ferry to Dover from Dunkirk
Robert succeeded his father as Rector of Dittisham. He erected a beautiful new Rectory house there, and was responsible for the construction of the first road for carriages to drive from Dartmouth to Dittisham.
Today, we find fine memorial windows dedicated to him and his father. Possibly, owing to financial difficulties, while still a bachelor, he gave up his parish in Devonshire to take a Chaplancy in Bengal in 1814. He was then posted to Prince of Wales Island (as Penang was then known) where he succeeded the Rev. Aitwell Lake who was the first Chaplain. Here, he soon learned the language and worked with a Major Mclnne on a revised version of the New Testament.
Yup all ready to sail now that we in the ferry
Dover, UK at last!
Stopping to see what the excitement of Stonehenge is all about- batu je lar
There has been a Church in Dittisham for more than a thousand years as it is assumed there was a Saxon one, though no trace of it now remains. But in the year 755 Devon was conquered by the Saxons and a Saxon Chief settled on the banks of the River Dart. This settlement was part of the manor given by Edward the Confessor to Leofric, Bishop of Exeter, who is certain to made sure there was a Church in the settlement.
This Church was replaced by a Norman Church consisting of only a Chancel and Nave; the line of this roof can still be seen on the east wall of the Tower. In 1328 Bishop Grandisson of Exeter ordered an enquiry into the neglect of duties and of the Church, which was now a ruin, by the Rector, Sir Richard de Inkpenne who died soon afterwards.
St George , the church where Hutchings was the rector
The Church was restored and reconstructed between 1328 and 1333 by the Rector, Sir Richard de Gormersale, the chancel being enlarged and the side aisles added. The Church was reopened and dedicated to St. George by Bishop Grandisson on the 4th October 1333.
Helen proudly showing us St George's church and its history
A list of names on the Porch shows who have been Rectors since 1224, but in 1982 St. George's was no longer able to have a rector of its own and is now part of the Benefice of Dartmouth and Dittisham.
Helen the local historian sharing some information on the Hutchings family
Brief history of Robert Sparke Hutchings; extract from Raymond Boon blog http://teochiewkia2010.blogspot.fr/2010/07/rev-robert-sparke-hutchings.html
1782- Born, parent John Hutchings and Sarah Sparke
Baptism: Dittisham baptd 11 Apl 1781 (not confirm as year early than year born)
1803- St Edmund's Hall, Oxford, BA 30-10-1803 Ordination as deacon of Dittsham at Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Palace, Exeter by Bishop Fisher, John/Exeter(1803-1807)
1805- Robert Sparke Hutchings (1805 to 1827). Rector of St. George's Church, Dittisham, Devonshire(note: it was also written his father John Hutchings (1768 to 1802)was also Rector there). It was reported he was rector from 1805-1827, that is wrong as in 1816 he was in Penang. Dittisham is a village and civil parish in the South Hams district of the English county of Devon. It is situated on the banks of the tidal River Dart, some 2 miles (3.2 km) upstream of Dartmouth.
Year 1805: Robert Sparke Hutchings
14th June 1808 as reactor of Dittinsham alias Dittisham St George by Bishop: Manners Sutton, Charles
1813 Chaplain; Presidency Chaplain. The East India Company also appointed Anglican chaplains who served as part of the military service. Resident Chaplain of Prince of Wales Island. The first Chaplain for Prince of Wales Island was Rev Atwill Lake in 1804.
1815 - He was presented to Dittisham in 1815, by the Earl of Mount Edgecombe
1816 - Rev Hutchings is now a Resident Chaplain of Prince of Wales Island.
Found Penang Free School at Love Lane in Penang. Rev Robert Hutchings, wanted to establish a free school to train “a race of intelligent and honest servants” of the Government (Chelliah 1947,37). The Penang Free School for boys was opened on 21 October 1816, at a house in Love Lane. About $10,867 were received from public subscriptions between 1816 and 1824 (Elcum 1908). This school is free only in the sense of being open to all creeds (Campbell,1998).
The Penang Free School, set up by Rev. R. Hutchings in 1816, was reported to contain a class to conduct ‘formal’ Tamil education in the Straits Settlement.
He found a Auxiliary Bible Society in Penang.
Main altar
1817 - The foundation stone of Church of St George was laid. Rev Hutchings paid a visit to Bengal on account of his health but was persuaded by Calcutta Auxiliary Bible Society to stay for 3 years until 1820. Rev Hutchings was a Malay scholar. He translated Old Testatement in Jawi.
1818 - Married in 1818 with ELVIRA10 PHIPPS in India. St Geroge Church Penang was completed in 1818.
In 1818, with the assistance of Rev. Robert Sparke Hutchins (and the use of convict labor), Robert Smith channeled his growing passion by designing St George's Church (modeled after a larger church in Madras), in Penang, Malaysia. St. George’s Anglican Church is the oldest Anglican church in Southeast Asia and located at the corner of Lebuh Farquhar and Jalan Mesjid Kapitan Keling, Penang, Malaysia. The church was named after the patron saint of England. It was completed in 1818 on initiative of Penang Colonial Chaplain, Rev. Robert Sparke Hutchings and consecrated on 11 May 1819 by the Bishop of Calcutta, Thomas Fanshawe Middleton. The Greek temple in the church grounds is a memorial to Francis Light. Today it is one of the oldest landmarks in the city of George Town, and the oldest Anglican Church in Malaysia. In 2007 the church was declared one of the 50 National Treasures of Malaysia by the Malaysian government.
Our late founding father family crest RSH: reads Robert Sparke Hutchings
1820 -Son was born on December 18, 1820 in Penang
1821 - Son Robert Sparke Hutchings(b1820-d1910), same name with the father, was Christening on MAR 1821 in Penang, Pinang-Malaya, Malaysia
1822 - make his will in Penang in 18th July 1822
1823 - The founding of Raffles Institute, Singapore.
1 Apr 1823 : Raffles called a meeting with Robert Morrison (Dr), educationist and missionary, and Reverend Hutchings, chaplain of Prince of Wales Island. a meeting was held at Raffles' House on Government Hill on 1st April when a very long and able minute, written by Sir Stamford Raffles, from which sentences have been often quoted, was read, in which he stated that there were three objects hi view. (1) To educate the sons of the higher order of natives and others. (2) To afford means of instruction in the native languages to such of the Company's servants and others as may desire it. (3) To collect the scattered literature and traditions of the country with whatever may illustrate their (sic) laws and customs, and to publish and circulate in a correct form the most important of these, with such other works as may be calculated to raise the character of the institution and to be useful and instructive to the people.
A long paper written by Dr. Morrison was then read, suggesting the scheme for removing the Anglo-Chinese College from Malacca and uniting it with the Institution in Singapore. The Rev. R. S. Hutchings, who was the Chaplain at Penang, then spoke, and after him Dr. Morrison. These speeches were all reprinted in a pamphlet in Singapore in 1838, with the annual report of the Institution Free School. The officers were nominated, including the principal inhabitants, and among the Patrons was William Wilberforce, M.P. of England.
Old Frees member Kek Fei, Chuan Lok, Sek Lam,
Adrian King and Steven Foong with Cher, Suchin and Helen
On 15th April the first meeting of the Trustees was held, Mr. J. A. Maxwell being the Honorary Secretary and A. L. Johnston & Co. the Honorary Treasurers. The subscriptions had amounted to $17,495; being $9,670 for the Institution generally, ?'$1,075 for the Scientific Department, and $6,750 for the Malayan College. The Anglo-Chinese College house at Malacca was intended to be sold, and $4,000 was included in the above amount as its probable proceeds, the East India Company contributing $4,000, Raffles $2,000, Dr. Morrison $1,200, Colonial Farquhar $1,000, the Sultan and Tumongong $1,000 each, and Lady Raffles $400. The other subscribers were Mr. Bonham, F. G-. Bernard, Captain Davis, Captain Flint, D. A. Eraser, G. Gordon, Thomas Howard, Lieut. L. N. Hull, Rev. R. S. Hutchings, Lieut. Jackson, A. L. Johnston, the Malay College, J, A. Maxwell, G. Mackenzie, Dr. Montgomerie, D. S. Napier, Charles Scott, and Rev. G. H. Thomson. A monthly subscription of $300 had been promised by Government for the schools, and $25 yearly for the library. Lieutenant Jackson made a plan and estimate of the proposed building, which he said could be constructed in twelve months, this was approved, and $15,000 was voted for the purpose.
After the meeting, Raffles made public his proposals for an institution of learning,a Malayan college. The resulting birth of the Singapore Institution also led to a call for a library and museum as "a means of diffusing knowledge" to both the Chinese and Malay students equally
The Singapore Institution is today's Raffles Institution. Raffles Institution is an independent school comprising an all-boys' Secondary section and a co-educational Junior College section. It is the oldest school in Singapore. Founded in 1823 as Singapore Institution by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, it is consistently ranked as one of the top secondary schools in Singapore in the now-defunct official school rankings released by the Ministry of Education.(source; wikipedia)
1826 - British settlements in Malacca, Penang, and Singapore were combined to form the British Colony of the Straits Settlement in 1826. Rev Hutchings was on sick leave for long period.
1827 - died on 20 Apr 1827 in Penang. Buried at The Northam Road Protestant Cemetery Penang.
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