the first annual commemorative report issued by The Hong Kong Nurses and Midwives Association in December 1941

Tue, 04/18/2023 - 15:29

This is the only known surviving copy of the first annual commemorative report issued by The Hong Kong Nurses and Midwives Association in December 1941. This association is the first Chinese professional women's union since the founding of Hong Kong (Report, page 11). Even though all its members are Chinese, the founders included three foreigners :

  1. Miss Maud Ward - Principal Matron of the Nethersole Hospital (WW2: Interned at Stanley Camp)
  2. Miss Susan Frances Sutton  -  Principal Matron of  the Queen Mary Hospital
  3. Mrs. Ann Hughes - Assistant-Matron of the Nethersole Hospital

SCMP, Aug 23, 1950 :

When the Chinese nurses decided to form the Trained Nurses and Midwives' Association it was to Miss Ward that they turned for help. Although formed before the war, the Association still goes to her for advice.

 

Miss Ward - Florence Nightingale in the East
Miss Ward - Florence Nightingale in the East, by Alan Ho

Ho Kom-tong (何甘棠), the guest speaker, delivers a speech at the inaugural ceremony.

In 1940 Ho Kom-tong was present at the inaugural ceremony
In 1940 Ho Kom-tong was present at the inaugural ceremony, by Alan Ho

Founding Chairman Kong Ching-bo (江清波) gave the founding speech.

Founding Chairman Kong Ching-bo
Founding Chairman Kong Ching-bo , by Alan Ho

According to the report page 11, Hilda Selwyn-Clarke was one of the guests at the inaugural ceremony on October 30th, 1940.

* I purchased this artifact from a Hong Kong antiques dealer. In May 2022, I donated it to the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Museum.

Date picture taken
5 Dec 1941 (day and month are approximate)