Hutchings thanksgiving service 2024

Another year, another Thanksgiving memorial service for Robert Sparke Hutchings at his grave in the heritage Protestant Cemetery on Northam Road, George Town. I have been attending this service since 2012. Initially, it was out of curiosity, as I had just finished co-editing Fidelis with Molly Ooi. I wanted to see how much the Penang Free School Prefects were still involved in the annual tradition of visiting Hutchings' grave. That first visit reassured me that the tradition was still very much intact and observed to this day.

During the 2012 service, I drew a lot of curious stares from the Prefects and teachers, as none of them had seen me before. There I stood, a complete stranger in a PFS tie, shoulder to shoulder with them as the service went on. At the time, there were no representatives from The Old Frees' Association, and I found myself unofficially representing them.

Over the years, I managed to encourage more Old Frees to join in the annual visit. The school's Bicentenary helped raise awareness of this tradition, and gradually, The Old Frees' Association became more involved. Now, the OFA President and other members of the Management Committee attend as well.

Under the capable leadership of Revd Stephen Vello and Revd Ho Kong Eng, this morning's 15-minute service ran smoothly, with representatives from The Old Frees' Association, Penang Free School, Hutchings Sixth Form College and St George's Church in attendance. As tradition, the school songs were sung, and the PFS School Rally was duly performed. Regrettably, however, the students from Hutchings College came unprepared for their own school song. Their school authorities could have better prepared them, especially as their students attend the service every year.