Charlotte Mabel BIRD (née MAY, aka Charles / Birdie) [1905-1992]

Submitted by Admin on Fri, 12/14/2012 - 16:37
Names
Given
Charlotte Mabel
Family
Bird
Maiden
May
Alias / nickname
Charles / Birdie
Sex
Female
Status
Deceased
Born
Date
Died
Date

Photos that show this Person

Comments

Charlotte Bird (aka 'Charles' or 'Birdie') met Mildred Dibden, who was to open and run the Fanling Babies Home, on the ship to Hong Kong. The third dining table companion was Bonnie Robinson, later Bonie Penney. The two women took part in discussions about the future Home with Miss Dibden and became supporters of her work for 30 years.

Miss Bird worked as a teacher. On leaving Stanley she took over the running of the Home while Miss Dibden (and her Australian assistant Ruth Little) left Hong Kong for repatriation on the Empress of Australia.

In 1966 Miss Dibden transferred over 20 Chinese children to the UK and Charlotte Bird was one of those helping her in this difficult move.

 

Source:

Jill Doggett, The Yip Family of Amah Rock, 1982 ed, 82, 83, 84, 194, 235.

Death Index Charlotte Mabel Bird died 1992 Hampshire date of birth 29 July 1905

Marriage Charlotte Mabel May to  Harold A Bird 1926 Portsmouth

Passenger List 1928 Southampton to Hong Kong 

Charlotte Mabel Bird  age 22 married woman 48 Plymouth Street Southsea Hampshire where her parents were living in 1939

Passenger List 1929 London to Hong Kong

Harold A Bird age 34 N.A.A.F.I. 16 Beaconfield Road Leytonstone UK

Passenger List Liverpool to Hong Kong 13 August 1947

Charlotte Mabel Bird teacher age 42

 

http://fanlingbabies.com/hk-orphanages/fanling-babies-home/

 

 

 

Charlotte Bird (Birdy) was my father's cousin and she lived in Southsea until she had to go into a Nursing Home (on Hayling Island) in the early 1990's. She never spoke about her time in Stanley Camp. All we knew about her was that she had something to do with bringing children from China to England. Since starting my family tree I have been researching various members of my family and building up quite a picture of the family. Whilst Charlotte was 'enjoying' the hospitality in Hong Kong of the Japanese, my Grandfather had the misfortune to be on one of their Hellships, from Java to Japan.

I did wonder if there was a photograph of her anywhere whilst she was in Stanley or if there are any more written references to her. I have the book written by Jill Doggett and have been very amazed at the references to Charlotte's (or Lottie as we knew her) involvement in the movement of the orphans to England.

Charles’ Bird gets a mention in Barbara Anslow’s wartime diary ‘Tin Hats and Rice.’  Barbara was a stenographer for the HK Government and based in the Air Raid Precautions Department HQ in Dina House.

On the 12 December 1941 during the battle for Hong Kong, Barbara records that Bonnie Penny* and Mrs Bird (known as ‘Charles’) joined her office staff.  Both had just come from Kowloon when evacuated.

‘We secretaries worked in two shifts – Peggy and I, the Bonnie and Charles.  Our job was to keep a log of events, mostly messages per phone calls, and also to make out identification cards for ARP people.’

After Hong Kong fell, they ended up with some 2000 others in the civilian internment camp at Stanley, 7 miles away, ‘in cramped accommodation: camp beds with little bedding, no hot water for washing ourselves or our clothes.  Food consisted of rice, vegetables, and sometimes minute quantities of meat or fish;  no desserts.  Most of us had lost our homes and possessions through bombing and shelling – or looting after surrender on Christmas Day.’

*Penny and Bird were both exempt from evacuation orders as they were both voluntary Civil Defence wardens.

In 1966 Mildred Dibden wound up the Shatin Children's Home in Hong Kong and came to the UK with 21 children.  In her first newsletter to supporters in November, we get an idea of just how much Charlotte Bird  and Pat Best did to facilitate their arrival.  Up to that time Charlotte had served as Hon Secretary and Pat Best as Hon Treasurer of the Home at the UK end.   The letter reads:

‘We have been in England two and a half months and life is gradually returning to normal after all the excitement of our arrival.

The children enjoyed the flight from Hong Kong although we had stormy weather over India.  Due to the storms, our plane was four hours late and instead of arriving at London Airport.  Mrs Bird and Miss Best, together with other kind friends were there to meet us, in spite of the long delay; and a coach was waiting to bring us down to Southsea.

What a wonderful surprise we had when we arrived at Home in Southsea.  I knew that beds and a few pieces of essential furniture had been bought; a washing machine and gas cooker too; but I had a vague idea that we should be using packing cases for tables with tin plates and plastic bowls for our food; but there was nothing of the kind. "Where has everything come from?" we gasped as we crowded into one room after another. Truly the ‘good fairies’ had been at work. Pretty wallpapers, fresh paint, pastel shades in furniture, carpets and curtains to tone in. A home with a small ‘h‘.

Mrs Bird and Miss Best had been working morning, noon and night, and with them, whenever an hour or two could be spared, local friends had joined in to lend a hand. Cupboards, tables, beds, chairs, curtains, carpets, crockery and pots & pans; anything and everything came as gifts, to make a comfy home for the little strangers from far away Hong Kong. What a welcome we had, when at last we got away from the photographers and reporters, a real party tea with jelly and cakes etc. Thank you Aunty Birdie and Aunty Pat Best and all the Uncles and Aunts who helped you.

Mrs Bird and Miss Best feel that now we have come home to live, the work of Hon Secretary* and Hon Treasurer for the Home should be undertaken by others. We cannot express in words all we owe these two wonderful friends of the Home or sufficiently thank them for all their labour of love over the years on behalf of the children. May God richly reward them; for He is no man's debtor.’

*Charlotte Bird had supported Mildred and her work from the time they met in 1936.  Although she returned to the UK in 1949 she continued her support in the UK, serving as Hon Sec of the Fanling and later the Shatin Babies Home.  She and Pat Best lived at Hillside Avenue, Widley, just outside Portsmouth.

She died in 1992, aged 87.

 

1946 - Mildred Dibden repatriated in the UK postwar, now recovered and back to health and waiting to return to Hong Kong, writes this in her update  letter to supporters. 

"I have received from the Commissioner of Police in Hong Kong the necessary permission to return. He has asked for urgent priority for me.  Whether this will enable me to leave England in April, as I have requested, I do not know!  Mrs Bird writes that she would like to wait my arrival before she leaves the Home, but I have urged her to come home in March if possible, the date of my return being so uncertain. She took over the direction of the Home straight from internment in Stanley Camp*, and has worked, forgetful of self, to get the family back again to good health, happiness and order. It is now time for her to 'down tools' and take her well-earned rest. We pray that she may have every blessing on her voyage home, that her "cup may be full and running over", as she enjoys her summer in England with her Mother, and the many friends who have waited so patiently for her.

In the last letter from Hong Kong comes the news that Miss Hough, the Missionary friend stationed at Fanling, left America for Hong Kong on February 15th.  She will stay at the Babies Home until her own house and work are ready for her, and will gladly hold the reins of government until my arrival."

* At the end of the war, it was Charlotte's wish that Mildred should be repatriated asap.  Her doctor backed her up confirming that she (Charlotte) would do better staying in the warmth of Hong Kong rather than undergo the cold of a British winter, and that running the Children's Home would be work of an interesting nature for her.  Things were relatively easy as no infants had survived the war and Mrs Tsoi, the matron, was a 'tower of strength.'

Charlotte Bird had supported Mildred and her work from the time they met in 1936.  Although she returned to the UK in 1949 she continued her support in the UK, serving as Hon Sec of the Fanling and later the Shatin Babies Home.

 

Charlotte Bird and Bonnie Penny both get a mention in Nicola Tyrer’s account of the war.  In Stanley Camp high standards of education were quickly established because of the number of highly qualified teachers who had been interned.  Chairs and tables given by the Red Cross were used, and when academic training ended, youngsters moved into professional training

Bill Macauley found himself being taught by Charlotte and Bonnie, who had been his ARP supervisors during the battle of Hong Kong, when he had been a messenger.  ‘Before the war they had run a secretarial school.  I was taught Pitman short-hand and book-keeping.  We made makeshift keyboards from scraps of wood, all marked out with the QWERTY keyboard.  At the end of six months we were tested and awarded a certificate

Those skills proved useful.  After the war I was in the RAF and working on the section recruiting potential clerks and marking all their typing papers.  The WAAF tester thought I was as good as her.  She was stunned when I told her I learned all my skills in a prison camp!’

Charlotte and Bonnie were certainly good teachers!