CHATER, SIR PAUL CATCHICK.
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References have been made in recent articles in this series to local pioneers, and to one who undoubtedly did a great deal to develop Hongkong, Kowloon and even the New Territories into what they are to-day. This was Sir Catchick Paul Chater, who for many years was known as the Grand Old Man of the Colony, and who died on May 27, 1926, at the age of eighty, full of years and honour.
We have such places as Chater Road, running through a reclamation which his foresight, zeal and undaunted optimism had encouraged, and Catchick Street, to commemorate his name; but his deeds and personality will be recounted and praised in years to come, even when his memory will have become a legend. It is regrettable that he never consented to the compiling of a biography; however, contemporary records are full of references to the man who so closely identified himself with progress, material and social, in the Colony, and whose life story deserves a full chapter in any complete history of the place. His beneficence was such that it is difficult to keep pace with it all — only yesterday in this column the history of St. Andrew's Church, Kowloon, showed one side of his generosity, the whole edifice being his gift to the community. From time to time we have had references to Chinnery, the noted artist whose pictures form a definite guide to much of old Hongkong, and we might bear in mind that Sir Paul Chater, an ardent collector of old pictures of the Colony, had a unique series of Chinnery and other drawings and paintings which he bequeathed to the people of this place, in perpetuity. It is a great pity that the collection is not yet available for the enjoyment of this same public: we must await the erection of a new City Hall or other place worthy to hold these valuable pictures, and one cannot help thinking that were Sir Paul alive to-day he might find a means of creating the necessary building.
Sir Paul Chater was born on September 8, 1846, of Armenian parents, his mother being a grand-daughter of the famous Armenian merchant Agah Atchick Arnkiel of Calcutta who in 1790 was honoured by King George III with a handsome miniature portrait and a valuable sword for his loyalty and philanthropy in releasing "all the prisoners in the Courts of Requests jail on the occasion of the happy recovery of that monarch from his unfortunate malady in 1788," as recorded in the Calcutta Gazette of 1789. The history of the Chater family on his mother's side goes far back into that of the opening up of India to Western commerce. Agah Catchick Arnkiel's wife was a great-grand-daughter of the renowned Khojah Phanoos Kalendar, the Armenian merchant prince of India who in 1688 entered into an important commercial understanding with the Honourable East India Company of England on behalf of Armenia. Sir Paul Chater therefore could claim descent from the illustrious representative of the Armenian nation, whom the Governor and the Directors of the Company of "London Merchants trading to the East Indies" justly styled ... seemed like history repeating itself when the descendant of this great merchant became so prominent in Hongkong.
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CHATER, SIR PAUL CATCHICK.
123
References have been made in recent articles in this series to local pioneers, and to one who undoutedly did a great deal to develp Hongkong, Kowloon and even the New Territories into what they are to-day. This was Sir Catchick Paul Chater, who for many years was known as the Grand Old Man of the Colony, and who died on May 27, 1926, at the age of eighty, full of years and honour.
We have such places as Chater Road, running through a reclamation which his foresight, zeal and undaunte: opti- mism had encouraged, and Catchick Street, to commemorate his name; but his deeds and personality, will be recounted and praised in years to come, even when his memory will have become a legend. It is regrettable that he never consented to the compiling of a biography, however, contem- porary records are full of references to the man who so closely identified himself with progress, material and social, in the Colony, and whose life story deserves a full chapter in any complete history of the place. His b nefi- cence was such that it is difficult to keep pace with it all only yesterday in this column the history of St. Andrew's Church, Kowloon, showed one side of his generosity, the whole edifice being his gift to the community. From time to time we have had references to Chinnery, the noted artist whose pictures form a definite guide to much of old Hongkong, and we might bear in mind that Sir Paul Chater, an ardent collector of old pictures of the Colony, had a unique series cf Chinnery and other drawings and paintings which he Lequeathed to the people of this place, in perpetuity It is a great pity that the collection is not yet available for the enjoyment of this same public: we must await the erection of a new City Hall or other place worthy to hold these valuable pictures, and one cannot help thinking that were Sir Paul alive to-day he might find a means of creating the necessary building.
Sir Paul Chater was born on September 8, 1846, of Armenian parents, his mother being a grand-daughter of the famous Armenian merchant Agah Atchick Arnkiel of Calcutta who in 1790 was honoured by King George III with a handsome maniature portrait and a valuable sword for his loyalty, and philanthropy in releasing " all the prisoners in the Courts of Requests jail on the occasion of the happy recove ry of that monarch from his unfortunate malady in 1788 " as recorded in the Calcutta Gazette of 1789. The history of the Chater family on his mother's side goes far back into that of the opening up of India to Western commerce. Agah Catchick Arnkiel's wife was a great-grand-daughter of the reowned Khojah Phanoos Kalendar, the Armenian mer- chant prince of India who in 1688 entered into an impor- tant commercial understanding with the Honourable East India Company..of England on behalf of Armenia. Sir Paul Chater therefore could claim descent from the illustrious representative of the Armenian nation, whom the Governor and the Directors of the Company of "London Merchants
in their several
trading to the East Indies "justly stytt seemed like
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history repeating itself when the descendant of this great merchant became os prominent in Hongkong.
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