70 years ago: Hong Kong's wartime diaries | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

70 years ago: Hong Kong's wartime diaries

Shows diary entries from seventy-one years ago, using today's date in Hong Kong as the starting point. To see pages from earlier dates (they go back to 1 Dec 1941), choose the date below and click the 'Apply' button.

  • 3 May 1945, Barbara Anslow's diary

    Submitted by Barbara Anslow on Mon, 2012-05-21 12:29
    Book / Document: 
    Barbara Anslow's diary
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Thu, 3 May 1945

    Mr. N. C. Barber died at 1.25pm, a Christian Scientist who refused to have operation for cancer of the tongue etc.

    'Jeanette' Clark is to be called 'Helena' or similar ((handwriting in original diary too faint)). ((within a week or so of the adoption, Mrs Clark went to the Halligans saying 'I want my bairn back' – and took Jean.  The Halligans were devastated.  Many years later I learned that Jean had died in her early twenties.))

    Horrible stye again.  

    Walked round with Gladys and Rosaleen in evening, then play reading with girls' club.

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  • 03 May 1945, Chronology of Events Related to Stanley Civilian Internment Camp

    Submitted by brian edgar on Tue, 2014-12-30 19:55
    Book / Document: 
    Chronology of Events Related to Stanley Civilian Internment Camp
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Thu, 3 May 1945

    Death of Norman Charles Barber, merchant of Loxley and Co., at the age of 46.

    He was the husband of M. C. Barber. For the circumstances of his death see Barbara Anslow's diary entry for today.

    N. C. Barber grave stone.jpg
    N. C. Barber grave stone.jpg, by brianwindsoredgar

     

    The proceedings in the trial before a Camp Disciplinary Tribunal of Dr. Harry Talbot come to an end today. He is accused of refusing to return a hen belonging Mrs. L. Flaherty on April 7.  The case had gone to arbitration and he'd been told to return the hen on being given 100MY for his services in looking after it for its owner. According to George Wright-Nooth, Talbot's lawyer, at the height of proceedings, stood up to make a dramatic announcement:

    My Lord, I regret to inform you that my client ate the chicken last night.

    The tribunal - E. S. Brooks, G. A. Pentreath and A. Raymond - express their disapproval of his 'very reprehensible' conduct in strong terms and hand out the toughest sentence in their power: two week's deprivation of canteen privileges.

    Sources:

    George Wright-Nooth, Prisoner of the Turnip Heads, 1994, 217

    MacNider papers: Unheaded sheet.

    Note: MacNider's account doesn't mention a lawyer. It seems the original hearing was April 19. Emily Hahn gives a fictionalised account of the incident in Miss Jill (1948). The novel has Talbot ('Lionel Levy') looking after the hen because Mrs Flaherty ('Hawkins') is in prison for black market activities (254-258). Wright-Nooth's account is humorous, while Hahn's is much darker.

     

  • 03 May 1945, R. E. Jones Wartime diary

    Submitted by Admin on Wed, 2015-05-06 16:31
    Book / Document: 
    R. E. Jones Wartime diary
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Thu, 3 May 1945

    Beautiful dry day.

    Shovel & handles on tins.

    German lesson.

    Amery’s son, alleged to have broadcast for Germans during the war, captured.

    No truck, no news.

    Rumour has it that Germany finished 2nd.

  • 03 May 1945, Eric MacNider's wartime diary

    Submitted by Admin on Tue, 2016-05-03 16:40
    Book / Document: 
    Eric MacNider's wartime diary
    Date(s) of events described: 
    Thu, 3 May 1945

    Death Norman Charles Barber (46))

    Heard letter rec’d by Bellamy from Lincoln (Massey Rd) in which film “Desert Victory” (Montgomery’s success in Libya) is described.


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