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RichardOlafWinstedt

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RichardOlafWinstedt(Sir)(b.Oxford,England,2August1878d.London,England,2
June1966),wasacolonialadministratorandscholar.Heintroducednumerousreforms ~Recommendations~
asdirectorofeducationfortheStraitsSettlementsbutisbetterrememberedforhis
contributiontothestudyofMalayanfolklore,historyandlanguage,onwhichhe RafflesCollege
publishedhundredsofworksovera50yearperiod. (http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP
_1797_20110315.html)
Earlyyears RafflesCollegewassetupat469BukitTimah
WinstedtstudiedatMagdalenCollegeSchoolandNewCollege,Oxford.Hejoinedthe Roadin1928asacollegeforhighereducationin
theartsandsciences....
ColonialServiceandrequestedpostingtotheFederatedMalayStates,arrivingin
Taipinginlate1902.
SarahWinstedt
Civilservice (http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP
Earlycareer _1832_20110825.html)
In1903,hebecameanassistantschoolsinspectorinPerak.Visitingremotevillagesby SarahMaryJosephineWinstedt,neOFlynn(Dr)
(b.4April1886,SixMileBridge,CountyClare,
raft,bullockcart,elephant,andevenmoreunusual(atthattime)bicycle,herarelysaw
Irelandd.9September...
otherEuropeans,whichhelpedhimtomastertheMalaylanguage.From1904,hewas
assistantdistrictofficerinaseriesofPeraktowns.Afternearlydyingofbloodpoisoning
hebecamedistrictofficerforKualaPilah,inNegeriSembilan.Here,heattendedmany RichardJamesWilkinson
ruralfunctionsandbecameveryfamiliarwithlocalculture.Thisknowledgeof (http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP

Malays'languageandcustomspromptedhisappointmentasassistantdirectorof _1681_20100716.html)
RichardJamesWilkinson(b.29May1867,
educationforMalayschoolsintheStraitsSettlementsandFederatedMalayStatesin
Salonika,Greeced.5December1941,Izmir,
1916. Turkey)wasacolonialadministrator...

EducationandJohore
WilliamG.Shellabear
AfterfactfindingtripstoJavaandthePhilippinesherecommendedagreaterfocuson
(http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP
handicraftsandhorticulturetoequipMalaysforkamponglife.Hewaslargely
_156_20050126.html)
responsibleforfoundingSultanIdrisTrainingCollegeinTanjongMalim,Perak,to
WilliamGirdlestoneShellabear(b.27August1862,
addresstheshortageofMalayteachers,andlaterestablishedaTranslationBureauto Englandd.16January1947,Hartford,
produceMalaytexts.In1924,hebecameDirectorofEducation.Hisinsistenceon Connecticut,UnitedStates)...

schoolingMalaysinMalay,loweringoftheschoolleavingageandfocusonvernacular
subjectslikebasketweaving,designedtopreservetheirtraditionallifestyles,waslater StraitsBranchoftheRoyalAsiatic
criticisedforhinderingtheiradvancement.Thisconservativeapproachwasexemplified Society
inacontemporarysremarkthatthesystemaimedtomakethesonsoffarmersand (http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP
fishermenbetterfarmersandfishermen. _1172_20091030.html)
TheStraitsBranchoftheRoyalAsiaticSociety
However,healsowidenedthecurriculumforgirls,recruitedmoreinspectorstoenforce wasfoundedinNovember1877toresearchand
documentinformationrelating...
newstandardsandcentralisedthesupplyoftextbookstoensurecomprehensive
distribution.Oneofhisowntexts,amoralprimer,wasusedinBritishschools.Hedrafted
thefirstEducationCodeandassembledanexpertstaffwhichhelpedhimtomaster ConstanceMaryTurnbull
everyaspectofeducationalissues.Althoughhewasmoreinterestedinelementary (http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP
educationhehelpedestablishRafflesCollegeandwasitsfirstpresidentfrom1921until _1382_20081231.html)
1931andchairedacommitteewhichfinallysecuredtheCollegeofMedicinesfinancial ConstanceMaryTurnbull(Professor)(b.9
February1927,Northumberland,Englandd.5
footingin1928.AsDirectorofEducationhesatonthelegislativeandfederalcouncilsof
September2008,Oxford,England),...
theStraitsSettlementsandFMS.

In1931,hebecameGeneralAdvisertotheStateofJohore.Atthesultansrequesthe
extendedhisstaythenretiredandreceivedaknighthoodin1935. First() Prev() Next()

Last()
Scholarlywork
Lexicography
WinstedtsfascinationwithMalayaandamplevocabularyledhimtoassistthe
distinguishedscholaradministratorRichardWilkinsonwithresearchbeforepublishinghisownworks.InPerakhemetacelebratedpoet
whointerestedhimincourtceremonyandanilliterateoldBugisvillagechiefwhosemanyhoursofstoriesWinstedttranscribedand
published.Workinginhissparetime,WinstedtcollectedvastamountsoforiginalmaterialandwouldpublisharticlesonMalayfolklore,
artsandcrafts,law,religion,archaeologyandbeliefsandcustoms.

DuringWinstedtslongrecoveryfrombloodpoisoningWilkinsonrecommendedstudyingMalaygrammar.Theresultwaspossiblyhis
mostsignificantbook,MalayGrammar,publishedin1913.ThebookestablishedhisreputationandearnedhimfromOxfordUniversity
thefirstBritishdoctoraldegreeforaMalaytopicin1920.HealsopublishedathreevolumeEnglishMalaydictionarybetween1914and
1917andwouldlaterproduceseveralmore,includinganallMalaydictionaryoverfortyyearslater.Othernotableworksincluded
Shaman,SaivaandSufi,astudyofMalaymagic(1925).

Histories
WinstedthadcoauthoredashorthistoryofMalayain1918,lateradaptedforschooluse,whichreiteratedforMalaysthesometimes
forgottendistinctionbetweenlegendandhistory.Hefocusedonhistorymoreseriouslyduringhisfinalyearsthere.Aprojecttoestablish
thesultansgenealogyledtoahistoryofJohore,soonfollowedbyhistoriesofRiau,NegeriSembilan,SelangorandMalaya.Thelast

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4/24/2017 RichardOlafWinstedt|Infopedia
workhadawiderchronologicalscopethananypreviousgeneralhistoryandwastranslatedintoJapaneseduringtheoccupation.Later
historianscritiquedhisunapologeticimperialism,lackoffootnotes,andfocusoncourtlife,yetthesewerethemostcomprehensiveworks
oftheirkindtodate.

AswellaspublishingWinstedtcontributedtolocalscholarshipaspresidentorvicepresidentoftheMalayanBranchoftheRoyalAsiatic
SocietyoverseveralyearsandamemberoftheRafflesLibraryandMuseumcommittee.OnhisdeparturefromMalayahewasnameda
pendita(professor)bytheRoyalSocietyofMalayLiterature,Johore.AfterretiringtoBritainheproducedanimportantnewtranslationof
theMalayAnnals(1938)andabookofMalayproverbs(1950).HebecamethefirstexcolonialofficialappointedaFellowoftheBritish
Academy(1945),recognisinghisHistoryofMalayLiterature(1939).HewasalsoawardedtheRoyalAsiaticSocietystriennialgoldmedal
(1947)andanhonoraryLL.D.fromtheUniversityofMalaya(1951).

PostMalayanactivities
In1935,hejoinedLondonsSchoolofOrientalandAfricanStudies,teachingMalayfortenyearsandservingasoneofitsgovernorsfor
twenty.HejoinedtheColonialOfficeadvisorycommitteeoneducation,presidedovertheAssociationofBritishMalaya,andservedas
presidentordirectoroftheRoyalAsiaticSocietybetween1940and1964.From1940hemadetwiceweeklyMalaybroadcastsonBBC
worldserviceandopinedonMalayanaffairsinthemedia,predictingJapansinvasion.AfterthewarWinstedtandothereminentex
MalayanofficialsattackedtheBritishgovernmentscontroversialandultimatelyshortlivedMalayanUnionplan,particularlythecoercion
ofthereluctantsultans.Heremainedaprolificwriterintooldageanddiedin1966.

Publishedworks
1909:PapersonMalaysubjects
1913:MalayGrammar(revised1927)
1916:ColloquialMalayAsimplegrammarwithconversations(revised1944)
191417:AnEnglishMalayDictionary
1916:Malayanmemories
1920:DictionaryofcolloquialMalay(MalayEnglishandEnglishMalay)
1922:TheearlyhistoryofSingaore,JohoreandMalacca
1925:Shaman,saivaandsufi:AstudyoftheevolutionofMalaymagic
1929:SimpleMalaygrammarfortheuseofschools
1931:AMalayHistoryofRiauandJohore(withRajaAliHaji)
1932:ThePrehistoryofMalaya
1932:AHistoryofJohore
1933:Rightthinkingandrightliving:Aprimeronmoralandsocialtopics
1933:EasternTales
1934:AHistoryofSelangorandNegeriSembilan
1934:AHistoryofPerak(withRichardWilkinson)
1934:AhistoryofSelangor
1935:AHistoryofMalaya(Japanesetranslation1943,revised1962)
1938,1940:TheMalayAnnalsorSerajahMelayu
1939:AHistoryofMalayanLiterature(withZainalAlidinbinAhmad)
1944:BritainandMalaya,17861941
1947:Indianart(edited)
1947:TheMalays:Aculturalhistory(Frenchtranslation1952,revised1950,1953)
1948:Malayaanditshistory
1950:MalayProverbs
1951:TheMalaymagician:beingshaiman,saivaandsufi
1955:AnunabridgedMalayEnglishDictionary
1958:AnunabridgedEnglishMalayDictionary
1958:AHistoryofClassicalMalayanLiterature
1958:PelitaBahasaIngrrisanEnglishGrammarinMalay
1960:KamusBahasaMlayu
1969:StartfromAlif,countfromone

Family
In1921hemarriedSarahOFlynn,thefirstfemaledoctorinMalaya.



Author
DuncanSutherland



References
Bastin,J.(1964).SirRichardWinstedtandhiswritings.InJ.BastinandR.Roolvink(Eds.),MalayanandIndonesianstudies:essays
presentedtoSirRichardWinstedtonhiseightyfifthbirthday(http://eservice.nlb.gov.sg/item_holding_s.aspx?bid=4085918)(pp.19,1023).Oxford:
ClarendonPress.
(Callno.:RCLOS959.5BAS)

Cheeseman,H.R.(1935,October8).AcenturyofeducationinSingapore
(http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/singfreepressb19351008.2.43.10.aspx)[Microfilm:NL3615].TheSingaporeFreePress,Section3,
p.16andSection4,p.2.

Cheeseman,H.R.(1950,August).MalayasdebttoRichardWinstedt.BritishMalaya(http://eservice.nlb.gov.sg/item_holding_s.aspx?bid=925710),
pp.7476.
(Callno.:RCLOS959.5BRI)

Chelliah,D.D.(1960,originallypublished1947).AhistoryoftheeducationalpolicyoftheStraitsSettlementswithrecommendationsfora

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4/24/2017 RichardOlafWinstedt|Infopedia
newsystembasedonvernaculars(http://eservice.nlb.gov.sg/item_holding_s.aspx?bid=4112128)(pp.71,78,123).Singapore:SHKiat.
(Callno.:RCLOS370.9595CHE)

Choy,C.M.(1995,December).AtributetoSirRichardWinstedt,thehistorian.JournaloftheMalaysianBranchoftheRoyalAsiatic
Society(http://eservice.nlb.gov.sg/item_holding_s.aspx?bid=4126333),68(2),12122.
(Callno.:RSING959.5JMBRAS)

Choy,C.M.(1995,December).ModernMalayanhistoryinthejournal:Thepre1950period.JournaloftheMalaysianBranchofthe
RoyalAsiaticSociety(http://eservice.nlb.gov.sg/item_holding_s.aspx?bid=4126333),68(2),9798.
(Callno.:RSING959.5JMBRAS)

DrR.O.Winstedt(http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19200621.2.81.aspx)[Microfilm:NL468].(1920,June21).TheStraits
Times,p.11.

Lau,A.(1991).TheMalayanUnioncontroversy(http://eservice.nlb.gov.sg/item_holding_s.aspx?bid=5662580)(pp.13639).Singapore:OxfordUniversity
Press.
(Callno.:RSING320.95951LAU)

LadyWinstedt.(1972,September13).TheTimes.Retrievedon23October,2009,fromtheTimesDigitalArchive.

Loh,P.L.F.(1975).Seedsofseparation:EducationalpolicyinMalaya18741940(http://eservice.nlb.gov.sg/item_holding_s.aspx?bid=794696)(pp.27
29,122).KualaLumpur:OxfordUniversityPress.
(Callno.:RSING370.09595LOH)

Roff,W.(1994,originallypublished1967).TheoriginsofMalaynationalism(http://eservice.nlb.gov.sg/item_holding_s.aspx?bid=7122266)(pp.13742).
KualaLumpur:OxfordUniversityPress.
(Callno.:RSEA320.54ROF)

SirRichardWinstedt.(1966,June4).TheTimes.Retrievedon23October,2009,fromtheTimesDigitalArchive.

32yearsservicetoeducationinMalaya(http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19350413.2.55.aspx)[Microfilm:NL1498].
(1935,April13).TheStraitsTimes,p.12.

Winstedt,R.O.(1952,April).MyBooks.[Microfilm:NL7598].Malaya:ThejournaloftheAssociationofBritishMalaya
(http://eservice.nlb.gov.sg/item_holding_s.aspx?bid=5235298),p.25.

Winstedt,R.O.(1945,November15).TheMalayanUnion(http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19451115.2.12.aspx)
[Microfilm:NL4858].TheStraitsTimes,p.2.

Winstedt,R.O.(1969).Startfromalif,countfromone(http://eservice.nlb.gov.sg/item_holding_s.aspx?bid=386409)(pp.viii,39,50,69,112,140,142).
Oxford:OxfordUniversityPress.
(Callno.:RSING959.505WIN)


Image
Winstedt,R.O.(1969).Startfromalif,countfromone(http://eservice.nlb.gov.sg/item_holding_s.aspx?bid=386409)(frontispiece).Oxford:Oxford
UniversityPress.
(Callno.:RSING959.505WIN)



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Winstedt,RichardOlof,Sir,18781966(../search.aspx?q="Winstedt,RichardOlof,Sir,18781966"&type=articles)
Colonialadministrators(../search.aspx?q="Colonialadministrators"&type=articles)
ColonialadministratorsSingaporeBiography(../search.aspx?q="ColonialadministratorsSingaporeBiography"&type=articles)
Languageandliterature>>Literatures>>AustronesianandOceanianliteratures>>Malayliterature(../search.aspx?q="Languageand
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