Remembering Rev Hutchings

Diviyha (left) and Inesh looking at the tomb of Reverend Robert Sparke Hutchings during the annual thanksgiving memorial service at the Northam Road Protestant cemetery in Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah. — Photos: CHAN BOON KAI/The Star

IT was two full minutes of solemn silence observed by 60 attendees in honour of the late Reverend Robert Sparke Hutchings, the founder of Penang Free School (PFS).

The attendees present comprised school prefects, teachers and alumni of PFS and SMK Hutchings, along with representatives from St George’s Church.

Penang Free School senior assistant Ho Nean Chan said it was an unbroken tradition to commemorate Rev Hutchings’ life and service to the school.

“Each year, we gather here to remember his worthy contribution towards education as his legacy continues, ” he said during the recent annual thanksgiving memorial service at the Northam Road Protestant cemetery.

St George’s Church clergy Ho Kong Eng (left) reciting Bible passages at the memorial service.

The memorial service also saw the attendees placing flowers on the tomb of Rev Hutchings.

PFS Upper Six student Inesh Singh Dhillon, 19, who joined the memorial service for the fourth consecutive year, said he was proud to be able to commemorate the founder of his school.

“I had plenty of good time while studying at the school.

“Being here for each memorial service makes me grateful and helps me appreciate all the deeds that the late Rev Hutchings had done for the school, ” he said.

Another Upper Six student, Diviyha Thuresamy, 19, said joining the memorial service had taught her about the significance of tradition.

“This annual memorial service reminds us that we should always remember our roots, ” she added.

School prefects, teachers and alumni of Penang Free School and SMK Hutchings, and representatives of St George’s Church posing for a group picture.

Rev Hutchings was an Anglican colonial chaplain of the Prince of Wales Island (Penang), whose inspiration led to the construction of St George’s Church in 1818.

The church is currently the oldest Anglican church in South-East Asia.

On Oct 21,1816, he founded Penang Free School, the first English-medium school in South-East Asia then.

He was also said to have compiled and written what were considered the first books on Malay grammar, in addition to several elementary textbooks and a dictionary mainly for school use.

He died of malaria in Penang on April 20,1827.