Talk:Owen Rutter

Rutter and Islam
I have removed the references to his conversion to Islam for now as the source for that appears to be a biography he wrote which has been taken as a pseudonymous autobiography "‘David Chale’ was the pseudonym of a District Officer in colonial Sarawak, the story of whose conversion follows. The author of this account, Owen Rutter (1884-1944), was a travel writer and an expert on the tribes of North Borneo."

If others are certain of his conversion, they can be reinstated. Ned de Rotelande 17:38, 19 March 2008 (UTC)


 * It seems the DO about whom Rutter wrote was a Mr McBryan of the Sarawak Civil Service who converted to Islam, married a Malay woman and left Sarawak in 1932. He undertook the Hajj at some point. Ref: "Nestle's Rutter" in Notes of the Day, The Straits Times 12 Aug 1937 page 10, online here  and another ref here . Jasper33 (talk) 12:56, 4 February 2010 (UTC)

Thanks for sorting that out; so it was a GTM McBryan who made the Hajj in 1935. Another brief reference gives his first name as Gerald and states "However, McBryan went clinically insane." Ned de Rotelande 14:39, 4 February 2010 (UTC)


 * My pleasure. I have just discovered the digital archives at Singapore Library and am making all sorts of interesting discoveries of one sort and another. Jasper33 (talk) 14:56, 4 February 2010 (UTC)

I now see that his surname is spelt MacBryan; searching for that AND Sarawak produces masses of returns. Ned de Rotelande 15:09, 4 February 2010 (UTC)


 * I knew the name was familiar: Gerard MacBryan is mentioned in Masa Jepun by Prof Bob Reece (1998): "Accompanying her as lady-in-waiting was Hajjah Sa'erah, a strikingly beautiful woman of mixed Bidayuh and Melanau parentage who had just returned from living in England for some years. In 1936 she had been taken to London by Gerard MacBryan, the Rajah's dashingly handsome Private Secretary, after they had been married by Islamic rites in Singapore and travelled to Mecca to perform the haj (pilgrimage).  One of the main organisers of the centenary programme [24 September 1941], MacBryan had recently returned after ten years in exile.  Once more in favour as court entertainer and political adviser in the Astana, he was hated by all but a few of his fellow officers.  It was even rumoured that he was a Japanese sympathiser.  Immaculate in a tropical white suit, he hovered nervously behind the scenes."  A footnote to this paragraph says "There is as yet no biography of MacBryan but his significance is traced in Reece, The Name of Brooke.  For an account of his pilgrimage to Mecca, see O. Rutter, Triumphant Pilgramage: An English Muslim's Journey from Sarawak to Mecca, London: Hutchinson, 1936."  There are other references to him in Masa Jepun. Jasper33 (talk) 15:13, 4 February 2010 (UTC)

Rutter diaries
Diaries by him dated 1913-4 kept during his time in North Borneo are for sale right now:

''RUTTER, O.[1889-1944), Diaries Kept in North Borneo, 1913-1914. S.L., [1913-1914]. 2 vols. folio. orig.scuffed boards. Tha diary kept in volumes of The Singapore and Straits Rough Diary for 1913 and 1914. Arranged with 4 days per page. In these diaries Rutter describes his tour of duty into the interior...Left Pau at 6 & 7 got into Tiong at 10. The new office is an awful set-up and I call it Avi's folly. He plonked in down beside the sacred Pool of Tiong - they (the natives] don't like it because of their traditions & I don't because of the stink. Moreover it almost backs on to the loveliest view in all Borneo. Found Payuk away. Went to see the old blind potter woman in the evening..j(op.cit.). Rutter also notes decisions both administrative and judicial. At the end of the 1914 volume he lists the details of some 380 inhabitants who have been inoculated. The first entries for 1913 are in another hand, presumably that of an assistant. (bds. scuffed, and a couple of pages for December 1914 missing). Rarissime. Offered for EUR 3405.00 = appr. US$ 5376.49''

There is nothing in the article about him being in Borneo before WW1 so I shall research this and hopefully add something to the article. 86.136.31.176 (talk) 17:51, 9 May 2008 (UTC)

Who ever has posted information regarding Owen Rutter could they please get in touch with "tegan148@yahoo.co.uk" —Preceding unsigned comment added by Tegan148 (talk • contribs) 15:52, 9 May 2009 (UTC)


 * You have mail. Loopa. 86.133.210.223 (talk) 17:10, 10 May 2009 (UTC)

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