Herbert Edward LANEPART (aka Lehnpart) [1892-1963] | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Herbert Edward LANEPART (aka Lehnpart) [1892-1963]

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Submitted by brian edgar on Mon, 2012-11-12 23:54
Names
Given: 
Herbert Edward
Family: 
Lanepart
Alias / nickname: 
Lehnpart
Sex: 
Male
Status: 
Deceased
Birth
Date: 
1892-12-05
Birthplace (town, state): 
Latvia
Death
Date: 
1963-12-30

Herbert Edward Lanepart is first mentioned in the Jurors' List for 1923 and is recorded as still present in Hong Kong in the early days of the Japanese occupation.

In 1923 he was one of eight people who, under the leadership of Malcolm Manuk, established the first Theosophical Lodge in Hong Kong. He was active as secretary, librarian, lecturer and propagandist for the next five years.

In March 1932 he founded the Hong Kong Nudist Society which remained in existence throughout the decade. The Society leased an area in the New Territories for its activities and, although membership was low, it sparked controversy in the Hong Kong press between March and November 1932.

More information:

http://brianedgar.wordpress.com/2012/11/09/herbert-edward-lanepart-1-theosophy-in-old-hong-kong/

http://brianedgar.wordpress.com/2012/11/12/herbert-edward-lanepart-2-bringing-nudism-to-hong-kong/

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Comments

Submitted by brian edgar on Wed, 2015-06-10 18:26.

This website (in French) gives a post-war update on Herbert Lanepart:

http://www.coeurnaturiste.com/?p=2403

He's described as a 'dynamic man of 57 originally from the Baltic countries'. In 1951 he was still practising nudism and living in Kowloon, and, although optimistic about the future, he was still finding the Chinese population resistant to his nudist ideas, and the Korean War had placed further obstacles in his way. Nevertheless, the writer of the article describes his home as a 'true fortress of nudism' in which Lanepart, his Chinese domestics, some Chinese friends and a 'European' familyspend much of their time naked. The group still own an island (Spoiler alert: there seem to be photos of them there, although not certainly identified as such), but they aren't able to get out there much for a number of reasons. Most of their activity is at the 'centre' which he still owns.

Previously the latest information I had about Herbert Lanepart was a reference by Benny Proulx that places him in Hong Kong in the first days of the Japanese occupation. We now know he was back in 1951 and I'm hoping to one day find a source for the period in between.

Submitted by brian edgar on Thu, 2016-03-10 18:52.

In 1958 the forthcoming marriage of Herbert Lehnpart (Lanepart), then a teacher living in Taipo Road, to Wong Ching-luen, a fellow teacher, was announced (SCMP, June 14, 1958, p. 5).

Discovering this change of name has enabled me to learn a little more about the post-war life of this interesting Hong Kong Latvian, including the date of his birth and death:

http://www.hkmemory.hk/collections/hong_kong_cemetery/all_items/images/2...