The Friends
The Society has a sister organisation in the United Kingdom, the Friends of the Royal Asiatic Society, Hong Kong Branch. It comprises members of the society who have retired from Hong Kong, but who retain their interest in Hong Kong and its history. The Friends meet on a quarterly basis, usually in London, but occasionally elsewhere in the United Kingdom, for lectures on Hong Kong and its history, on each occasion with the lecture preceded by a good Chinese meal. I shall, in a few moments, read the President of the Friends' Report for 2001-2002 to you. The current President of the Friends is Mr. David Gilkes, who was, before his retirement from Hong Kong six years ago, President of this Society. I had hoped that David would be here to read his Report himself, but, unfortunately, his travel dates did not fit - he arrives here in a few days' time, but not early enough to be here tonight.
I must urge all members leaving Hong Kong to return to the United Kingdom to become members of the Friends, and thus to keep alive their interest in Hong Kong studies, and their connection with the Society. Indeed, members who are still resident in Hong Kong, but who return to the United Kingdom each year should also consider membership of the Friends alongside membership of the Society, since there is, for instance, usually a lecture given by the Friends over the Summer, when many members are likely to be in the United Kingdom. Contact details for the Friends are given from time to time in the Newsletter, or can be had from the Assistant Secretary. The Friends currently have 70 members, and usually some 25 or 30 of them attend lectures and social events: members joining the Friends can thus expect to find at their meetings plenty of old friends from Hong Kong! I cannot urge you too strongly to join this excellent organisation!
Conclusion
During the past year, Council decided to award Honorary Life Membership of the Society to Dr. Dan Waters, our previous President, and to Dr. Solomon Bard, a Founder Member of the Society.
Dr. Waters is well known to most of you, and does not need me to say much about him here. All I need to say is that I personally have benefited greatly from his advice and assistance through the year, and
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The Friends
The Society has a sister organisation in the United Kingdom, the Friends of the Royal Asiatic Society, Hong Kong Branch. It comprises members of the society who have retired from Hong Kong, but who retain their interest in Hong Kong and its history. The Friends meet on a quarterly basis, usually in London, but occasionally elsewhere in the United Kingdom, for lectures on Hong Kong and its history, on each occasion with the lecture preceded by a good Chinese meal. I shall, in a few moments, read the President of the Friends 's Report for 2001- 2202 to you. The current President of the Friends is Mr. David Gilkes, who was, before his retirement from Hong Kong six years ago, President of this Society. I had hoped that David would be here to read his Report himself, but, unfortunately, his travel dates did not fit - he arrives here in a few days time, but not early enough to be here tonight.
I must urge all members leaving Hong Kong to return to the United Kingdom to become members of the Friends, and thus to keep alive their interest in Hong Kong studies, and their connection with the Society. Indeed, members who are still resident in Hong Kong, but who return to the United Kingdom each year should also consider membership of the Friends alongside membership of the Society, since there is, for instance, usually a lecture given by the Friends over the Summer, when many members are likely to be in the United Kingdom. Contact details for the Friends are given from time to time in the Newsletter, or can be had from the Assistant Secretary. The Friends currently have 70 members, and usually some 25 or 30 of them attend lectures and social events: members joining the Friends can thus expect to find at their meetings plenty of old friends from Hong Kong! I cannot urge you too strongly to join this excellent organisation!
Conclusion
During the past year, Council decided to award Honorary Life Membership of the Society to Dr. Dan Waters, our previous President, and to Dr. Solomon Bard, a Founder Member of the Society.
Dr. Waters is well known to most of you, and does not need me to say much about him here. All I need to say is that I personally have benefited greatly from his advice and assistance through the year, and
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