Maurice Hutton Family Collection

Chefoo (芝罘) is the former name of Yantai (烟台). Chenyuan is the former name of Zhenyuan (鎮遠).

Kiukiang is the former name of Jiujiang (九江) .

Kweichow is the former name of Guizhou (貴州) .

Pangsieh (螃蟹) is the former name of Panghai (旁海)

Maurice Harold Hutton (胡致中 ) (15 June 1888 - 21 November 1978) , an Australian missionary, arrived in China with the China Inland Mission (CIM) on 27 November 1911. His evangelical work focused on the Black Miao (Hmu, 黑苗) and Keh-Deo (革家) people, ethnic minorities in Panghai (螃蟹), Kweichow Province (貴州).

During his time in China, Hutton developed a script for the Black Miao and Keh Deo, based on the Chinese phonetic script, also known as Chu-yin phonetic system, Zhuyin Zemu (注音字母) or Bopomofo. This system was created in 1913 and formally promulgated by the government in 1918. Hutton’s script, commonly known in Chinese as 胡托苗文 or 胡致中注音字母 , comprised 27 initials, supplemented by three additional symbols (Z, L, +), and 16 finals. .

In 1928, Hutton published God Hath Said, Hymnary, Catechism, Matthew, and Mark in his Hmu script. Later he published the Gospels and Acts in 1932, and the New Testament in 1934 for the Black Miao. In 1937, Hutton published Catechism and Hymnary, Mark, and John in Keh Deo.

Throughout his career, Hutton was stationed at various locations, including Anqing (安慶), Panghai, Shanghai (上海), Hankow (漢口), Chongqing (重慶), Chenyuan (鎮遠), and Chefoo (芝罘), where he oversaw the printing of the books . In November 1937, Mr. and Mrs. Hutton left China to accompany their daughter for her further training in Australia.

Hutton married Stella Irene Stevens (胡施德全)(12 April 1888 - 10 May 1967 ), who worked with CIM in Chenyuan, on 19 September 1916 at His Britannic Majesty’s Consulate in Kiukiang (九江). The couple had two children: Herbert Stevens Hutton (born 17 July 1918 and passed away one day later) and Faith Irene Hutton (born 4 November 1919).