Category Archives: Uncategorized

To blog or not to blog?

Posted on May 14, 2021 by bbeesley

Private or Public? Someone told me I should start a blog! Sounds simple enough, right? Google Blogger? Worked just fine before. I’ve done several and even started them for others. Google had a fool-proof system and still does, except….. So, … Continue reading →

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Tea with Harry Hastings

Posted on May 11, 2021 by Brian Beesley

I was reading through old letters and came across one from my grandfather to his daughter Iris ( my mother ) It was written in the 1950s when he was still in Hong Kong and my mother and I were … Continue reading →

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A Matter of Trust

Posted on May 11, 2021 by Brian Beesley

  Two weeks prior to May Hunter’s marriage in 1903, Anne Hunter alias Kot Choy transferred a property on Shelley Street from her name as sole owner, to a trusteeship between herself and her daughter May. On her death in … Continue reading →

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East is East and West is West

Posted on May 8, 2021 by Brian Beesley

  Oh, East is East and West is West, and never the twain shall meet. Til earth and sky stand presently, at God’s great judgement seat. But there is neither East nor West, border, nor breed nor birth, When two … Continue reading →

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Maybe they’re family!

Posted on May 8, 2021 by Brian Beesley

Below is one of my favorite mystery photos. Of the four people pictured, I know just one. The man on the left is my grandfather. I’ve posted this picture many times before, on Facebook pages and any website I can … Continue reading →

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Just a matter of feet?

Posted on May 8, 2021 by Brian Beesley

My daughter recently attended a family gathering with some of her in-laws, one of who has an Asian wife. As the circumstances were informal, my daughter was barefoot.  Seeing my daughter’s feet the Asian woman said, “Oh, you have feet … Continue reading →

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Nationality or Ethnicity?

Posted on May 8, 2021 by Brian Beesley

For the sake of argument, I mean ethnicity as referring to one’s race or ethnic origin, such as Caucasian, Asian, Indigenous etc and nationality, meaning one’s country of citizenship, either by birth or by naturalization.   An example would be an … Continue reading →

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 If James was a teacher…..

Posted on May 6, 2021 by Brian Beesley

Sounds like the title to a song! 🙂 Anyway, if James really was a teacher, why is he not listed as such on any Jurors lists?  From 1901 to 1906 he shows on the HK Jurors List working for S J … Continue reading →

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 Why become a Catholic at 37?

Posted on May 6, 2021 by Brian Beesley

From what I know of the Hunter family, none were Catholic. My grandfather and and his brother George were both married in Anglican churches; my grandfather at St Andrews in Kowloon and his brother George in Leeds, England. Their sister … Continue reading →

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Strange 11 Shelley Street Coincidences!

Posted on May 5, 2021 by Brian Beesley

  The Hunter family residence was 11 Shelley Street, Hong Kong. The location was first registered about 1897. Over the years, deaths in the family have all been listed with this address. The lady we believe is my great grandmother, Anne … Continue reading →

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