Miss Lucas with staff and children of the Foundling Home

Sat, 01/21/2023 - 01:23

I think this is a picture of Miss Elizabeth Lucas with the staff and the girls of the BCMS Foundling Home, which has been found to be at 24 Broadwood Road.  The BCMS had taken on the Home (26 children) in Nanning, Guangxi Province in 1924 at the invitation of Dr and Mrs Lechmere Clift, who had founded it.  They appointed Miss Lucas as superintendent.  Because of unrest in China she had moved the Home firstly to Lungchow and thence to Hong Kong.   

In Hong Kong they were based initially in a mansion on Broadwood Road, and then moved in 1933 to The White House, Taipo.  Miss Lucas retired leaving Mildred Dibden in charge.

Following a near-fatal bout of malaria in 1935, Miss Dibden left the White House to be repatriated.  In 1937 the Foundling Home was moved back to Kowloon as it was felt to be a healthier setting, and Iris Critchell was put in charge, followed by Miss S Birchall in 1938.  Just before the war the home was moved out to the Sha Tau Kok Road in Fanling with Iris Critchell in charge.

During the war Iris Critchell and her girls ended up with Mildred Dibden at the Fanling Babies' Home.  

Date picture taken
1931 (year is approximate)
Shows person / people