KGV School 1962-1964

Submitted by Janise Rutherford on Tue, 05/12/2020 - 19:04

I was born in Hong Kong in 1948 and  was a pupil at KGV Junion School in the 1950s until I was sent to boarding school in England aged 8.   I then returned to Hong kong and was a pupil at KGV School between 1962-1964.   My name was then Janise Walker and I lived in St Georges Mansions, 141 Argyle Street.   I wondered if there is anyone out there who would remember me and perhaps get in touch via this site if that is possible.

My father was Guy Walker who you had an article publised about his war years as prisoner of war  in Hong Kong.   Apparently someone had unearthed this document from Zetland Hall, the Masonic Lodge.   It was very interesting reading this article as I have the original.

Would also love to see some old photos of the China Light and Power Company which was orignally based by the waters edge and that is where I was brought up in the flats.

Brilliant paper

Thanks

Janise Rutherford

Hello George, yes I remember you, and thank you for getting in touch.  I wasn't sure whether there was anybody left in Hong Kong who went to our school.  How are you doing?  Would love to hear all about your life since we were at school.  It seems another lifetime ago, can't believe it has been so long.  Is there anybody else who you are in touch with?

regards Janise

Hi Janise How are you keeping? I'm still trying to let the initial supprise sink in. I presume you are in the UK. I am not the best at keeping in touch with the past. I still go back to HK about one in 2 years as my girls have many friends there from school and go back regularly. I have a nephew who has married a local girl and have a son that goes to KGV. I have been in the UK since I was 20(long time ago). the only real contact I keep in touch with is Anders Nelson of the old Kontinentals Band who is a very famouse Gwilo in HK and a very dear friend. How are you dealing with this pandamic? I was unlucky to have needed to recoup from an injury a few months before the lockdown and now haven't been able to get to the tennis club for ages, so I'm sought of getting cabin feaver.

Best regards George

I live in south Bucks and have two daughters and 1 granddaughter who has just turned 10 which she is very proud of.  One daughter lives in London and the other is only 4 miles away so we see her quite often.  I spent most of my working life as a secretary, in a bank, estate agents, pharmaceutical company and solicitors.  I retired about 5 years ago to look after hubby as his Parkinsons had got worse. My husband developed  with Parkinson's disease about for 20 years now and about two weeks ago he developed chest pains so ended up in hospital where he had a stent put in.   He is home and ok but has to take things easy.  I was last in Hong Kong about 10 years ago to see my stepmother and extended family who are all Chinese.    My father remarried back in the 1970s and has now unfortunately passed away some 20 years ago.   He was given a send off in Hong Kong and his ashes are floating around the  South China Sea somewhere.   I love gardening and trying to grow veg in a very small space but it is fun and walking when I can.  The only person I am in contact with is Margaret Gautier who lives in Derbyshire.   She has a son and family stil in Hong Kong who teaches at a college on the island.  Please let us know all about what you were up to when you moved to the UK.

regards Janise 

Hi Janise,
I remember you very well.  My name is Carolyn Altoft, formerly Carolyn Dow. We lived right next door to you at the China Light and Power apartments in the Compound, and then we lived at St Georges Court, 81a Kadoorie Avenue and I used to walk down the steps next to St Georges Mansion to go to school.

I used to often come back to your place where your amah (who was really lovely) used to make us Sao biscuits with chees and beetroot!
I remember we both had a crush on Cliff Richard. 

My Dad and Mum were John and Olive Dow.  I remember your Dad Guy and your mum Sheila. 

I think Gordon McDonald lived in St Georges Mansions as well.

I left Hong Kong in 1966 and lived in Brisbane for a short while before travelling to New Zealand on a working holiday where I met my husband, David. I was waitressing and he was cooking.

We lived in Christchurch in the South Island and then went up to live in Hamilton in the North Island of New Zealand where we brought up our 3 children.

We moved over to Brisbane to live in 1979 and are still here.

Our son and his wife and family have been living in Hong Kong for the past 8 years. They are both International School Teachers at Discovery Bay on Lantau Island. They have absolutely loved living there. Their daughter arrived in Brisbane in February to attend University of Queensland.

I cant believe I am messaging you it seems such a long time ago but it has gone so fast.

I will try and find some photos to post 

We sure had a good life growing up in HK didnt we.

I hope you and your family are well.

Take care

Carolyn Altoft (Dow)

Oh Carolyn how absolutely wonderful to hear from you.  I often wondered what happened to you when I left Hong Kong as you were a very dear friend and yes we had some great times.  It looks as though you left Hong Kong the same time as me.

i have many photos of us from the China Light compound on the verandah playing with our dolls and also from St Georges Mansions.   

Do you remember when your family hosted the Australian tennis player, Ken Fletcher and John Newcombe and how we had crushes on them and we made an apple pie bed for one of them.  Teenagers eh!!!  Strange what we remember!

Do you remember Maragret Gautier, well she lives only about 2 hours from me and we keep in touch.  Her son and family are also teachers in Hong Kong.  Are you in touch with anyone else?

I expect you are retired now and hope that you are keeping well with this virus going round.  We have had our two vaccines and my girls have also had theirs.  Touch wood we have been clear of any infections, we have been in lockdown for almost a year.  My husband has Parkinson's disease and has had it for about 20 years, although it is only the last 6 years when things have gone downhill.  He has a very bent posture and needs help to get dressed and showered and shaved.  I now have carers twice a week as unfortunately I have sciatica which has really flared up over the last two years, so helping Alan doesn't do it any good.  He is also developing a bit of dementia which can be quite challenging at times together with hallucinations which he gets annoyed with me as he cant understand why I can't see what he sees.  So life at the moment is quite difficult. 

Anyway, please keep in touch as we have now found each other after over 50 years.

lots of love Janise 

Looking through the various threads here brings back memories, particularly your mention of Gordon McDonald and Janise mentioning Zetland Masonic Lodge.  

I have vague recollections and playing (Schuco cars) with Gordon where he lived and remember his father being connected with China Light & Power. My father (Owen Hamilton, Kai Tak Airport Manager) was a member of Zetland Lodge and was also interned at Stanley with my mother (Kathie Hamilton) during the war.

Strangely enough I have heard in the last couple of weeks, for the first time since 1957, from Penny Winship who I believe was at KGV around 1959.

Good times.

Regards,

Clive Hamilton.

Hi Janise I am so happy you remember me.
Oh Heck yes I do so remember Mum and Dad having John Newcombe and Ken Fletcher and Billy Lee Long stay with us.
We were smitten with them and they had no idea - Haha.

I remember your Dad being a very kiind man and I really liked him.

I am so sorry Alan is having such a tough time and you have sciatica. 

We have been lucky as far as the Corona Virus is concerned - it is pretty scarey that is for sure.
As we cant travel overseas at the moment - we trying to see Australia whilst we are healthy enough to do so.I retired in December at 72 years of age.  I always thought I would feel a bit guilty because I seem to have worked all my life but do you know what - I LOVE being retired and not having to worry about anyone but David and myself.

I do have rheumatoid arthritis and I am on a weekly injection that seems to be keeping it under control and really and truly I just pretend I havent got it!!!

It is just so good being in contact again - I have vivid memories of our fun times when we were young! Weren't we just so lucky living our priveleged lives!

Take care Janise and stay safe

Love Carolyn

Hi Clive

I can honestly say I only have vague memories of Gordon McDonald but I did have play days with him when I was about 6 or 7 
I think his mums name was Isobel.

I just remember they lived in St Georges Mansion when Janise lived there.

I hope you are well and keeping away from the dreaded Covid.

So nice talking to ex Hong Kong friends.

Take care

Carolyn

Hallo people,

This is Mary Miller as was. I remember you, Carolyn Dow! I was a good friend of Margaret Gautier too, whom I lived near on the Peak. This is my first post on here so I’m finding my way around it. 

I would love to hear from anyone who was either at Peak School or KGV with me? I’m very much in touch with Rosie O’Connell, now Hull, and Teresa Sohn too. 

Love to all who remember me and my sister Trudi too. 

Mary xx 

Funny how life takes you. After leaving Hong Kong and KGV I went to work with a co that made generators and was the project manager for a sale to China Light and Power. We shoe horned a Gas Turbine generator and boiler into Hok Yuen power station about the mid '70s. As Project Manager you would think I would have visited the site many times but every single Co Director managed to find a reason to visit and to be fair they always asked me if there was any thing that they could do during their visits. Finally manged a vist when I was in Sales and just before I left for pastures new. Been back since then. It has a real draw if you have lived there for a time. So much changes quickly but also so much stays the same. Happy times.

Hello Carolyn 

How amazing to find you on the pages of Gwulo.  You, Sheena Watts and I were quite good friends in the earlier years of KGV in the 60's and I remember you both well.  I originally left HK in 1970. I spent a year in UK and then 3 years in Greece, firstly working for a shipping company and then 2 summers as the cook on 3 different charter boats.  I returned to HK and worked for the US government on a huge trade promotion in 1975 and then started my own dress shop in Central.  The rents killed the business, unfortunately.  I moved to UK in 1993 with my two daughters, now aged 42 and 36.  I have 3 grand-children and one that should have arrived 4 days ago but seems quite happy where she is!  We are anxiously waiting.  
Do you keep in touch with Sheena Watts?  I am still very much in touch with Kristin Aagaard, whom I met up with in Croatia 2 years ago and also with Carol Gough.  The three of us were inseparable in the later KGV years.

Al the best

Marilyn Ward

Hello Mary

I remember you and Trudi very well.  You and I were in the same class at KGV for some time.  I think I got demoted in the third year!  I remember Trudi when she was going out with Len Porte and we all met up a couple of times at Len's place in Shek-O.  You may have seen my reply to Carolyn's post, so you have my brief history.  Amazing how many people who have kept their connections with Hong Kong and passed it on to their children.  I wish HK was still as it was in our day.  It was an amazing life, if only we had realized it at the time.

Take care

Marilyn Ward

Hi there Marilyn! Of course I remember you! And it’s nice that you remember Trudi and Len Port too. They married and I have a niece and nephew and four great nieces and nephews. Len lives in Portugal and Trudi in Cornwall, near to me in Plymouth. 

I am happily married and my name now is Levycky! 

Where do you live now? 

Mary 

Hello Mary

Lovely to hear from you.  I didn't realise that Trudi and Len had married.  Such a long time ago now.  I live in Lymington, Hampshire.  I came over with my 2 daughters (then aged 14 and 8) from HK.  Various collapsed relationships and 2 marriages and at this ripe old age, it has finally dawned on me that I enjoy my own space.  

Please say hello to Trudi for me and likewise to Len if you are in contact.  I am not sure if he will remember me.

All the best

Marilyn

 

  

Hi Marilyn
It is so nice to be in touch after all these years.  I have only just joined Gwulo after my cousin emailed me about it.  She lives near Byron Bay in NSW Australia. I wouldnt have known anything about it if she didnt let me know.

I have lost touch with Sheena Watt her name is now Sheena Lillywhite and I am not sure how I can contact her. We were great mates for years.  I remember Kristin Aagaard very well, she is a lovely person.  I cant believe you met up in Croatia - it sure is a small world!!

I dont remembe Carol Gough, If I could see a photo of her when she was at school I am sure it would click.

Take care in these uncertain times

Carolyn 

 

Hi again Marilyn
I have just read your post again and have to say you have had a very very exciting life! Good on you. You will have some great stories to tell your grandchildren.
Wow that was such a brave move starting up your own dress shop in Central.

It would be so good if we could catch up for a coffee and have a good catch up :)

Hi Mary,

I’m not of the KGV crowd, so I apologize for intruding. I couldn’t help but notice: Is that not the same Len Port who was one of the “Folk Three”, a folk singing group in the 60s, this cool guy with shades?

It would surely be a small world. Thanks very much.

Yes, Carol and Kristin and I were all in the same class as you, so you would remember her.  She lives in Javea in Spain.  Her husband has Parkinson's (I so sympathise with Janise) but since reducing his medications, he is much more himself these days.  

 

Hi Marilyn, 

I never like to assume people remember anything about me!  Of course I remember you and everyone. It’s very interesting and of course sad to hear Carol’s husband is suffering from Parkinson’s although it sounds as though he isn’t too badly affected at present? Funnily enough, we have a small apartment in Spain just down the road from Javea, near Orba, and go there frequently as our bank and our lawyers are there! It would be fabulous to see her and catch up! Does she contribute to this site, which I’ve only just discovered? We haven’t been able to go to Spain for nearly a year owing to Covid but hope to go back in September. Would she be interested in meeting I wonder? 

Mary x 

 

Hello again

There is more to the story of Javea - the coincidence of you have a place nearby is amazing.  I would love to have a private chat with you.  Do you use Facebook?  If so, we could exchange email address on Messenger.

Hi Carolyn

I have two cousins living in Brisbane, another living about a hundred miles north of Sydney and one in Canberra.   A HK friend has a daughter living in Byron Bay too.  

I seem to remember hearing that Sheena was now Sheena Lillywhite and can't think who told me. I am wondering if it was Gopal Lalchandani, with whom I am very much in touch and in fact spoke to on Friday.  I will ask him if it was him and if he knows how to contact her.  You may not have known Gopal, although he was at KGV in a higher year. He is still in HK. Carol re-introduced me to him a few years ago and we have had many meals together since.  I was travelling out to HK at least twice a year up until 2017 when my mother died at the amazing age of 99 and three quarters.  

I will let you know if I have any info on Sheena.

Marilynx

Hello Chris

Yes I am John and Wynne's daughter and Carole's sister.  I remember your whole family very well and have seen Dorothy since I moved to UK in 93.  The last time was about 4 years ago in Eastbourne.  Where are you now?

Regards

Marilyn

Hi Marilyn,

I’d love to have a private chat about Javea! I looked to see if I could find you on Facebook but failed to find you... my name on there is Mary Thomas and I live in Plymouth if you can identify me? 

Hope to be safe in touch,

Mary  

Marilyn, Ooops. sorry, got your mother's name wrong! yes, i remember trips on your parents' boat and catching mainly puffer fish while the adults ate drank and yakked! I think Corinne & I last caught up with you in about 84 or 85 at Sheko with Dord on a trip from Sydney to UK. Have spent most of my working life in Singapore and have been in Perth for 18 years now but still working for a Singapore company, regularly travelling throughout Asia until COVID. 3 children, girl, boy, girl, 2 grandchildren, all here in Perth, which is rather lucky! hope we can meet up sometime soon! my email is chris@marineclaimsoffice.com

Cheers, Chris

So strange to see this thread and find so many names I knew when in HK!  Hello to you, Marilyn (please say hi to Goughie from me - I lost her email address after a virus got into my laptop), and g'day to you, Chris Kilbee (please say hi to Dord & John from me when you next speak to them!) laugh

Carolyn, I thought you'd get a giggle out of this clip! I had my father's 8mm films converted to thumbdrives and almost died of embarrassment when I saw this clip of my 17th birthday party!  I'd sent Mary the link via FB years ago so this shouldn't come as a surprise to her!! wink

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qF4iNuU9Aw

Cheers wink

Nona

I also feel I am "intruding" as I didn't go to KGV but I was at the Peak School and saw the post from Marilyn Miller who mentioned Rosie O'Connell and the Peak.  We lived on the Peak and I was friends with a girl called Rosemary O'Connell.  I am wondering if this is the same person?  

 

Hi Nona!! It was so lovely to watch this clip again although excruciating too! But just LOOK at us! So limber and healthy and full of joy! Having such fun... I just wish I was as slim and flexible as that now. But oh well - 74 this year with 3 stone extra and a metal knee.... how are you? We are fine and fully vaxxed so relieved! Lots of love M xx 

Hi Nona!! It was so lovely to watch this clip again although excruciating too! But just LOOK at us! So limber and healthy and full of joy! Having such fun... I just wish I was as slim and flexible as that now. But oh well - 74 this year with 3 stone extra and a metal knee.... how are you? We are fine and fully vaxxed so relieved! Lots of love M xx 

Hi Nona!! It was so lovely to watch this clip again although excruciating too! But just LOOK at us! So limber and healthy and full of joy! Having such fun... I just wish I was as slim and flexible as that now. But oh well - 74 this year with 3 stone extra and a metal knee.... how are you? We are fine and fully vaxxed so relieved! Lots of love M xx 

Hi Nona

We seem to have lost touch.  Probably my fault.  I thought I would have lots of spare time after I closed my shop in 2013 but I seem to have been just as busy as ever.  How are you doing and are you still in Perth?  Chris Kilbee is there too, I see.  I can see us KGVers taking over this site - I hope David doesn't mind.  Perhaps we should set up a splinter group, not that I would know how to do that.

All well here and looking forward to lockdown easing shortly.  We are anxiously awaiting Emma's second baby, who is now a week late.  Both my girls live within 5 miles of me, Emma within walking distance, which is great.

Take care

Marilynx

Hi Mary

Yes, you are quite right - we were having fun being silly and although it made me cringe (seeing me only - all the rest of you were so cute wink), I too reluctantly agree that it was great to see us being able to move so freely!

Glad to know you guys are fine and have had your vaccinations. Being tucked away in the most isolated city in the world has been great during this virus business. I read with horror the months of lockdowns you guys had to endure and almost felt guilty that we were having it so easy surprise

I raise your metal knee to two for me, plus two back fusions, two hip replacements and countless operations on my shoulder tendons which apparently were nearly impossible to repair due to their lousy condition. I need a 3rd back fusion but when I heard of what they would be doing (2 teams of surgeons going in both front and back to my spine) and me being unable to bend at all, I decided "neah"!!  I take strong painkillers to get through the days and nights so no more dancing the Turkey Trot - LOL! laugh

Stay well and healthy!!

Cheers

heart

Hiya Marilyn

Yes, we did lose touch but glad to see you here and to know that you and your family are well, despite all the virus scares! laugh

All good at this end and yep, we are all in Perth. I was saying to Mary how guilty I felt when I read about what you guys were going through in England and we had hardly any signs of the virus here!! 

You are so lucky that your girls live so close to you! Am madly jealous as we live about 10 minutes from the Indian Ocean and both my girls live in the Hills area - which used to be hours away but, thank goodness, due to lots of new highways in that direction, we can make it to either house in less than an hour! Phew!  cheeky

Has Emma had her baby yet or is it still being stubborn? And how many grandchildren do you have?  How great to be able to walk to your daughter's place to see your grandkids and then kiss them goodbye when you hand them back to their mama and go home to peace and quiet!! Well, that's what Philip and I always say after a family lunch!!

Your idea of a splinter group is great but I too have no idea how to do that. Perhaps you could ask David for suggestions? Unless we all meet up on FB as the KGV splinter group. That I do know how to set up cool

I've been scanning my HK photos and I stilll have so many albums to go through. Think I'll die before I finish them all, and then there are my father's albums! Yikes!  Not enough hours in the day for that but ... the last album I scanned had this photo so I'm sharing it with you. Oh those wonderfully halcyon days of our youth in HK!! What a magical place and a magical time smiley

Stay well and healthy and I hope all goes well with the birth of your grandchild! Do let us know if it's a boy or a girl and what name, please!!

Cheers

heart

_1974 with Ma Ward, Carole and Marilyn.jpg
_1974 with Ma Ward, Carole and Marilyn.jpg, by Nona

Hi Nona

 

I have never seen this picture before - thank you so much for sending it on.  I am confused as to the Shek-O notation though.  I was still living in Greece at the time but had gone back to HK between October 73 and April 74 before returning to Greece for the summer of 74.  We were living on Bluff Path during that visit and the rock face looks like the one at the back of the house in Bluff Path.  I can't figure out where it would be if it was a restaurant or someone's house in Shek-O.  We moved to Shek-O to live in 1979, just before Laurie was born.  I bet you have an amazing stash of photos and probably lots with Carole - you were great pals.  

It makes difficult reading to hear all your health problems.  You have been through so much that it makes my creaks and pings seem so trivial.  I also have shoulder problems, probably tendons.  You don't think all that bowling at the Yacht Club could be to blame do you?  Yay the Sexy Six!!  I can't remember who else was in the team apart from you, Carole and me.

I saw Emma yesterday.  My poor little girl is so uncomfortable and can hardly walk for the weight of the baby pressing down on her hips.  We know she is having a girl (yay so I will have 2 girls and 2 boys).  No name yet and commonly referred to as Spud, though I should remind her that Pumpkin would be more appropriate at this stage.  Will defo let you know when she decides to make her appearance.

XXX

 

Me again, Marilyn!!

Saw your post for Carolyn and I just wanted to say that I heard from Anne Longman (nee Luddington) whom I've known since Quarry Bay JS that Sheena had lung cancer surprise  From what I know, she was operated on and it was all good so hopefully that's true!

I don't know if you remember/know Anne Reynolds from HK? She's a couple of years older than me (could be Dordie's age) and I ran into her a couple of times when I flew down to Perth. Last year we had yum cha with her and her husband and then she invited up to their place to meet up with her brother, Gordon, and his wife Carol (nee Muir) who was also in my year but not class at KGV. I had a huge crush on Gordon when I was 7 years old!!  Augh!! Young love laugh

Anyway, we were talking about HK of course and Carol said they'd often meet up with Sheena and her hubby when they went to the UK. She might have Sheena's email address so I'm happy to ask if you'd like me to.  I also heard from someone else on FB that Jennifer Watts (is it Watt or Watts? I'm ashamed to say I can't remember!) was living in Sydney - anyone know if that is true?

Sheena worked for HSBC back in the late 60s/early 70s, as did Carol Sloan. I had developed a monthly newsletter for all the "Expatriate Ladies" and I remember congratulating Sheena on the birth of her son!!

Anyway - do you remember us having that photo taken of the whole school back in 1960?  We had to assemble on the playing field opposite the main entrance and this fancy camera took the panorama picture of all of us?  I ordered the picture and had it framed but recently I took it out and scanned it in parts as my scanner couldn't scan the whole photo!

I was looking at it after seeing all of you guys here and so am going to post the sections which show you all (sitting cross legged in the front) and will name some girls which you guys might not have known!

Fingers crossed I don't screw up - poor David gets a number of emails asking him to delete all the screw-ups that I make when trying to upload photos blush

KGV panel 1.jpg
KGV panel 1.jpg, by Nona Marilyn Ward, Barbara Gabriel
KGV panel 2.jpg
KGV panel 2.jpg, by Nona Sandra Agafuroff, Marlene Boer, Caro
KGV panel 3.jpg
KGV panel 3.jpg, by Nona Marilyn Heron, Carol Sloan, Maggie Gautier

Hello All

What a lovely surprise to see this string of posts. It brought back so many fond memories. I do remember you Janice, Marilyn, Mary and Nona and I also remember Margaret and Carol. And Carolyn, what a shock! Tim had to pick me up off the floor after I saw you had posted here after losing touch with you all those years ago. However, I hope to hear from you now you have my email. It was so nice to hear everyone's news, though I was so sorry to hear about your husband Janise, it cannot be easy for you. Marilyn, I haven't seen Gopal for a long time though I have seen Kishu, his brother, at the KCC on a few of our fleeting visits to Hong Kong whilst en route to Sydney. Please say hi to him for me when you next speak. After leaving Hong Kong we lived in Brunei for a few years before finally settling in the UK and what a shock to the system the latter was! We have three children and four grandchildren. Sadly none of them live near us, so thank goodness for Facetime, WhatsApp and Zoom. Nona, sorry to hear about your back problem it must be very painful. But OMG how embarrassing is that video! Ha Ha! We all had many fun times together, didn't we? 

Take care.

Sheena

I’m thinking now - she lived on the Peak when she and I were married, up Mt Austin road - I lived at the old house at the top which belonged to Reuters and she lived half way up in the beautiful flats for the Navy I think? But yes - now you mention it I’m getting the two eras muddled up! Sorry! And where is she now, do you know? 

Just to say Margret Gautier is now living in Derbyshire.  I did show her this site and asked she logged in but she was finding it difficult as they live in a remote area.  Her son and family live in Hong Kong and he is a teacher.   I will try and get her logged in to see all your messages

Janise