The discovery of Kot Choy!


While scanning through old newspapers on-line and searching “Tobias Hunter” I came across dozens of ads for rentals and real estate for sale. My grandfather had left Jardine Matheson and gone out on his own in Kowloon as an estate agent. 

One ad stood out and I initially thought it was a mistake, as the heading came up as “Silver Markets” I opened the page and a read down to the bottom. There it was, the day’s Silver prices, but off to the right was a small notice. It wasn’t very clear but my grandfather’s name was there. More importantly, was the other familiar name, Kot Choy and the addresses 11 Shelley Street, Hong Kong and 301 Amherst Road, Shanghai. From what appeared, Kot Choy and Anne Hunter were the same person. Who was Anne Hunter and what was her relationship?



 I soon found a second item, this time in the Hong Kong Daily Press. Both were Feb 20, 1937. They were not really obituaries, but more like news items. This second clipping reveals much more important details. As can be seen, the names and relationships of all the family members is clearly stated. This is my mysterious great grandmother, at least by name and association. But who is she? Where did she come from? Why is she referred to as “G”? Why was she never mentioned my whole life? My mother and her sister were 26 and 25 respectively at the time of her death. Surely they knew their own grandmother. Why was she never spoken of?

This entry was posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink.