Charles FORSYTH [c.1885-1956] | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Charles FORSYTH [c.1885-1956]

Names
Given: 
Charles
Family: 
Forsyth
Sex: 
Male
Status: 
Deceased
Birth
Date: 
c.1885-01-01 (Year, Month, Day are approximate)
Death
Date: 
c.1956-01-06 (Day is approximate)
Other
Other reference: 
Chater Bungalow, race horse owner

In 1904, aged 29, Forsyth became a partner of Drs. Jordan and and Gibson. Originally from Edinburgh, he married about 1908 and lived in Chater's Bungalow off Nathan Road. Latterly lived At Magazine Gap, having bought the old bungalow that had belonged to Duncan Clark, partner in Lane, Crawford and Co.. Keen cricketer and President of Kowloon Cricket Club for a number of years. After WW2 his firm name changed to Drs. Anderson and Partners. Owned several race ponies in partnership with Dr Jordan. (Information from Carl Smith cards)

Comments

The "old bungalow" bought  by Charles Forsyth must be Tusculum, Fairyland, The Peak, originally at 136 Barker Road according to Herostratus's excellent list.

Annelise created a page for Tusculum at http://gwulo.com/node/5703 that mentions Charles Forsyth as one of the owners.


Extra notes about Charles Forsyth from Jill:

[He was] mentioned by Liz Chater as renting Chater’s Bungalow, off Nathan Road, Kowloon. He was appointed as one of the executors of the will of my grandfather, Charles Warren, and guardian to the Warren children in the event of his death. As my father, Reg Warren, was born at 4 Fairview, Nathan Road in 1909, he may even have delivered him.

A notice in the SCMP of 7 January 1956, reports Dr Forsyth's death and there is a further letter published from H.B.L. Dowbiggin on 10 January 1956, according to Carl Smith. Carl Smith also records that Forsyth had successfully recovered from TB in Canada in 1924. He was President of Kowloon Cricket Club, owned several race ponies in partnership with Dr Jordan and was apparently one of Hong Kong’s oldest residents.


Rudi Butt has details of Forsyth's medical work in Hong Kong: http://hkmd1841-1941.blogspot.hk/2013/09/dr-charles-forsyth-1902.html


Forsyth's death is noted on page 183 of Medical News, The British Medical Journal Vol. 1, No. 4959 (Jan. 21, 1956), pp. 181-183: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20334272

Forsyth.—On December 29, 1955, in hospital, Charles Forsyth, M D., F.R.C.S.Ed., D.T.M., of Turzum, Neston, Cheshire, formerly of Hong Kong, aged 80.

From the Hong Kong Weekly Press article, September 22, p. 12, on the Typhoon of 1906, 

"Among the gallant band who have laboured to alleviate suffering and rescue the perishing, there was not a more willing worker than Dr. Forsyth. Carrying his case of surgical instruments, he called at the Tsimchatsoi Police Station, saw Inspector Langley and proffered his services (...) The doctor was placed aboard a boat and travelling round the foreshore pulled out of the water and restored many people who appeared to be drowned. The wounds of others he also dressed and took the opportunity of sending them to hospital."