By Robert Enoch Withers - US Consul to Hong Kong 1885-1889
My nearest neighbor in Hong-Kong who resided immediately opposite, was Mr. Belilios, said to be the most wealthy citizen of that Colony. His wife was a very small black-eyed woman, a native of Bagdad. They were Jews, and possessed many of the characteristics of that people. They were fond of show, entertained largely, owned a fine house magnificently furnished, and were liberal and charitable.
Their oldest child was a very handsome boy about eight or nine years old, who was very fond of my wife and she of him. His name was Raphael, and he soon became very intimate and spent much of his time at the Consulate. His mother encouraged him in this, as she was anxious for him to learn to speak English correctly, she herself could hardly speak it intelligibly. He had many animal pets, as he was never denied anything, and he gave my wife the first monkey we had, which was much more gentle and tractable than Jocqueline, but the poor fellow accidently hung himself, to the great grief of Mrs. Withers as well as the rest of us.
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Dates for Emanuel Raphael Belilios
Emanuel Raphael Belilios was born in Calcutta on 14 November 1837. He died in London on 11 November 1905.
re: Dates for Emanuel Raphael Belilios
Thanks Jill, I've updated the details.
I see Wikipedia has a page of information about him: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emanuel_Raphael_Belilios
Regards, David
Autobiography of an Octogenarian
Autobiography of an Octogenarian
By Robert Enoch Withers - US Consul to Hong Kong 1885-1889
My nearest neighbor in Hong-Kong who resided immediately opposite, was Mr. Belilios, said to be the most wealthy citizen of that Colony. His wife was a very small black-eyed woman, a native of Bagdad. They were Jews, and possessed many of the characteristics of that people. They were fond of show, entertained largely, owned a fine house magnificently furnished, and were liberal and charitable.
Their oldest child was a very handsome boy about eight or nine years old, who was very fond of my wife and she of him. His name was Raphael, and he soon became very intimate and spent much of his time at the Consulate. His mother encouraged him in this, as she was anxious for him to learn to speak English correctly, she herself could hardly speak it intelligibly. He had many animal pets, as he was never denied anything, and he gave my wife the first monkey we had, which was much more gentle and tractable than Jocqueline, but the poor fellow accidently hung himself, to the great grief of Mrs. Withers as well as the rest of us.
https://books.google.com/books?id=05MvAAAAYAAJ&dq=belilios%20us%20consul...
Belilios Trust
Most of his assets were left in the Belilios Special Trust - his son and daughter-in-law and 3 others as trustees.