Francis McDougall

Francis Thomas McDougall (30 June 1817 – 16 November 1886 ) was the first Bishop of Labuan and Sarawak from 1849 to 1868.

Life McDougall was born in Sydenham, son of William Adair McDougall, captain in the 88th regiment. He was educated at King's College London, where he trained as a surgeon, and Magdalen Hall, Oxford. While at Oxford, he rowed in the winning Oxford eight in the 1842 Boat Race.

On leaving Oxford, McDougall found employment in superintending the Trimsaran iron-works in South Wales, in which Robert John Bunyon had an interest; Francis married his daughter, Harriette, in Llanelli in July 1843. This was around the time of the Rebecca Riots, and McDougall was a prospective target for planning to open a company 'truck' shop. The ironworks closed in 1844 and he left to be ordained in 1845, by Edward Stanley, Bishop of Norwich. William Bodham Wright was a second missionary, who made the same journey with his family, arriving with them in Kuching in June 1848. McDougall established a medical mission. The work of setting up a school was delegated to the Wrights, but immediately proved contentious. Wright favoured co-education, which was culturally sensitive. The Wrights returned to the United Kingdom after eight months.

Returning to England in 1868 he was appointed Vicar of Godmanchester. Later he was Archdeacon of Huntingdon, then Vicar of Milford on Sea; and finally Archdeacon of the Isle of Wight from 1874 until his death.