The Founder and Institutional Origins
Principals of General Assembly's Institution (1830–1908) |
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Principal of Free Church Institution (1843–63) |
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Principals of Duff College (1863–1908) |
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Principals of Scottish Churches College (1908–1929) |
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Principals of Scottish Church College (1929–present) |
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The institutional origins are traceable to the life of Alexander Duff (1806–1878), the first overseas missionary of the Church of Scotland, to India. Initially known as the General Assembly's Institution, it was founded on 13 July 1830.
Alexander Duff was born on 25 April 1806, in Moulin, Perthshire, located in the inner Scottish countryside. He attended the University of St Andrews where after graduation, he decided to opt for a missionary life. Subsequently, he undertook his evangelical mission to India. In a voyage that involved two shipwrecks (first on the ship Lady Holland off Dassen Island, near Cape Town, and later on the ship Moira, near the Ganges delta) and the loss of his personal library consisting of 800 volumes (of which 40 survived), and college prizes, he arrived in Calcutta on 27 May 1830.
With initial support from the Governor-General of India Lord William Bentinck, Rev. Alexander Duff opened his institution in Feringhi Kamal Bose's house, located in upper Chitpore Road, near Jorasanko. In 1836 the institution was moved to Gorachand Bysack's house at Garanhatta. Mr. MacFarlon, the Chief-Magistrate of Calcutta, laid the foundation stone on 23 February 1837. Mr. John Gray, elected by Messrs. Burn & Co. and superintended by Captain John Thomson of the East India Company designed the building. The construction of the building was completed in 1839.
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