Papers, 1925-[1960s], of Sir Richard Winstedt relating to his publications, comprising annotated proofs of Malay dictionary, 1960; manuscripts of Malay Dictionary, undated; copy of his An English-Malay Dictionary (1952), with extensive manuscript annotations and alterations [after 1952]; manuscripts and typescripts for his memoirs Start from Alif: Count from One (published in 1969), largely relating to his time in south-east Asia [1960s]; manuscript on philosophy, undated; letter on Malay law to [S G?] Vesey-Fitzgerald, 1945; letter on a Malay manuscript from P Voorholne[?] of the Bibliotheek der Rijks-Universiteit te Leiden, 1951; part of a letter on Raffles College and educational needs in Malaya from an unknown correspondent, 1965; miscellaneous offprints by Winstedt on Malay literature, law, customs and culture, 1925, 1929, 1945, and undated.
Papers of Sir Richard Olaf Winstedt
This material is held atSchool of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) Archives, University of London
- Reference
- GB 102 MS 312646
- Dates of Creation
- 1925 - c.1960s
- Name of Creator
- Language of Material
- English Malay (macrolanguage)
- Physical Description
- 5 boxes, 1 file, 1 volume
Scope and Content
Administrative / Biographical History
Born in Oxford, 1878; educated at Magdalen College School and New College, Oxford; MA; Cadet, Federated Malay States Civil Service, 1902; posted to Perak, and studied Malay language and culture; appointed District Officer, Kuala Pilah, 1913; appointed to the education department, 1916; stationed in Singapore for 15 years; DLitt, Oxford, 1920; first President of Raffles College, Singapore, 1921-1931; his recommendations were instrumental in the founding of a new teacher training college, the Sultan Idris Training College at Tanjong Malim, to which was attached the Malay Translation Bureau, 1922; acting Secretary to the High Commissioner, 1923; Director of Education, Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States (FMS), and member of Legislative Council, Straits Settlements, 1924-1931; CMG, 1926; member of Federal Council, FMS, 1927-1931; General Adviser to the Malay State of Johore, 1931-1935; retired from the Malayan Civil Service and was appointed KBE, 1935; lecturer in Malay, School of Oriental (later Oriental and African) Studies; Member of the Colonial Office Advisory Committee on Education, 1936-1939; Reader in Malay, School of Oriental Studies, 1937-1946; President, Association of British Malaya, 1938; member of Governing Body, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), 1939-1959; Director, Royal Asiatic Society, 1940-1943, 1946-1949, 1952-1955, 1958-1961, President, 1943-1946, 1949-1952, 1955-1958, 1961-1964, Gold Medallist, 1947, and Honorary Vice-President, 1964; during World War Two, broadcast in Malay to Malaya under the Japanese occupation; following the re-occupation his joint authorship of a letter to The Times played a role in the reversal of the British government's Malayan Union policy and the institution of a federal government which led ultimately to Malayan independence; Fellow of the British Academy, 1945; retired from SOAS, 1946; Honorary Fellow of SOAS, 1947; VicePresident of the Royal India Society, from 1947; Vice-Chairman of Executive Committee for Exhibition of Art from India and Pakistan, Royal Academy of Arts, London (and headed a delegation to India to arrange for collection of exhibits), 1947-1948; Hon LLD (Malaya), 1951; Honorary Member of South-East Asia Institute, USA; Honorary Member, Royal Batavian Society and of Kon Instituut voor TaalLanden Volkenkunde, The Hague; died, 1966. Publications: numerous works on Malay language, culture and history.
Arrangement
Manuscript and typescript memoirs, 1 box (Ref: 1); manuscript Malay Dictionary, 1 box (Ref: 2); proofs for Malay Dictionary, 3 boxes (Ref: 3); letters, offprints, and other documents, 1 file (Ref: 4); annotated copy of An English-Malay Dictionary, 1 volume (Ref: 5).
Access Information
Open
Acquisition Information
Presented in 1974.