Everything tagged: Scotland

Robert was interned as a HK defence volunteer in Shamshuipo POW camp, and later was shipped off to Amoy, Shanghai, and Peking for forced labour. He assumed he had been headed for Japan when the war ended. 

In camp he worked in the kitchens as often as possible, so as to get the more nutritious scrapings and rice husks from the bottom of the pans.

He also became adept at catching flies in his fist to relieve the boredom, after studying their habits when disturbed. A good party trick in later years.

George Boulton born 3 July 1899 Glasgow died 1970 Washington USA   George was a Marine Engineer and based in Hong Kong did many trips to China, Japan, Hong Kong & Glasgow.

I am trying to find information about my grandfather Alexander Kinnear. This is what I know:

He was born in Dundee in 1898

His full name was Alexander Kinnear

He was known as Sandy

He joined the Hong Kong Police Force in c. 1927

He was interred at Stanley Camp

After the war he returned to Dundee and remained there until his death in 1954.

Philip has just added an article about JJ Paterson to his blog. He notes that JJ was Managing Director of Jardine Matheson in the 1930s, and served in the HKVDC. He commanded the group defending the North Point power station. Click to read the full article.

Some background first: He arrived in HK on his own account on 1.1.1867 (story in Social and Personal column, The Straits Times, 10.1.1917). That makes him 23 because he was born in Nairn to a tinsmith called William Smith in 1844. On 11.1.1873 there's a notice in the HK Govt Gazette to the effect that on 31.12.1872 Leopold Frickel had resigned from L Frickel & Co and in his place had come A.F. Smith. The following day a notice from AFS informed the general public that his new partner in L. Frickel & Co was one William Dolan.

Joseph Macdonald, the brother of Jessie Holland (nee Macdonald), moved to China in the footsteps of his married sister in the late-1930's.

He was a marine engineer who secured employement with Asiatic Petroleum in Canton. He married at the age of 43 in Scotland to Elizabeth Smith, both lived in Canton, Shanghai and Hong Kong for varying periods prior to the Japanese invasion from which they had a narrow escape.

Isobel Morrison Holland was born in Scotland in 1915, her brother Alistair was born in 1917, and her sister Joan Macdonald Holland was born in 1919 or 1920. The family moved to Hong Kong in 1919.

Isobel's mother, Jessie Holland, was shot and died from bullet wounds on 12th December 1941. She was buried in the Happy Valley cemetery the following day, the Rev Frank Short officiated. Isobel's father, Adam Holland, died in the bombing of Stanley Camp's Bungalow C in January 1945.

Does anyone have any information on Kathleen Moir or of her husband, whose first name I don't know? There is a mention of her in one of my grandfather's letters. It seems they moved into the house in which he had been living, perhaps at 6 Tregunter Mansions, Hong Kong, when my grandfather's family had been evacuated to Sydney. If you can help advise on who they were that would be very excellent. Thank you

Briony