Constance Lam was a member of the class of 1933 at the Woman's College of the University of North Carolina, graduating in Sociology before going on to obtain a qualification from the New York School of Social Work.
She was in Peking when the Japanese attacked China in 1937, and moved to Hong Kong where she became head of a camp of 2,000 female refugees from the war. Her talent for leadership was noticed by Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke, the Director of Medical Services. She became a close friend of the doctor and his wife. She was ill through overwork in 1939 and 1940 but her heart problems did not save her from playing an important role in the illegal network Selwyn-Clarke set up to provide medical relief during the Japanese occupation. However, the weakness brought on by her efforts meant she was unable to survive a second bout of illness.
http://archive.org/stream/alumnaenewsapr1946unse/alumnaenewsapr1946unse…
Note: She might be the 'Dr. Lum' of Tom Hutchinson's Diary.
Comments
Constance Lam / Dr Lum
I asked Barbara Merchant about this. She replies:
I found that mother had to get a medical reference from Dr Lum, and his note paper had this heading:
Dr K.C. Lam, 268-270 Lai Chi Kok Road, Kowloon
which is on http://gwulo.com/node/17209
The note is dated 7 March 1946, so that's after Constance Lam's death.
So they were different people.
Regards, David
Thanks David and Betty.
Thanks David and Betty.
Before the war there was an
Before the war there was an 'ever-cheerful' Dr. Lam who worked at the Government Dispensary at Taipo.
Source: Jil Doggett, The Yip Family of Amah Rock, 131
Constance Lam
Under the heading for this person the gender is given as “male” under sex, yet she would very much appear to have been female.
I think a correction is required here!