Richard Hingston

Major Richard William George Hingston (17 January 1887 – 5 August 1966) was an Irish physician, explorer and naturalist who worked in India with the Indian Medical Service. He wrote several books based on his travels and natural history observations. He also served as medical officer to the 1924 British Mount Everest expedition.

Early life Hingston was born into a middle-class Anglo-Irish family in Blackrock, a suburb of Cork. He was the youngest son of Frances (née Sandiford, c. 1855–1947) and the Reverend Richard Edward Hull Hingston (1859–1924), a Church of Ireland rector, of Aglish, County Waterford. Hingston had two older brothers, James Henry Hingston (1884–1954) and Henry Sandiford Hingston (1885–1956). His six-times great-grandfather, Major James Hingston of Devonshire, was one of Oliver Cromwell's settlers in Ireland. Most of Hingston's early life was spent in the family home at Horsehead in Passage West, County Cork.

From 1925 till 1927, he acted as surgeon-naturalist to the Marine Survey of India on H.I.M.S. Investigator. This post enabled him to conduct new and innovative research which provided rich fields of scientific treasure for several I.M.S. officers such as Alcock and Sewell. Hingston's son emigrated to Australia at the age of 20 and served as a medical officer in the Royal Australian Navy, reaching the rank of Surgeon-Lieutenant.