Ancestor search

married muslim women from some communities had bibi prefixed to their name in memons we suffix bai to the name to indicate marriage , hope this helps

I don’t think Bibi is her real name (indicates ‘married’ as per above). But for all intents and purposes it functioned as her name as it was used in the burial register. Some have a Chinese name, and a Muslim name, and also an affectionate nickname which might take over completely the other two. I have many examples in my family alone. You have “Cherry Alarakia” in your tree. Another example would be 'Tubby Arculli' (Fakir Mohamed Arculli). Obviously his real name was not ‘Tubby’ but everyone referred to him by that name to the point he was known as that and it was used in the burial register! I think we have the same situation here with “Bibi Alarakia” such that she is known by that epithet by the younger generation.  

We may or may not find out her real name in due course but for the moment that is all we have to work on.

The FindaGrave Muslim Cemetery is the Muslim Cemetery in Happy Valley, Hong Kong. It does give the address as well as a map to show the location. The familysearch burial register (digitized up to 1982) you have illustrated is the Muslim Cemetery in Happy Valley (same as the FindaGrave), although familysearch also has digitized records for the Muslim cemetery in Chai Wan, Hong Kong and Ho Man Tin, Kowloon as well.

The need for the construction of the Aberdeen Tunnel led to the destruction of the old Ammar Mosque in the Muslim cemetery, Happy Valley in December 1978 and the relocation of some 220 graves. I remember the old entrance to the Muslim Cemetery in Happy Valley was on the western side of the Wong Nei Chong Road.

c.1925 Happy Valley , by David

The old entrance to the Muslim Cemetery to the right of the photo on the western side of Wong Nei Chong Road 

The relocation of the relevant graves to the New Terrace on the Hau Tak Lane side were documented in the cemetery burial register. For Ray Alarakia (Grave Number 5187 in Section 12 of the cemetery) it appears his grave was not relocated so it should be in its original place but I have no idea where that is within the cemetery and whether a headstone is still standing – it should be given he only died in 1974.

I don’t think the religious Muslim weddings from the 19^th century were officially recorded unless they also had a civil ceremony. Some took place at a Mosque but a fair number also took place in private residences. It’s the luck of the draw if they were reported in the newspapers – like the spectacle of your great-grandparents. I may be wrong but its worth asking the Islamic Union of Hong Kong – they may have something in their archives that I am not aware of.

Your mention of Abdulla C. Neves was a revelation for me! Although I was aware of Rookiyah Gertude Neves and who her parents were, I was not aware of that name as it was not recorded in the burial register. Yet the headstone was so informative! It also corrected my misunderstanding of her correct age as 14 months and not 4 months as per reading of the burial register (on re-reading I can now convince myself it does say ’14 months’ rather than ‘4 months’).

It's a revelation as that means Antonio Carlos Neves embraced Islam when he married Sophie Alarakia. That led to more research and we actually have a photo of him already in gwulo!

1945-8-28 Sendai Camp.jpeg, by ashchoi

Antonio Neves is sat on the second row, third from left 

antoniocarlosneves1a.jpg.png, by eurasian_david

NB. His NOK Sophie Neves (née Alarakia) was listed as living at 8 Glenealy Road, City of Victoria, Hong Kong in Antonio's Japanese Index Card of Allied POWs (Source: WO 392/25)

In a nutshell:

Born in Hong Kong 5^th October 1904

Father: Francisco Faustino Neves (1875-1906).

Mother: Cecilia Maria de Sequeira (1863/68-1942)

Both buried in St Michael’s Catholic Cemetery in Happy Valley, Hong Kong.

Antonio Carlos Neves baptized 18^th May 1905

He was a Private (Service Number 3596) in the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps and was captured by the Japanese Imperial Army in Hong Kong on 25^th December 1941. He was subsequently interned as a Prisoner of War in the Sham Shui Po camp in Kowloon, Hong Kong.

As a prisoner of war, he was sent as a 6^th draft from Hong Kong to Japan to be interned. All the shipments of POWs to Japan left from Sham Shui Po’s Bamboo Pier (they were marched to the Bamboo Pier and then embarked on one of the ferryboats and taken out to their ship anchored in the harbour). Antonio Neves departed Hong Kong on 29^th April 1944 on the Naura Maru as part of a contingent of 221 POWs (including 47 Canadians) to Japan (WO 392/25).

He was sent to Sendai #2b POW camp which was located in Yoshima, Fukushima, Japan. The camp was reported to be the former dormitories of a coal mining company located about 30 miles southeast of Koriyama near the coast of Taira. He was liberated      on 2^nd September 1945 with rescue effected by 7^th September 1945 (WO 361/1983).

I haven’t as yet found the death or burial information of Sophie and Antonio/Abdulla atm. Either they both died post 1982 (so not searchable on familysearch.org burial register for Muslim cemeteries in Hong Kong) or they both emigrated and died abroad.  

Hi Ken,

I want you to look at this:

alarakia_export_manifest_bombay_gazette_page_184_23rd_february_1852.png, by Bombay Gazette

It's from the Bombay Gazette in 1852. It lists the export manifest of the ship William Penn from Bombay India to Whampoa, China. There is a whole bunch of Parsee and Ismailia Dawoodi Bohra names. Crucially the cargo is cloth related and the name Alarakia mentioned (about 3/4 of the way down). You remember Anita Weiss' work mentioned from her oral interviews in HK back in the 1980s that mentioned Mohamed Alarakia was a cloth trader (personally I think she got the wrong person/generation but in concept may be correct for an earlier ancestor).

The trifecture of the terms Alarakia-cloth-Bombay/Whampoa is highly significant.

I have been trying my best to do the 'impossible' and link the HK South Asian Muslims further back in time to before HK. This might just be one example. The Arcullis in HK were merchants from Arabia via India. The Suffiads came over from India to HK with the British East India Company in the 1860s etc. Sandy Madar here even has a name of a ship from his oral history - Hydroose - which I have traced as having traded from India to HK. Worth filing in the back drawer for now until we find more information. 

Oh...just noticed this! Back in my earlier link for the distribution of prizes at the Central School in The China Mail, page 3, 10th February 1882 there was also this:

“PRIZE LIST

SPECIAL PRIZES.

Morrison Scholar, - A. Ramjahn, Scholarship, presented by Morrison Trustees.

Translation, - Luk King Fo, watch, presented by Mr. T. Jackson.

Composition, - A. Ramjahn, watch, presented by Mr. G.M. Bain.

Best Monitor, - M. Alarakia, watch, presented by Mr. A.G. Romano.

Composition, - Ho Yan Kai, second-class, book”

A. Ramjahn = my greatgranduncle

From the report (dated 3^rd January 1885) by the Head Master of the Government Central School for last year (ie. 1884):

“...9. – The following changes are to be noted among the Chinese Assistants: - Mr Alarakia was transferred to the Observatory…”

Source: The China Mail, page 3, 25th May 1885

Preumably once he passed the open competiton exam for the Observatory post your greatgrandfather tended his resignation from being the Assistant Master at the Governmnert Central School once the academic school year ended in the summer of 1884 and then started his job at the Observatory. 

Don’t be surprised if his actual name is just ‘Alarakia’ as I noticed everyone else's names in the manifest have been printed in full.

It’s one of my hypotheses.

My greatgranduncle Usuf Rumjahn (2^nd February 1865-27^th February 1947) and Ahmet Rumjahn’s (16^th May 1863-30^th November 1925) father was called…”Rumjahn” (18??-3^rd July 1896). He had a brother called “Mootee”. Their father was “Haji Ahmet” or “Haji Ahmad” (?-18??). The honorific title “Haji” means I know at some point in his life he made the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and that his name was just “Ahmet/Ahmad”.

Rumjahn’s issue then had the surname "Rumjahn", and his brother Mootee’s issue had the surname “Mootee”. The Rumjhan’s descendants were from Punjab, India from oral history. However, there was no ‘surname’ usage and there are no ‘Rumjahn’s in India. It’s not even a Punjabi word. I think it was a nickname, possibly derived from “Rum John”. Maybe he was trusted to be in charge of the rum on the British trading vessels because the British sailors knew as a Muslim he would not touch it? Just idle speculation(!). In any case, he was called “Rumjahn” (sometimes spelt Ramjahn) and once interaction with the British bureaucracy became a reality he was called that and recorded as such…and then his children had that as a surname.

I have seen this in other cases…the progenitor of the Madars was called “Sheik Madar” and the Moosdeens as “Sheik Moosdeen” and the “Mahomed Omar” bothers had a father called “Mahomed Omar” and I suspect his father was just called “Omar”…and so on and so forth. Maybe even “Mahomed Arab” real name was just “Mohamed” but the “Arab” became appendaged to his name as he was identified as such by British colleagues he interacted with.

Thus:

“Alarakia” was the father of

“Sewjee Alarakia” who was the father of

“Mahomed Sewjee Alarakia” who was the father thereafter of issue with the surname “Alarakia”…

Alarakia’s father may have a completely different name to that of “Alarakia”. I wondered if you ever found out what the name "Sewjee" means? 

As further evidence to this hypothesis I recently found this:

"FAMILY NAMES IN THE EAST

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Choice Of Surnames Spreading

------------------------------------------------------------------

Turks, Egyptians and Moslems of India are beginning to choose family names, or surnames. Generally they are not a very ancient institution even in the West, starting only about nine centuries ago as a consequence of the adoption of baptismal or Christian names. That fact did not recommend the practice to Moslems, and in India it still is a deterrent, though the Hindus have acknowledged its convenience.

Mustafa Kemal of Turkey, after abolishing titles as not consistent with the principles of the Turkish Republic, has now ordained that hereditary family names shall be adopted as a better means of identification than patronymies with tribal names attached. In the Moslem East it is common for schoolmasters to find half a dozen boys in one class bearing the same single name, such as Ahmad or Muhammad.

Kemal has already selected his family name. It sounds modern enough; it is Ataturk. But it means Chief Turk. Ismet Pasha has lost the Pasha, that title having been barred. His new name is Inonu. There will be no more Pashas, Agas, Effendis, Beys, Hajis, Hahzes or Hojas, nor will women be entitled to be designated lianum (Lady). Civil ranks are done away with. Officers will use the title of their military rank, the highest being Marshall, General and Admiral.

In Egypt surnames are being evolved in this manner: Saleh (son of) Ali (who was the son of ) Muhammad; or Suleiman el (of) Samalouti (his birthplace); or a physical characteristic is being used, like Fekin Effendi, meaning Mr. Stout. As an occupation is often hereditary, some Egyptians are designating their line by the family calling, such as Ibrahim el Arbagi el Cairo – Arbagi being the same as Wagner in German or Carter in English.

On the verge of self-rule, India’s people are recognizing that they need distinctive continuous family names. Frequently the one a person adopts is that of a caste or tribe – Bannerjea or Bose, for instance, among Hindus, and Quraishi or Khan among Moslems. Sometimes a writer gives his nom de plume to his family; thus have arisen the Waiz and Nasir clans, among others.

Trade, especially international trade, and increasing contacts with the West, make surnames practically imperative in the Near East."

Source: Hong Kong Daily Press, page 2, 21st February 1935

Names ending with wala, boi and jee are usually parsis who moved to gujrat and adopted the local language in their name after their migration to india. here's an article wrt to the same - https://zoroastrians.net/2012/04/28/parsi-surnames-3/ you might need to do a bit more digging around 

Thanks for the input Salmandaw. And thanks Ken for the suggestion of the naming document from Interpol - I managed to google the title and found a pdf copy.

On another note re: your mum and infant brother on "Empire Fowey" if interested in the minutiae of details gleaned from various newspaper sources:

The ship departed Hong Kong from the Kowloon and Whampoa dockyards in Hung Hom on 23^rd July 1950 with 500 troops and  dependents on board and arrived in Southampton, England, United Kingdom on 19^th August 1950 having travelled through Singapore (arrived 27^th July 1950, departed 7am 28^th July 1950), Columbo (1^st August 1950), Aden (7^th August 1950),  Port Said and Gibraltar (16^th August 1950).

The troops all took several trains to Waterloo Station, London the same day of arrival so I presume your mum and brother did the same and from there then took a train up to Barrow-in-Furness. 

You probably have this already but check it out as you know what the date means:

Source: The China Mail, page 2, 16th June 1949

Just realised from reading your blog. You mentioned Adam Allarakia, a Parsi was in 1859 listed as being in partners with Noor Mahomed in "Allarakia, Noor Mahomed, Sons & Co." in the Opium Hall of Fame in the Hong Kong First Blog. Well, the newspaper clip I added here from the Bombay Gazette in 1852 listed Alarakia with Noor Mahomed! The name match is too good to be ignored! That Alarakia may just be Adam Allarakia. And with the use of the name Adam, allbeit he may be a Parsi, would suggest Islam as his religion. Also "Joonus" = "Yunus" = "Jonas" (anglicised). 'Adam' and 'Yunus' are popular names for Musllm boys (named after prophets).

We really need to investigate 'Allarakia, Noor Mahomed, Sons & Co.'

Out of all the Muslim South Asian families of HK I am trying to link back to India, your Alarakia one is so far the best lead. 

Yes, I'm in Manchester. Feasable for a meet up. Nothing like discussing in real time!

Just read your latest blog entry. I was aware of Annie Alarakia and Henry Bone....but was thrown off the scent by the term "Miss Annie Alarakia" used by the HK Telegraph and did not know where she fit into the Alarakia tree. Now we have confirmation she was a widow on marriage in 1904 to Henry then that all makes sense! Especially she seemed to have disappeared off the radar from 1905 onwards....I thought she died! Far from it. 

If the Tyson family can enlighten what they know of her and Henry that would be great!

Some info on Henry James Bone here and here

Sone info on Annie Hazel Bone (formerly Alarakia née Asger) here

I think I have nailed it.

Annie Hazel Asger (1877-4th March 1959) was half Persian and half Chinese. Her father was Mahomed Ebrahim Asger (aka 'Haji Ali Asger') (18??-1st Feb 1900). Her mother was Hung Kung Siu (or Chiu). Her other siblings included Asadulla Ebrahim Asger (10th Aug 1878-26th Jan 1967), the well known dental surgeon trained in Illinois, USA, Mehdy Edward Asger (1880-26th Dec 1948), sisters Ada Asger (5th Dec 1885-19??) and Bharnoo Asgar ('Ella') (188?-19??). Ada Asger interestingly was later baptised in adulthood in St Peter's Church 27th December 1906. 

Mahomed Ebrahim Asger was a cousin to Hajee Mahomed Sadeck Hajee Esmail (1843-21st Feb 1905), the latter from Yazd, Persia who settled in HK in the 1860s when he was in his 20s. The two merchants ran one of the oldest Persian opium firms in the Colony - partners at least since 1867. And they were based in Gage Street from the late 1860s to 1888. 

You recall your greatgrandfather Mahomed Sewjee Alarakia (1866-22nd Oct 1920) lived in Gage Street. Which meant so did his father Sewjee Alarakia (1843-21st Jun 1890) and his younger brother Abdulla Sewjee Alarakia (1872-26th May 1898). 

Thus Abdulla Sewjee Alarakia and his future bride Annie Hazel Asger both lived in Gage Street in their youth...and that is how they/families came to know each other well.

Both Alarakia and Asger families were Muslims, merchants and ended up living in the same street in HK. The Asgers were from Persia; Alarakias from India...but as you suspect, probably from Persia further back in time. 

All this info from various newspapers and Carl Smith cards. 

Not sure what to make of this entry but I thought I'd put it out there since Noor Mahomed seemed to be a sort of missing link

Link : https://books.google.co.in/books?id=QfwNAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA725&lpg=PA725&dq=h...

Wow…so yes, I had to map out the Asger family quickly to get an overview. The details of untangling what is what will take years!

In answer to your question about Don Asger, I go by probability in the absence of solid evidence. The following is only an opinion of mine. The probability would suggest, unless he was the head of the mafia or a Spanish gentleman, ‘Don Asger’ was not the real name, but Mahomed Ebrahim Asger was.

Beyond the mention of Don Asger on Annie’s marriage certificate, I cannot find any other documentation of a ‘Don Asger’ in Hong Kong or anywhere else in the world for that time-period whereas there are multiple documentations of Mahomed Ebrahim Asger in HK for the appropriate time-period in question.

We have:

1) Documentation that Mohamed Ebrahim Asger was the father of the boys Abdoola and Mehdi and the girl Bharnoo in the Will of his cousin Hajee Mahomed Sadeck Hajee Esmail, who died in 1905. At that date Bharnoo was clearly the youngest and unmarried. No mention of Annie because she had re-married (1904) a Westerner by that point. There may be other reasons why she was not mentioned in the Will as I noticed only the Muslim names were used.

hajee_mahomed_sadeck_hajee_esmail_will_carl_smith_card_156013.gif, by Carl Smith

 2) Documentation that Ada Asger’s parents were Ebrahim Asger and Hung Kung Siu (or Chiu) in her baptism as an adult in St Peter’s Church in 1906. I noticed once the old man died (in 1900) Ada chose to embrace Christianity.

ebrahim_asger_hung_kung_siu_carl_smith_card_155293.gif, by Carl Smith

3) Naming your father on your marriage certificate was a wilful decision. If Mahomed Ebrahim Asger was Annie’s father, and there is no reason why she would not know her father’s name…choosing the name ‘Don’ may have been Annie’s way to fudge her true origins with a neutral sounding name.

I would be interested to see what the stated profession of her father was on the marriage certificate – it should be ‘merchant’ or equivalent. Would Maria be able to send you a copy of an image for perusal? If ‘merchant’ was the stated profession, a perusal of the ‘Directory and Chronicle for China, Japan, Corea, Indo-China…etc” of the relevant years of the late 19^th century should locate him…but I honestly cannot find a Don Asger. Yet I can locate a “Haji Ali Asger” which was Mahomed Ebrahim Asger’s alias in the trading world.

4) Medhi Edward Asger’s true name was actually Medhi Ebrahim Asger. Proof here in his Will and Probate

Instead of anglicising Ebrahim to ‘Abraham’ he chose to embrace ‘Edward’ instead.

Only the eldest son Asadulla Ebrahim Asger appeared to have retained his original name throughout his adult life.

This makes me think the Westernised name of ‘Annie Hazel Asger’ may not actually be her real name but that is what she became known as.

On a different note: Ada Asger (5^th Dec 1885-31^st Oct 1960) married John William McCabe (engagement announcement China Mail, page 6, 20th January 1925) and later died in Hong Kong and was buried in the HK Colonial Cemetery 3^rd November 1960 (Grave Number 11400, Section 9) with the ceremony officiated by a clergy member of the Catholic Cathedral (made me think why she wasn’t buried in the Catholic Cemetery instead)

Salmandaw’s find is great! Also useful for those researching Jewish, Parsee, Hindu and Western ancestors of HK families and linking them back to India.

NB. Was 'Bharnoo Asger' actaully 'Ada Asger'???

One thing I would suggest to Maria or any descendant of Annie Hazel Asger - do an autosomal DNA analysis - a small percentage would suggest an East Asian and a Middle Eastern ancestry in the genetic make up profile if my assumption is correct. 

Or even better, if Maria or someone in the family tree she knows is a direct female descendant of Annie Hazel Asger ie the daughter of the daughter of the daughter of the daughter etc all the way back to Annie....then do a mitochondrial DNA test (the mitochondria DNA is passed from morther to son and daughter but only the female can pass it on to the next generation). For if my surmise is correct, the result would be an East Asian genotype as Annie's mother was Chinese. 

That's really interesting Ken! Thanks for letting me know.

Another interesting point - the executors of the Will for Mahomed Arab (died HK, 27th March 1878, your 2ggrandfather) and granted on 2nd April 1878...was none other than.....*drum roll*....

Mahomed Ebrahim Asger 

Hajee Mahomed Sudeck

and

Hajee Esmail

for the sum of $25,000

Source: Hong Kong Government Gazette, page 177, 2nd April 1879 Government Notification Calendar Grants and Probates during 1879

Ken, going back to your question of whether there was a Muslim marriage register kept. Reviewing the Hong Kong Government Gazette of 3rd August 1917, page 422....it laid out the by-law duties of the Imam to keep a marriage register of all weddings performed by him. 

Source: The Hong Kong Government Gazette, page 422, 3rd August 1917

So at least from 1917 there should have been a marriage register. You'd think there would be earlier ones (your 2ggrandfather was one of the founding members of the first mosque in HK and I would be very surprised if the founding members did not consider keeping records). So the Islamic Union in HK should have a register in their archives. It's just whether any records survived in the intervening years (or whether the Islamic Union of HK know where they are kept if survived!)  

Here is a present for you Ken:

hong_kong_directory_1859_page_39.png, by Hong Kong Directory 1859

Source: Hong Kong Directory 1859, page 39

This is even better. From the same Directory:

hong_kong_directory_1859_page_17.png, by Hong Kong Directory 1859

hong_kong_directory_1859_page_19.png, by Hong Kong Directory 1859

This lists the same individuals as residents of Macao and the companies they work for.

But the best thing is that we now know for certain that the 'Alarakia' in "Allarakia, Noor Mohamed, Sons & Co." is indeed Adam Allarakia....which ties in with the Alarakia in the Bombay Gazette of 1852 (with the export cloth manifest of the ship 'William Penn' from Bombay to Whampoa in Canton). It makes me wonder if the "A.Allarachia" in Hong Kong who donated $5 to the Kwangtung Inundation Fund in July 1885 was the same person (or other relation?)

So we now have a concrete trail of the same Adam Alarakia from Bombay to Canton to Macau...and by extension to Hong Kong. This is a major win. 

Note: During the American Civil War (1861–1865), Bombay became the world's chief cotton-trading market, resulting in a boom in the economy that subsequently enhanced the city's stature. Your folks were doing the right trade in the right place at the right time and profits may have allowed your ancestors to subsequently purchase land and property in Hong Kong. 

I think we are both right now swamped with a huge number of references available once you factor in all the variant spellings  - this is going to take a long time to disentangle. But Adam Alarakia of Bombay/Canton/Macau is the most promising individual. Once either of us find out how these early Alarkaias link into your tree, post them here (or on your blog).  

In the interim I am going to continue researching - I'll post something if its 'revelatory '

Like this could be your 2ggrandfather Sewjee Alarakia:

indian_statesman_page_3_12th_december_1874.png, by Indian Statesman

Source: Indian Statesman, page 3, 12th December 1874 

Yes, there wil be push/pull factors that made Sewjee come to Hong Kong. 

Looks like Adam Alarakia made the initial mercantile foray into China and established a business beachhead, and events back home may have compelled Sewjee to join his relations in the Far East from India 

Hi Ken, do you have a bigger/clearer version of the clip for me to read? 

Also do you know your greatgrandfather?...

Alarakia M, as a rank of clerk and a civilian in the Army Service Corps, was awarded a Silver China Medal and Clasp for the Relief of Pekin (10^th June 1900 to 14^th August 1900) at the Taku Forts (17^th June 1900) with the clasp issued on                   ‘68/China/2851’  (NB scribbled notes - not sure what it means) with the Army Order granting the Medal issued on 1^st April 1902

Another thing I need to bring to your attention:

In the Directory for Kobe-Hyogo, Japan in the The Directory and Chronicle for China, Japan, Corea, Indo-China, Straits Settlements, Malay States, Siam, Netherlands India, Borneo, The Philippines, etc for the year 1910 on page 649 there is "ABDOOLA AND CO., C" registered there BUT the head office is "A. Allarakhia & Co., Bombay" and there is the same "C. Abdoola Co." in Hong Kong. 

The A.Allarakhia refered to in the company name may be the founder Adam Alarakia...but there are branches in Japan and Hong Kong under a different name of Abdoola. The question is: are you aware of any 'Abdoola' who have married into the Alarakia family? 

And in the same 1910 Directory, there is an Allarakia working for Cassum Ahmed, Draper at 32 and 34 Wellington Street in Hong Kong

And in the 1888 Directory, we have Abdoolabhoy Allarakhia working at 22 Gage Street, Hong Kong (sound familiar?) with Chutto, Jafferbhoy, Ludbabhoy - merchant and commision agents - and these lads were from Bombay!  Is Abdoolabhoy Allarakhia = Abdulla Sewjee Alarakia (approx 16 years old then)? (Edit: Actually no, as on page 24 it says A. Allarakhia was the "Manager" of the aforesaid company)

Wow – that is an amazing find Ken as you essentially have a record of the voice of your 2ggrandfather. There is so much information there. He is articulate and his diction suggest he was educated in a British school. So what school would a middle class mercantile family send their son to in British India Bombay in the 1850s? – needs researching.  

He had enough equity to invest in shares in a company which suggest the money in his family was not made in his generation but before him. He had enough business acumen and insight, along with his fellow shareholders, to liquidate the company as it would be in their financial interests. Why? So what is the story with The Eastern Marine Insurance Company of Bombay? – needs researching as this event preceded Sewjee’s migration to Hong Kong.

He is assertive and able to speak eloquently on behalf of the other shareholders against the chairman. There is also the suggestion that some of the fellow shareholders only spoke or understood Gujarati – this again may obliquely hint that Sewjee, in being associated with fellow Gujaratis, has family ties to Gujarat and hence Kutch, as you suspected.

I will contact Davd to put us in touch with each other by e-mail regarding sending these newspaper clips etc – I’d love to examine them in detail.

I’m glad you at least got Usuf Alarakia pinned down to the YMCA at Hateman Street in Peking in 1934. He is a real mystery – how did he end up in Canton as a ‘lunatic’ by 1938? And what is so special about him that there is a declassified medical file on him still present in the Indian National Archives? This is something worth getting hold of if possible.

Yes, there is a whole host of other bits of info that are completely new to me that you have posted. This is going to take a while to unravel!

Another little gem for you Ken:

“YESTERDAY Messrs. Hughes and Hough offered for sale by auction six lots of property by order of the official trustee and in pursuance of an order of the Supreme Court of Hongkong the lots being part of the estate of Mahomed Arab, deceased. Lot 1, No. 10, Upper Lascar Row, was bought by Mr. A. Razack for $2,550; lot 2, No. 21, Upper Lascar Row, by Mr. Wong Shan Lam for $4,750; lot 3, No. 23, Upper Lascar Row, by Mr. Wong Yan Shan for $3,735; lot 4, No. 22, Lower Lascar Row by, Mr. Kwong Yan Shan for $3,850; lot 5, No. 24, Lower Lascar Row, by Mr. Kwong Yan Shan for $3,500; and lot 6, No. 19, Square Street, and No. 150, Hollywood Road, by Mr. Cheung Sun Chun, for $9,050.”

Source: The Hong Kong Telegraph, page 2, 12th January 1900 and The China Mail, page 3, 12th January 1900 and Hong Kong Daily Press, page 2, 12th January 1900

Even though he died in 1878, I'm pretty sure that is your 2greatgrandfather - we know Mahomed Arab owned a number of properties in Upper Lascar Row. This snippet gives us the exact addresses of the properties. The total value of the sale is just north of his probate of $25,000 of 1878. 

Of interest is why his family/trustees decided to sale property around 1899/1900. 

I also note one of the buyers was a Mr A. Razack. He actually could be my greatgrandfather! I say 'might' simply because at this time there were two separate contemporary individuals with the same name who gave rise to two separate (presumably unrelated) Razack families in Hong Kong: A Mr Abdool (or Abdul) Razack (1844-20th June 1908 Hong Kong) and a Mr Abdul (or Abdool) Razack (1845-3rd Oct 1929, Hong Kong) - the latter being my greatgrandfather.