Shek Lo [????- ]

The Catholic Church has recently (2011) published a history of the Church in Tai Po (written by Dr P.Hase) and Shek Lo gets an interesting mention.

Due to the lack of a suitable church in the North District, Peter Tsui allowed Catholic Mass to be said at his house for the local Fanling Catholics. However, in 1935 the Church was thrown into a quandry when Tsui took a concubine and the local priest, Father D'Ayala, had to write to the Bishop to tell him there would be scandal if they continued to use the house for Mass. The problem was solved though when Tsui and his concubine moved to a new house and left Shek Lo to his wife.

Upon deciding to diversify into other entreprises (shipping, rubber, etc...) to subsidise the two Wah Yan colleges, Peter Tsui got into trouble associating with businessmen, learning their ways!  Brought up along Lutheran lines (Swiss Basel Mission) in Ng Wah in S. Guangdong, and converted to Catholicism (at St. Joseph's College), he remained a scrupulous responsible person afterall - he fooled around but took in the young woman as his concubine.  He did not married his concubine until long after his wife passed away in 1974.

He built a separate house with another pond nearby Ma Wat for this secondary family.  After the War, he reocated this branch of the family to Jesselton (Kota Kinabalu), North Borneo where he had a rubber plantation & a small hotel.  He lived a tale of two cities ever since.  Together, with two wives, he had 27 off-springs. 

Catholic British army officers attended mass celebrated at the dinning room of our home, Dunrose, Castle Peak (opposite the present day Gold Coast Hotel) when Paul Tsui was DO-Yuenlong.  We also had Christmas Eve masses celebrated at 30 Severn Road, The Peak (The Bracket) in the 60s.  Thank you for letting me know that masses were celebrated at Shek Lo also.  I'll let the Shek Lo Group of FB know about it.

Hi there,

I once visited Shek Lo when a branch of the Tsuis still lived there back in the mid 1980's.  I was visiting a colleague back then, Mrs Tsui (Agnes), who was the Executive Secretary of our boss.   I could not recall the name of Mr Tsui back then as I have only met him once in another occasion.  I did not ask, despite they knew I was a fellow Wahyanite.  I guess Lawrance 師兄 should know which family I am talking about.

The lawn was still manageable back then, but the house was full of memory alright.  I saw lots of vintage books in there.  My colleague's family was only occupying about a third of the ground floor if my fading memory did not fail me.  They were at the very early stage of moving out then.  Fond memories.

Best Regards,

T

tngan, you would have visited Mr & Mrs Tsui Sum-kin, my cousins who are still living in the village.  My hideout was right next door to their rooms.

Hi Phil, may I know the title of the book by Patrick Hase?  The web site of the Tai Po church did not mention a book on its history.

Hi Lawrence, is Shek Lo still owned by the Tsui family or a branch of it?  I suppose it is currently vacant?

C - The book I described hasn't been generally published but seems to have been a small circle release for the church in celebration of its 150 year anniversary in HK and 560 year anniversay of the church in Tai Po. The English name is "150 Years of Evangelization in Taipo: 50 Years of Foundation of the Church".

There is an entry for it on the CUHK library website: http://library.cuhk.edu.hk/search/c?BX4640.H6+I44+2011

I got my copy from Dr Hase because I supplied him with a photo for it.

Edit: I spoke to Dr Hase at the weekend and he said the chucrh would send a copy of the book out to anyone who requested it. So all you need to do is drop them a phone call or email and they can get your address and post it. Regardless of your religious views it is well worth getting and has some interesting snippets of history.

Lawrence - do you have any idea what will become of Shek Lo. I always wondered if the family (or Govt) had any plans to restore it and open it up to the public. It would be great location for a Lung Yeuk Tau museum (similar to the Ping Shan Police Station in Yuen Long). It seems to be a shame to just be rotting there.

Phil

C & Phil, Shek Lo & associated estates were sold by the Executors of Peter Tsui's estate in the 1980s.  As there were two branches of Peter Tsui's family & not every beneficiary had sentimental attachment to Shek Lo, including some needing money, the Executors, being scrupulously & stubornly fair, decided that the only way was to liquidate.  Since then, it has been transferred a number of times.  A few years ago, the present owner, Tang Kwok-yung & associates, offered it to Government after it has been designated a heritage house as reported in the media. Their condition was for Government to grant them rights to build Ding-houses in adjacent or nearby areas. An AMO Curator worked on Shek Lo and he told me that he could restore it to its full glory.  However, AMO could not offer development rights.  I guess the Tangs are waiting for it to rot away and then try develping the site afresh (perhaps as yet another of their Columbarium for ashes!)  Fortunately, Shek Lo is sitting at a Green Belt which has protected it from commercial exploitation so far.

It has been my dream also that Shek Lo should become a house museum for the Lung Yeuk Tau Heritage Trail after its restoration.  The village offered so much contemporary history which could be dove-tailed with: the Basil Mission (Shung Chun Hui); Wah Yan Colleges & the Irish Jesuits; rural communty organisation & life-styles; NT Administration; as well as the BAAG.  Kin Tak Moon & Lok Yuan of the Pangs, as well as the village primary school (now killed & sitting vacant on the knoll) which Peter Tsui & Pang Lok-saam founded; and more could all be part of it.  There's a real need to have a house museum as well as a hub for the LYT Heritage Trail as a Sustainable Cultural Tourism asset to come alive.  What can be done!  Would the potential conversion of the nearby Queen's Hill barracks into a private university help?    

Hi there,

It might, if the Jesuits won the tender of the University.

Best Regards,

T

Hi C,

You may download the PDF of the book of "150 Years of Evangelization in Tai Po: 50 Years of Foundation of the Church" form : https://taipo.catholic.org.hk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/150+50_Publication.pdf

Best,

Danny