343
GOVERNORS
Sir Richard Graves Macdonnell was Governor of the Colony from March 11, 1866, to April 22, 1872. He was an Irishman, who had a distinguished career at Dublin University, gaining honours in both classics and science, and was later called to the Bar. He became Chief Justice of Gambia, and subsequently Governor of that place, and took part in several exploring expeditions into the interior of Africa. Serving next in St. Lucia and St. Vincent, he was later appointed to South Australia, and then half way across the world to Nova Scotia, before coming to the East as Governor of Hong Kong.
He was noted here for his strong measures of reform, his reorganisation of the Police (he was the first to introduce Sikhs to the force), his attempts to get garbling confined to licensed gaming houses, his probing of corruption, and finally, his strong measures against the criminal elements of the population, by which crime generally decreased. It is possible that the resentment occasioned among the turbulent class of Chinese by these measures was connected with the killing of the Governor's pet. The subsequent construction of a tomb may also have been influenced by Lady Macdonnell, who was a gracious helpmate to the administrator, and was beloved by all communities. When Sir Richard departed he was acknowledged as one of the best Governors the Colony ever had.
Occasionally, in seeking material for these articles, one comes across most interesting side-lights, so to speak, on Old Hongkong. Some of the material is not necessarily old in the ordinary sense of the word, yet of much historical value: for history is always in the making, and even the happenings of a decade past will go down forgotten by the next generation unless recorded by contemporary scribes. Thus it has been, and will continue to be, the policy of the writer of this series to delve into more recent records whenever available, and to bring as many as possible of the Colony's records down to a period within living memory. Much material of seemingly minor importance will be of the greatest value in years to come.
Here is a case in point. A friend kindly forwards some prints made off a series of wood blocks which were prepared in 1914 but were never issued to the public. It is a tale with quite a romantic touch, and an undercurrent of sadness.
While strolling through Hollywood Road some years ago, the gentleman to whom I am indebted for this information noticed a pile of wood blocks in a small Chinese printing shop. He had a series of prints run off for a nominal sum, and on seeing what they were a number of cartoons of local people in pre-War days made enquiries, and the gist of the story is as follows:
Shortly before the Great War, the private secretary to the Governor was Mr. R.B. Hatfield, a gentleman who possessed the gift of clever caricature. He sketched many Hong Kong personages - Admirals, Generals, Government Officials, taipans, and prominent people in general. Someone suggested
343
GOVERNORS
Sir Richard Graves Macdonnell was Governor of the Colony from March 11, 1866, to April 22, 1872. He was an Irishman, who had a distinguished career at Dublin University, gaining honours in both classics and science, and was later called to the Bar. He became Chief Justice of Gambia, and subsequently Governor of that place, and took part in several exploring expeditions into the interior of Africa. Serving next in St. Lucia and St. Vincent, he was later appointed to South Australia, and then half way across the world to Novia Scotia, before coming to the East as Governor of Hong Kong.
He was noted here for his strong measures of reform, his reorganisation of the Police (he was the first to introduce Sikhs to the force), his attempts to get garbling confined to licensed gaming houses, his probing, of corruption, and finally, his strong measures against the criminal elements of the population, by which crime generally decreased. It is possible that the resentment occasioned among the turbulent class of Chinese by these measures was connected with the killing of the Governor's pet. The subsequent construction of a tomb may also have been influenced by Lady Macdonnell, who was a gracious helprate to the administrator, and was beloved by all communities. When Sir Richard departed he was acknowledged as one of the best Governors the Colony ever had.
•
Occasionally, in seeking material for these articles, one comes across most interesting side-lights, so to speak, on Old Hongkong. Some of the material is not necessarily old in the ordinary sense of the word, yet of much historical value: for history is always in the making, and even the happenings of a decade past will go down forgotten by the next generation unless recorded by contemporary scribes. Thus it has been, and will continue to be, the policy of the writer of this series to delve into more recent records whenever available, and to bring as many as possible of the Colony's records down to a period within living memory. Much material of seemingly minor importance will be of the greatest value in years to come
Here is a case in point. A friend kindly forwards some prints made off a series of wood blocks which were prepared in 1914 but were never issued to the public. It is a tale with quite a romantic touch, and an undercurrent of sadness.
While strolling through Hollywood Road some years ago, the gentleman to whom I am indebited for this information noticed a pile of wood blocks in a small Chinese printing shop. He had a series of prints run off for a nominal sum, and on seeing what they were a number of cartoons of local people in pre-War days made^enquiries, and the gist of the story is as follows:-
Shortly before the Great War, the private secretary to the Governor was Mr. R.B. Hatfield, a gentleman who possessed the gift of clever caricature. He sketched many Hong Kong personages - Admirals, Generals, Government Officials, taipans, and prominent people in general. Someone suggested
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