POST OFFICE
(Contd.)
830
Reference have been made in these articles to the sickness which prevailed in the early days of the Colony; and we find in the records that the staff of the Post Office suffered severely. There were constant applications for leave, several men were invalided out of the service or died comparatively young, and the medical certificates which they sent in show that their complaints ranged through severe inflammation of the liver, "Hong Kong" fever, and even tuberculosis.
In addition to the staff mentioned in yesterday's article, a Mr. Daniel W. G. Gwynne came out in March 1848, from England as Fourth Clerk, in place of Mr. Remedios, who had gone to Canton. But the new arrival was obliged to return four months later in July being urgently ordered Home by his doctor, after a prolonged spell of ill-health, his complaint being diagnosed as liver inflammation.
In the period of January to March, 1852 Messrs. Crakanthorp, Marsh and Hudson were in turn reported seriously invalided and were given leave to England, only Mr. Crakanthorp being able to carry on for some time, though he eventually resigned after continual friction with the Postmaster, Mr. Hyland.
The establishment of a sub-Post Office at Canton was opened in 1847, the first reference thereto being dated July of that year.
For a time, accommodation was found in a room in the British Consulate. The officer sent to take charge was the Fourth Clerk at the Hong Kong P.O., Mr. Remedios, and he appears to have been most satisfactory until illness caused him to neglect his duties, By 1853 we find him so ill that he was not expected to recover, and he died in May that year. A Mr. J. E. Wright who had been appointed to take his place at Canton resigned the following August seemingly "fed up" either with the life or the climate.
In the summer of 1855 we find Mr. Hyland writing Home detailing the various officers who had been invalided out of the service or who had died, declaring that he himself was seriously indisposed "with Hong Kong fever" and requesting long leave. Mr. William Chapman was appointed to act for him during his furlough; five years later Mr. Hyland left for good, after nearly fifteen years service in the local postal department.
The photograph of the old Post Office on Queen's Road published the other day (see 19-2-34) shows a number of trees quite well grown and these we know existed up to comparatively recent times on both the Queen's Road and Pedder Street frontages. From the old correspondence of the department we find various interesting references to the premises and to the planting of trees.
In November 1847, a reference is made to the fact that the Government were planting trees in various parts of the Colony and it was requested by the Postmaster that trees be planted in front of the Post Office. It appears that the actual "front" was on Pedder Street. The request for sylvan amenities must have been granted, for in February 1848 the acting Postmaster Mr. Crakanthorp, who appears to have been a most conscientious and capable official, forwarded a sketch of the postal department's premises, drawn by a Chinese to the Postmaster General in London. I quote the following extracts from the accompanying letter:
the ground floor shows the Office and the Postmaster's Private Room, with the position of the Clock, immediately over the Receiving and too late Boxes; the back of the House being the Office of the Registrar General, and Collector of Chinese revenue: the apartments above having been occupied by Mr. Hyland and in which Mr. Marsh the Second Clerk and I, are at present residing.
POST OFFICE
(Contd.)
830
Reference have been made in these articles to the sickness which prevailed in the early days of the Colony; and we find in the records that the staff of the Post Office sufered severely. There were constant applications for leave, several men were invalided out of the service or died comparatively young, and the medical certificates which they sent in show that their complaints ranged through severe inflammation of the liver, "hong Kong" fever, and even tuberculosis.
In addition to the staff mentioned in yesterday's article, a Mr. Daniel W. G. Gwynne came out in March 1848, from England as Fourth Clerk, in place of Mr. Rededios, who had gone to Canton. But the new arrival was obliged to return four months later in July being urgently ordered Home by his doctor, after a prolonged spell of ill-health, his complaint being diagnosed as liver inflammation.
In the period of January to March, 1852 Messrs. Crakanthorp, Marsh and Hudson were in turn reported seriously invalided and were given leave to England, only Mr. Crakanthorp being able to carry on for some time, thoghhhe eventually resigned after cont nuual friction with the Postmaster, Mr. Hyland.
carried
The establishment of a sub-Post Office at Canton was out in 1847, the first reference thereto being dated July of that year.
For a time, accommodation was found in a room in the British Consulate. The officer sent to take charge was the Fourth Clerk at the Hong Kong P.0., Mr. Remedios, and he appears to have been most satisfactory until illness caused him to neglect his duties, By 1853 we find him so ill that he was not expected to recover, and he died in May that year. A Mr. J. E. Wright who had been appointed to take his place at Canton resigned the following August seemingly "fed up" either with the life or the climate.
In the summer of 1855 we find Mr. Hyland writing Home detailing the various officers who had been invalided out of the service or who had died, declaring that he himself was seriously indisposed "with Hong Kong fever" and requesting long leave. Mr. William Chapman was appointed to act for him during his furlough: five years later Mr. Hyland left for good, after nearly fifteen years service in the local postal department.
*
*
*
The photograph of the old Post Office on Queen's Road published the other day (see 19-2-34) shows a number of trees quite well grown and these we know existed up to comparatively recent on both the Queen's Road and Pedder Street frontages. From the old correspondence of the department we find various interesting references to the premises and to the planting of trees.
In November 1847, a reference is made to the fact that the Government were planting trees in various parts of the Colony and it was requested by the Postmaster that trees be planted in front of the Post Office.. It appears that the actual "front was on Pedder Street. The request for sylvan amenities must have been granted, for in February 1848 the acting Postmaster Mr. Craknathorp, who appears to have been a most conscientious and capable official, forwarded a sketch of the postal department's premises, drawn by a Chinese to the Postmaster General in London I quote the following extracts from the accompanying letter:
I
......
the ground floor shows the Office and the Postmaster's Private Room, with the position of the Clock, immediately over the Receiving and too late Boxes; the back of the House being the Office of the Registrar General, and Collector of Chinese revenue: the apartments above having been occupied by Mr. Hyland and in which Mr. Marsh the Second Clerk and I, are at present residing.
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