Charles Bond was a French Canadian who came to Hong Kong on a sailing ship in 1869 and joined the police in 1870, acting as French interpreter. He commuted his pension on retiring in 1880. At the age of 33 he married Anna Maria Reed, widow of Robert Reed. They had one daughter, Margaret Annie Bond, who lived to the age of 92. Charles Bond was apparently a widely known and popular personality in Hong Kong, a steward of the Hong Kong Club and an agent for Chiarini's Circus when they visited the Colony. He also seems to have been manager of the Shameen Hotel in Canton. <Read more ...>
Her obituary was reported in the Catholic Examiner:
Sister Therese-de-l’Infant-Jesus of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (Yvonne Gerin of Coaticook, Quebec, Canada), died of a heart attack in St. Teresa’s Hospital, Kowloon, on Wednesday, 21 December 1960, aged 63, having spent 43 years in Religious life and 21 years in the missions. <Read more ...>
Cuthbert O'Gara, the son of a judge, took vows as a (Roman Catholic) Passionist in 1914 and was ordained a priest in 1915. He taught theology in the USA until 1924 when he was sent to China and after a misunderstanding ended up on mission in Yuanling (Hunan). In 1934 he became a Titular Bishop.
During the Sino-Japanese War he established 13 refugee camps and two hospitals and helped house, feed and clothe up to 100,000 people. One writer called him 'the Stretcher-Bearer Bishop' because of his personal involvement in this work. <Read more ...>
She moved to Hong Kong in 1940 and married Frederick Oppen on August 30. She trained to become an Auxiliary Nurse. She served in St. Paul's Hospital during the hostilities (her husband was one of the lay superintendents there). Both were repatriated to Canada in September 1943, having memorised the names and addresses of 40 people to write to with news of their loved-ones.
Sources: St. Paul's: HK PRO - 'Provisional Lists - Staff at St. Paul's Hospital' <Read more ...>
