Winstedt, Sir Richard (1878-1966), was a British colonial administrator in what is now the Southeast Asian nation of Malaysia from 1902 to 1935. He was also a scholar of the Malay and published hundreds of articles and books about Malay language, history, and culture. In addition, he played an important part in improving Malay education by increasing educational opportunities for Malay speakers.
Richard Olof Winstedt was born on Aug. 2, 1878 in Oxford, England. His middle name is sometimes spelled Olaf. He was educated at New College of the University of Oxford. In 1902, he joined the civil service of the Federated Malay States, a British colony that included much of what is now Malaysia. He was posted to the state of Perak, where, in addition to his official duties, he studied Malay culture and soon learned the Malay language.
In 1916, he was appointed assistant director of education for the Federated Malay States and the Straits Settlements. The Straits Settlements was a British colony that included what is now Singapore and parts of what is now Malaysia. Winstedt helped establish numerous schools and colleges to improve education in the region. These institutions included a teacher training college called Sultan Idris Training College (now Sultan Idris University of Education) in the town of Tanjong Malim, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) north of Kuala Lumpur, which is now the capital city of Malaysia. The college opened in 1922. From 1924 to 1931, he served as director of education for the Federated Malay States and the Straits Settlements.
Winstedt was recognized in many ways for his efforts. In 1926, he was appointed a companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, an award given in honor of service to the British Crown. In 1935, he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. He retired from public service in that year, but continued to research, write on, and teach topics related to Malay culture. Winstedt died in London on June 2, 1966.
