Miss Phyllis Finch was born in Sticklepath, Devon, England in 23 Nov 1901 and died there 17 Mar 1976. 7 members of her family were Methodist Ministers and she became a geography teacher and Methodist Missionary to China, teaching mainly in Fatshan School. She was interned at Stanley Camp as far as I understand though she is not on the list of internees on this site.
I would love to find out more about her and where she was/what she was doing. I have a passoprt extension signed by Gimson. I have a small brochure of HMS Indomitable. I am fairly certain she is 4g on the photo.
In the last few days reference in the newspaper on the Gwulo site listed people completing their nursing experience on the wards included P.Finch. This may be her.
She was my great aunt and lived with us for some of my childhood. I was never allowed to mention this part of her life but definitely wish I had asked her for some information! She returned to China after the war and later went to Ghana, again with the Methodist church as a teacher.
I have some of her photos from 1920s and from after the war. I will look to see if any may be related to Hong Kong.
Can anyone advise me how to confirm she was at Stanley Camp? That is where her relatives believed her to be. How could I investigate the 'nurse' aspect? Any other suggestions of where I might search for her?
Has anyone had access to the various missionary's reports which I presume some will have completed on their return?
Many thanks for any suggestions. Helen
https://www.flickr.com/photos/135489732@N02/22344112828/in/album-72157660017290388/
Photos that show this Person
Comments
I confirm she was interned at
I confirm she was interned at Stanley Camp. I was sent another list of internees over the summer vacation which I'll put online in the next few weeks, and which lists:
Finch Miss P I, 40, Teacher
Many thanks
Thank you
Missionary's reports
SOAS is a likely place to look for missionaries' reports, eg see the "(Wesleyan) Methodist Missionary Society Archive" at http://archives.soas.ac.uk/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id…
In Hong Kong Ms Finch would have attended the English Methodist Church, https://gwulo.com/node/8134
At the time she was in HK, the head of the church was Rev. Sandbach, https://gwulo.com/node/11845
HMS Indomitable
https://www.flickr.com/photos/135489732@N02/albums/72157699886174161
I have scanned the pages of the HMS Indomitable 'brochure' on to Flickr. It details the progress:
The aircraft carrier repatriated some of the last internees from Stanley Camp leaving HongKong 28th September 1945. Manus Oct 5th, Sydney 11th Oct, Left Sydney 22nd Oct to Fremantle 28th Oct, to Colombo November 7th, let Colombo Nov 9th to Aden Nov 15th. Left Aden Nov 17th to Suez Nov 20th, Port Said to Gibraltar Nov 26th, to Spithead(Portsmouth UK) Nov 30th 1945
Further photographs of Phyllis Finch are also on Flickr. I dont think there are any photographs of Stanley in her collection. I am slowly working on sorting and perhaps uploading her missionary photographs which seem to include a few of HongKong, unfortunately many are not labelled so I don't know even which country they related to.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/135489732@N02/albums/72157660017290388
Phyllis Finch
Phyllis Finch was billeted in Block 15 Room 27 at Stanley Camp. She is listed as an ANS (Auxiliary Nursing Service) and Missionary Teacher. Block 15 is part of Indian Quarters (this particular block has been demolished although three still remain and are used by Prison Officer's families). She shared with the widowed wife of Rev. Eric Moreton (I think he was a Methodist Minister) - he was wounded during the fighting and died from his wounds. The wife was Nora Mary Moreton and she had a baby son who was born a few weeks before the war began. Philip Cracknell
Thank you
Thank you so much. Are you related to the Moretons? Helen
Hello Helen: No I'm not
Hello Helen: No I'm not related to the Moretons ...... I just know a bit about Stanley Camp. Philip
Passport
With all this talk of passport renewals I thought You might like to see a renewal from within Stanley Camp by Gimson. It. says :Renewals: Bearer is now interned in the military internment camp, Hong Kong. This passport is renewed for the purpose of assisting her to establish her identity until such time as she is able to obtain a valid renewal or re-issue of the said passport. I am satisfied that the holder on the date of this endorsement retains her British nationality. Signed by Gimson, Representative of internees Hong Kong July 9 1945.
It is a British Hong Kong Passport issued 1940. I can scan front pages if this is of interest.
re: Passport
Yes please, I'd like to see the other pages.