Sir Robert Ho Tung: Public Figure, Private Man

May Holdsworth

Sir Robert Ho Tung: Public Figure, Private Man
Format
Hardback
Publisher
Hong Kong University Press
Country
Hong Kong
Published
5 July 2022
Pages
220
ISBN
9789888754243

Sir Robert Ho Tung: Public Figure, Private Man

May Holdsworth

A nuanced perspective on Sir Robert Ho Tung, Hong Kong philanthropist. Sir Robert Ho Tung (1862-1954) is a compelling figure in Hong Kong history. He is regularly portrayed as the colony’s greatest philanthropist and wealthiest man of his day, the first Chinese to live on the Peak, and, at the end of his life, the Grand Old Man of Hong Kong. The illegitimate son of a Chinese mother and European father, he was highly sensitive about his mixed heritage, although his success was driven as much by his entrepreneurial talents as by his being Eurasian. This book shows him in all his immense variety–financial wizard, husband and lover, patriarch of a large family, loyal British subject but also, paradoxically, Chinese patriot. China’s president Yuan Shikai awarded him the Order of the Excellent Crop, and King George V knighted him. May Holdsworth’s thoughtful and deftly written account of his life is the first full-length biography in English. Given unique and unprecedented access to family and personal papers, including letters, diaries, notes, and photographs, she offers a nuanced perspective on a public but also a private man. Her book will be a rich resource for historians and readers interested in the men and women who played a key part in the shaping of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Hong Kong.

This item is not currently in-stock. It can be ordered online and is expected to ship in approx 4 weeks

Our stock data is updated periodically, and availability may change throughout the day for in-demand items. Please call the relevant shop for the most current stock information. Prices are subject to change without notice.

Sign in or become a Readings Member to add this title to a wishlist.