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It is, moreover, fortuitous that he not only examines records for his own immediate purposes, but collates his data so systematically that it may conveniently be used by other researchers. His home, with hundreds of drawers of index cards, is more like a library. More importantly, his willingness to share his research experience and information has greatly helped other scholars in their study of Hong Kong. Recently, the Public Records Office has further processed his data to make it retrievable electronically. It would be no exaggeration to say that Carl Smith is a key figure (keystone?) in building a firm foundation for the study of local history, and has become something of an institution himself.
Historical Geographers
Another small group studying local history were the geographers, notably D.J. Dwyer, C.J. Grant, T.G. McGee and later Ron Hill of the University of Hong Kong, whose work covered the rural as well as the urban areas. It should be pointed out that under their guidance, many of their students have produced extremely interesting work, but unfortunately this is not widely known. Their field projects and BA theses, many of which are focused on localities and date back to the 1960s, are kept in the Map Library of the Geography Department, HKU, and these, with their contemporary descriptions and photographs, are in fact of immense value as source materials for local history.
The Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society
Though the five groups were quite diverse in their focus and approach, two institutions did bring them together: the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (RAS) and the Centre of Asian Studies (CAS) at HKU. Almost all of them had at least some of their works published in the Journal of the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, and the Society's Occasional Publications. As early as 1962, three years after the Society was re-established, the Hon. Editor expressed a hope to develop the study of Hong Kong by printing articles and short notes about the life and customs of the people. James Hayes' article, "The Patterns of Life in the New Territories in 1898" appearing in the 1962 Journal, in a way marked the beginning of the RAS' deep commitment to local studies. This was Hayes' debut, to be followed by massive output in each following volume. Not surprisingly, it was also he who reminded the Society that "Hong Kong has an urban history" (his italics).12 As Hon. Editor from 1967 to
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It is, moreover, fortuitous that he not only examines records for his own immediate purposes, but collates his data so systematically that it may conveniently be used by other researchers. His home, with hundreds. of drawers of index cards, is more like a library. More importantly, his willingness to share his research experience and information has greatly helped other scholars in their study of Hong Kong. Recently, the Public Records Office has further processed his data to make it retrievable electronically. It would no exaggeration to say that Carl Smith is a key figure (keystone?) in building a firm foundation for the study of local history, and has become something of an institution himself.
Historical Geographers
Another small group studying local history were the geographers, notably D.J Dwyer, C.J. Grant, T.G. McGee and later Ron Hill of the University of Hong Kong, whose work covered the rural as well as the urban areas." It should be pointed out that under their guidance, many of their students have produced extremely interesting work, but unfortunately this is not widely known. Their field projects and BA theses, many of which are focused on localities and date back to the 1960s are kept in the Map Library of the Geography Department, HKU, and these, with their contemporary descriptions and photographs, are in fact of immense value as source materials for local history.
The Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society
Though the five groups were quite diverse in their focus and approach, two institutions did bring them together, the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (RAS) and the Centre of Asian Studies (CAS) at HKU Almost all of them had at least some of their works published in the Journal of the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, and the Society's Occasional Publications. As early as 1962, three years after the Society was re-established, the Hon Editor expressed a hope to develop the study of Hong Kong by printing articles and short notes about the life and customs of the people. James Hayes' article, The Patterns of Life in the New Territories in 1898 appearing in the 1962 Journal, in a way marked the beginning of the RAS' deep commitment to local studies. This was Hayes' debut, to be followed by massive output in each following volume. Not surprisingly, it was also he who reminded the Society that "Hong Kong has an urban history" (his nalics) 12 As Hon Editor from 1967 to
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