Francisco Xavier D'ALMADA E CASTRO (aka "Chico") [1869-1939]

“OBITUARY

F. Xavier D’Almada e Castro Dead

One of the best known of the Colony’s residents passed away at 1 a.m. to-day when Francisco Xavier D’Almada e Castro died at St. Paul’s Hospital.

Mr. D’Almada e Castro came from a family connected with Hongkogn ever since the occupation of the island by the British. He was of Portuguese extraction.

His father, who was at one time in the office of the Commissioner of Trade at Macao, came to Hongkong and for forty years was engaged in the public service of the Colony.

The subject of this notice received his education at St. Joseph’s College, and on leaving school he was articled to Mr. C.D. Wilkinson. He passed his final examination in Law on August 13, 1897, and at the end of the same month he was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of Hongkong.

He continued for a time to act as the managing clerk for the firm of Messrs. Wilkinson and Grist, but in 1901 he commenced to practice in the Hongkong courts on his own accounts, eventually founding the Firm of Messrs. D’Almada and Smith, of which he was the head. However, in 1911 Mr. Crowther Smith and he separated and both set up independent practice in the Colony.

His Holiness Pope Pius XI nominated Mr. D’Alamda e Castro to be a Knight Commander of the Order of St. Sylvester in June 1933.

Source: The Hong Kong Telegraph, page 5, 22nd February 1939