John Hector, United Free Church of Scotland missionary in Calcutta, India, was born in Aberdeen on 21 December 1845. Educated at Aberdeen University he graduated MA in 1860 and later DD in 1884. He attended Aberdeen Free Church College then secured a post teaching missionaries at Kinnoir, Huntly in 1870 followed by a spell as a missionary assistant at Paisley St George's in 1871. In the same year he was ordained for foreign mission service with the Free Church and was appointed to Calcutta. In 1876 Hector married Margaret Pittendrigh and in 1887 he became principal of Duff College, Calcutta. He oversaw the recovery of the college from a period of depression and it developed into a well organised and efficient institution. His skilful management and genial personality made him popular with both teachers and pupils and his period as principal saw the largest pupil numbers the college had yet had. Hector was invalided home and formally retired from the mission on 31 December in 1902. He was the Duff Lecturer in Evangelistic Theology at the United Free Church Colleges between 1904 and 1905. Hector died on 19 December 1934.