Richard O. Winstedt

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Sir Richard O. Winstedt (1878 - 1966) or more commonly R.O. Winstedt was an historian of Malay history, educationist and a British administrator in colonial British Malaya and Singapore.

He was fundamental in preserving several Malay literatures including The Malay Annals as well as producing crucial works regarding the Malays and their language such as A History of Malaya and A Dictionary of Malay Language. According to Australian Journal of Politics and History, "Winstedt was the first British scholar to make a systematic survey of Malay material for historical purposes, and laid the true foundation of a scientific approach to the writing of Malayan history."

He also played an important role in Malayan and Singaporean education system. Specifically, he was interested in educating the Malays. Upon his suggestion, Sultan Idris Training College was established in 1922 with the purpose of producing Malay teachers. In 1997, the Malaysian government upgraded the institution into a university. Winstedt was awarded the Order of the British Empire, Order of St. Michael and St. George for his contributions by the British sovereign.

He attended Magdalen College School and New College, both at Oxford and later became a reader in Malay at University of London. In 1902, he joined the Malayan Civil Service and nine years later, he was appointed as the district officer of Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan. In the 1920s and early 1930s, he held several important local education posts - President of Raffles College (1921 - 1931), Director of Education for the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States (1924 - 1931) and Director of Education of the Federal Council of the Federated Malay States (1927 - 1931).

From 1931 to 1935, he was the General Advisor of Sultan Ibrahim of Johor. Other offices that he had held were the President of Association of British Malaya, Director of Royal Asiatic Society and a Member of Board of School of Oriental and African Studies of the University of London.