Identification? | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Identification?

Identification?
Submitted by anonymous-01
Tags: 
John Olson

This is a picture of my great aunt Ethel and is I think taken at 13 Broadwood Road judging by other pictures I have of her.

I wonder can anybody tell me by the way he is dressed whether the man with her is a servant or friend?

Thanks

Date picture taken (may be approximate): 
Thursday, January 1, 1920
Gallery: 
1920s Hong Kong
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Comments

Submitted by David on Fri, 2010-10-15 17:25.

Hi Sean, he isn't dressed like a servant. If I saw someone dressed like that now I'd assume they were some sort of priest, but that may just have been smart clothing for the time.

Regards, David

Submitted by anonymous-01 on Fri, 2010-10-15 17:39.

Thanks David.

I wonder if this man is a link to my great grandmother's side of the family. I will have to get the pictures out again and see what else I can find. I am pretty sure there are some group pictures of Europeans and Chinese buried away somewhere. I also seem to remember less formal pictures where European family members are socialising with Chinese people.

One family theory is that my great grandmother, Ching Ah Fung, came from a well off Chinese family who may have engineered her alliance and marriage with John1. However, the priest theory does not seem likely here as my great grandmother became a Christian in 1890 - christened by Rev John Ost whose wife is mentioned in several of the Ladies Directories published here by annelisec.

Thanks again.

Sean