7
The Early Years
T
he first meeting of Trustees following the death of Mr. Croucher took place on 25th April 1980 at the office of Mr. MacCallum in Hong Kong, all tour Trustees being present (Todd who had assumed the Chairmanship upon Noel Croucher's death, MacCallum, who was elected Vice-Chairman, Huang and Butterfield). There was a wide-ranging discussion of policy and of methods of operation as the Foundation found itself with neither premises nor staff, although it was agreed with the executors of the Croucher estate that we could use part of the small office of Croucher & Co. in Ice House Street, Hong Kong Central, and also have some assistance in day to day financial matters from the two members of the Croucher staff, i.e. Ms. Florence Low and Ms. Rossetta Cheung.
It was recognised that the Foundation would need in due course to acquire not only adequate office accommodation in Hong Kong but a Director and staff to run it. However, it was desirable that we should get some experience of the nature of the problems involved before going in for any substantial staff recruitment; it was therefore decided that the Chairman should conduct the affairs of the Foundation from Cambridge with the aid of a part-time secretary (Miss Brownell), and that he should also seek for a responsible secretary who would look after affairs for the Trustees in Hong Kong.
This being agreed it was recognised that, initially at least, the Foundation might need some advice and assistance in setting up its scholarship schemes from someone with experience of similar fields in Hong Kong. It was understood that Mr. S. F. Bailey, Secretary of the University and Polytechnic Grants Committee, was due to retire in the summer of 1980 but was likely to be appointed Deputy Director of the Hong Kong Polytechnic; if so, he would remain in Hong Kong. The Trustees agreed that if Mr. Bailey was appointed to the Polytechnic post the Chairman should appoint him as a consultant for one year from 1st October 1980. The Polytechnic did in fact appoint Mr. Bailey and raised no objection to his acting as a part-time consultant to the Foundation.
It was also resolved at this meeting to invite the Hon. Mr. M.G.R. Sandberg to become a Trustee. Mr. Sandberg was not only an old friend of Mr. Croucher but a man of great financial and general experience, and the Trustees were very pleased that he was able to accept their invitation.
At the April 1980 meeting it was agreed that the Foundation's first priority should be to get its Scholarship and Fellowship programme under way. It was recognised that we could not get a scheme properly organised in time for the academic year 1980-81, but it was agreed that, should any clearly outstanding case come to the notice of a Trustee in the interim, an award for that year might be made. (In the event only one such case arose -- Miss Shirley M. Y. Wong who graduated in the summer of 1980 with the degree of B.Sc. with 1st Class Honours in Chemistry from the University of London and was very strongly recommended both by London and by Cambridge where she wished to pursue postgraduate work. She held the award for only one year, the Scholarship being terminated on personal grounds at the end of the 1980-81 session.)