discipline of the
Church of England, under the name of St. Andrew, was laid by
the Right Reverend Daniel Wilson, D.D., Lord Bishop of Calcutta
and Metropolitan, on the 4th March, 1856, in the twenty-fourth
year of his episcopate.

The Hon'ble Edmund Augustus Blundell being the Governor
of the Straits Settlements.

The Hon'ble Thomas Church being Resident Councillor of
Singapore.

Lieut-Col. Charles Pooley, of the Madras Army, Commanding
the Troops.

The Rev. William Topley Humphrey being Chaplain.

And Captain Ronald McPherson of the Madras Artillery being
the Architect.

The Building to be erected at the charge of the Hon'ble East
India Company.

Full Estimate of cost: Co.'s Rupees 120,932, or with Convict
Labour Rupees 47,916.

In May, 1857, Captain Man proceeded from Malacca to Penang as Resident
Councillor of that settlement, and Captain Macpherson took his place at
Malacca. Captain Purvis, also of the Madras Artillery, was appointed to
succeed Captain Macpherson in the combined duties of engineer and
Superintendent of Convicts; but, to the regret of the Government, he
relinquished the appointment at the close of the year, and Lieutenant
McNair, another Madras Artillery officer, succeeded him. Lieutenant (now
Major) McNair was a passed interpreter in the Hindustani language, which
was spoken by the bulk of the convicts in the jail, and he subsequently
qualified as a civil engineer. He remained in charge of the convicts
until the jail was abolished in 1873.

Upon his assuming charge, the foundations of the new church had been
laid and the masonry built up to nearly three feet above ground. The
work was steadily carried on in accordance with the plans of Captain
Macpherson, with the single exception that it was found necessary, owing
to the weakness of the foundations, to abandon the heavy tower, and to
place a light steeple instead. In the building of this church, Mr. John
Bennett afforded most material assistance as Assistant Superintendent of
Convicts. To his oversight and careful attention to the variety of
details incident to such a work may be ascribed its satisfactory
completion in January, 1862, when the edifice was consecrated by the
then Bishop of Calcutta, Dr. George Cotton, who so u