RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1979 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/2801w5938 246 ORDINARY LOCAL MEMBERS HODGKISS, Dr. I. John, 17 High West, 142 Pokfulam Road, HONG KONG. HODGSON, Mr. A. F., Johnson Matthey Commodities H.K Ltd., 12A1 Far East Exchange Building, 8 Wyndham Street, HONG KONG. HODGSON, Mrs. Kirsty Hamilton, Flat E1, Marigold Court, 4 Marigold Road, Yau Yat Chuen, KOWLOON. HOLMES, Miss Jeanette E., 26 Kennedy Road, HONG KONG. HOTUNG, Mr. Eric, 10 Stanley Street, HONG KONG. HOWE, Prof. Geoffrey L., Division of Dental Studies, 1/F, Patrick Manson Building, 7 Sassoon Road, HONG KONG. HSIA, Mr. Tung Pei, P.O. Box 20027, Hennessy Road Post Office, HONG KONG. HUGALL, Miss E. Jane, David Trench Rehabilitation Centre, Occupational Therapy 3/F, 9 Bonham Road, HONG KONG. HUGHES, Ms. Anne, 5604 Cape Mansions, Mount Davis Road, HONG KONG. HULL-LEWIS, Mrs. J. M., 501 Tavistock, Tregunter Path, HONG KONG. HUYSMAN, Mr. J., Repulse Bay Apartments, A35. 101 Repulse Bay Road, HONG KONG. JARVIS, Mrs. Patricia Ann, Flat 8B, Vienna Court, 41 Conduit Road, HONG KONG. JEFFERY, Mr. M. J., New Territories Development Dept, 21st Floor Murray Building, Garden Road, HONG KONG. JOHNSON, Mr. & Mrs. P. K., c/o A.I.A., P.O. Box 444, HONG KONG. JONES, Mr. Gordon, W. E., Flat 42 Buxey Lodge, 37 Conduit Road, HONG KONG KHAN, Dr. Latiffa, Shau Kei Wan Govt. Technical School, 40 Chaiwan Road, Shaukiwan, HONG KONG. KHAN, Miss Sherifa, c/o Belilios Public School, 51 Tin Hau Temple Road, HONG KONG. KING, Miss Carol Anne, Language Centre, University of Hong Kong, HONG KONG. KIRKBRIDE, Mr. K. M. G., The Building Authority, Murray Building, 8/F, Garden Road, HONG KONG. KWAN, Mrs. Alice Wong Sau Ching, Flat 2A, 9th Floor, Beverley Heights, 67 Beacon Hill Road, KOWLOON. KWOK, Mr. Ping Leong, Kerry Trading Co. Ltd., 25/FI. American International Tower, 16-18 Queen's Road Central, HONG KONG. LACK, Mr. Alan J., Flat 1, Peak Pavilion, 12 Mount Kellett Road, HONG KONG. ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1994 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/zk522640g 135 reminded us that "at that time few places in the Far East had offered the political stability and religious tolerance of the Colony". He also told us that the name of Bethanie was chosen after "Bethany village" of the Holy Scripture, and the inscription above the main entrance, Domine ecce quem amas infirmatio (Lord, he whom Thou lovest lies sick - John III) is part of the message sent to Jesus by Martha and Mary when their brother Lazarus became sick And from the start there were sick missionaries in abundance In 1884, for instance, 43 missionaries had stayed at the sanitarium for some time.1 Our visit that day was memorable. It showed us another, broader side of British Hong Kong, and I have never forgotten it. Chatwan and Shaukeiwan, May 1983 This visit was of a different kind, and focussed on Hong Kong people and on important new public works. As a serving government officer, I used my opportunities to combine old and new on RAS tours, showing our members what was being done in the way of new civil engineering projects of public housing development, for instance, and providing facts and answering questions about them. The Chatwan visit was one which combined these aims admirably On a warm May day, we left Queen's Pier in Central District by a licensed passenger boat which took us along the Hong Kong Island waterfront as far as Chatwan On the way - the reason for our going by sea we were able to view the engineering and construction work proceeding along the length of the new "Hong Kong Island Eastern Corridor". This modern highway, with its several reclamations, elevated sections of carriage way, slip roads, and grade-separated junctions and interchanges, would link Chaiwan and Eastern Hong Kong Island with the Central Business District. It was intended to ameliorate, if not solve, the long-standing congestion and delays on the existing roadways which had reached saturation point. At Chatwan we went by coach to Tai Ping Village, one of the last remaining of the extensive squatter settlements that used to cover practically the whole of the area in the mid-1950s Next to it was a new Urban Council swimming pool complex with its main and six other pools, completed in 1978 We then went to the site earmarked for the new Eastern ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1994 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/zk522640g 136 District Regional Hospital, from which a good view was obtained of the reclamation for the Mass Transit Railway Extension to Chaiwan; then being constructed along a 12.5 kilometre route from the western side of the Central Business District at Sheung Wan. Completion of its 12 stations, plus additions and alterations to those at Central and Admiralty, was expected in 1985-86. 17 With both new transportation links in operation, the Eastern District would at last come into its own, increasing the value of existing land and buildings there, and enabling the construction of more public and private housing development. The coach then took us to Shaukerwan. Our purpose here was quite different: to visit a new temple complex and walk through one of the large old squatter areas on the hillside, then still so characteristic of Shaukerwan, ending the visit with tea at the City District Office premises on the main road. The main temple, the Fuk Tak Chi, had been a 1970 removal and reconstruction of an earlier shrine that had served the old villages in that part of Shaukerwan from the late 19th century onwards. The shrine had prospered in its new location, and two more temples had been added in the mid 1970s. Together, they made an attractive group on the hillside. We were entertained to tea there by friends among the local Kaifongs and the temple managers, managing to attract a group of excited children. We then walked up to the large and heavily populated Nam On Fong Squatter Area, built around the nucleus of an older settlement that had originated with the extensive quarrying of the Shaukerwan hillsides in the mid-19th century. Passing through we had vivid glimpses of how people in the older squatter areas lived in all kinds of structures - in some places abutting onto large rocks - some made of wood and others of tin, with a few older cottages of brick and stone. Livestock, mainly pigs and chickens, occupied other premises and some buildings served their inhabitants as both home and workshop. A few religious establishments were dotted here and there on the hillsides or among the huts. They included the large hundred year old Kik Lok Tung, which unfortunately for us was barred and shuttered, its owner being overseas. Moving along, we saw residents engaged in the various pursuits and occupations. This part of the tour provided the visitors with sights that very few European city residents would see in the normal way - and the local people likewise! ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-2001 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/zg651950g 303 generals and an admiral, he must have had a very patriotic, British father. As a British subject, Charlie Stilwell was interned in Stanley prison camp during the Second World War. A great story-teller he liked to recount how a police superintendent escaped. In reprisal, the entire police contingent at Stanley was incarcerated in Stanley Prison proper. Some had brought musical instruments from the police band into camp. As they were marched away to prison, Thirlwell recounted, the musicians struck up the well known, stirring march, Colonel Bogey, and everyone in camp joined in singing: 'And the same to you!' As a result, the Japanese felt they were losing control of the situation and fired their revolvers into the air (Sinclair; 1997, 32). After the war, besides working as a lighthouse keeper, Thirlwell led an active life when on shore leave. This included community service. Thirlwell had close connections with the Chaiwan fisher folk and boat people and his wife, in fact, was one of them. 'He was a nice, cheerful man,' Dr James Hayes recalled, ‘and yes, he sang very well...' (Hayes; 1999). He not infrequently sang stylised, Cantonese opera, with correct tones. He even sang lusty, boat-people songs which were beyond the capabilities of most native Cantonese. This surprised many who did not know his background. Charlie's appearance was much like a European. In reality, he was a Hong Kong born and bred Eurasian and he started learning Cantonese at his mother's breast. Perhaps surprisingly, he spoke English with a bit of a North Country English accent. HKBRAS member Louis Thomas agreed with Hayes: 'Yes, he was a jolly man, humorous, and one of those people who seemed to know everyone. He was well thought of. He enjoyed a glass of beer.' Thomas said that at one stage his Round Table in Wanchai linked up with a boat people association at Chaiwan to provide assistance. Thirlwell was one of their leading members. He did a great deal of much needed community service. Deservedly, for his work as a loyal lighthouse keeper (and later in ================================================================================