Francis Hollis
Encyclopedia
Francis Septimus Hollis (10 November 1884 - 4 February 1955) was a British clergyman in the Anglican Church. He held the position of Bishop of Labuan and Sarawak from 1938 until 1948.
Hollis was the son of George Hollis, of the Inner Temple
. He was educated at St George's School, Harpenden, and in Germany and France. He became a Fellow of the Surveyors Institute in 1908, and entered Dorchester Missionary College, Dorchester on Thames in 1910. He was ordained in 1914. He served as Curate of Ashby-de-la-Zouch
from 1913-1916.
Hollis first went to Sarawak
, Borneo
in 1916, serving as Assistant Priest at the St. Thomas' Cathedral at Kuching from 1916–1923, and then as Priest in Charge of the Land Dayak
mission of St James, Quop and Tai, from 1923-1928. He was Principal of St Thomas' School from 1928-1938. In 1934 he was made Archdeacon of Sarawak, and was consecrated Bishop of Labuan and Sarawak in 1938.
Hollis was interned at Batu Lintang camp
near Kuching for three and a half years from 1942 until 1945, and this period of internment seriously undermined his health. Hollis's eyesight was particularly badly affected. In 1948 he resigned the see after serving for 32 years in Sarawak. After the devastation of World War II, the diocese of Labuan and the bishopric of Sarawak were joined into the diocese of Borneo; Nigel Cornwall
was consecrated the first bishop of Borneo on 1 November 1949.
On returning to England, Hollis served as vicar of Stanford, with Swinford, Leicestershire, and as Assistant Bishop of Leicester
and Senior Canon of Leicester from 1949 until his death in February 1955.
Hollis was the son of George Hollis, of the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
. He was educated at St George's School, Harpenden, and in Germany and France. He became a Fellow of the Surveyors Institute in 1908, and entered Dorchester Missionary College, Dorchester on Thames in 1910. He was ordained in 1914. He served as Curate of Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Ashby-de-la-Zouch, — Zouch being pronounced "Zoosh" — often shortened to Ashby, is a small market town and civil parish in North West Leicestershire, England, within the National Forest. It is twinned with Pithiviers in north-central France....
from 1913-1916.
Hollis first went to Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
, Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
in 1916, serving as Assistant Priest at the St. Thomas' Cathedral at Kuching from 1916–1923, and then as Priest in Charge of the Land Dayak
Dayak people
The Dayak or Dyak are the native people of Borneo. It is a loose term for over 200 riverine and hill-dwelling ethnic subgroups, located principally in the interior of Borneo, each with its own dialect, customs, laws, territory and culture, although common distinguishing traits are readily...
mission of St James, Quop and Tai, from 1923-1928. He was Principal of St Thomas' School from 1928-1938. In 1934 he was made Archdeacon of Sarawak, and was consecrated Bishop of Labuan and Sarawak in 1938.
Hollis was interned at Batu Lintang camp
Batu Lintang camp
Batu Lintang camp at Kuching, Sarawak on the island of Borneo was a Japanese internment camp during the Second World War. It was unusual in that it housed both Allied prisoners of war and civilian internees...
near Kuching for three and a half years from 1942 until 1945, and this period of internment seriously undermined his health. Hollis's eyesight was particularly badly affected. In 1948 he resigned the see after serving for 32 years in Sarawak. After the devastation of World War II, the diocese of Labuan and the bishopric of Sarawak were joined into the diocese of Borneo; Nigel Cornwall
Nigel Cornwall
Nigel Edmund Cornwall CBE, was a British clergyman in the Anglican Church. He held the position of Bishop of Borneo from 1949 until 1962....
was consecrated the first bishop of Borneo on 1 November 1949.
On returning to England, Hollis served as vicar of Stanford, with Swinford, Leicestershire, and as Assistant Bishop of Leicester
Bishop of Leicester
The Bishop of Leicester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Leicester in the Province of Canterbury.The first bishops of Leicester were originally prelates who administered an Anglo-Saxon diocese between the 7th and 9th centuries...
and Senior Canon of Leicester from 1949 until his death in February 1955.
Selected publications
- "S.P.G.: an outline of the history of the mission in Sarawak" Sarawak Gazette 1000 (4 Jan 1937) supp. pp 15–16
- "The Church in Sarawak" Sarawak Gazette Centenary (20 Oct 1941) pp 15–16
- Hollis also translated parts of the Prayer Book and the Psalms into the Quop dialect, Land Dayak.