Barbara PARKIN [1916-????]

Barbara Parkin was the widow of Srgt. William Parkin who had been killed Christmas morning 1941 at St Stephens.  She was interned with one child, Leslie Parkin, 19 months old, who had been born as Leslie Shatokin; however, his mother had simply given him her deceased husband's surname. They survived internment and left on the Empress of Australia, September, 1945.

Barbara had been born on October 8, 1916, in Buchedu (spelling?), Inner Mongolia, raised in TsiTsiHar (Spelling?), and schooled in Harbin, Manchuria, before going with an older sister to Shanghai where she was trained as a masseuse. In 1937 she married Valentin Shatokin, whom she knew from Harbin, before moving with him to Hong Kong. They divorced in September, 1939, and he headed north. The last she heard of him he had visited her family in Harbin. Her son, Leslie, was born in May of 1940. On October 8, 1941, she married William Parkin, a medical sergeant in the British army.

Thank you for the extra detail.

I see there is a photo and more information about Barbara at:

http://childsplayintheshadowofthesun.weebly.com/xx-aftermath.html

Thanks to Brian for the link.

Regards, David

There is a photograph of Barbara in the Weekly China Mail dated Thursday 13th Sept 1945 - seems to have been pictured in Stanley Internment Camp cooking possibly in the period after capitulation but before release and repatriation. Also in the picture is Mr. Stenerson. Before relocating to St Stephen's Temporary Hospital Sgt Parkin was originally based ar the Advances Desssing Station at Windy Gap.

Best regards,  Philip Cracknell