After a century of official neglect, the business of fishing – Hong Kong’s lifeblood for centuries – became a focus of the colonial government’s attention just before the Second World War broke out. Following the British reoccupation in 1945, for the next 40 years or so, old traditions were revolutionized. Hong Kong’s fisheries were modernized by extensive scientific research on fishing grounds, technical advances in fishing gear and hull designs, utterly changed systems for marketing fish, and a social revolution in the housing and education of fisherfolk. And then it all more or less ended. In this talk Stephen Davies will outline these developments and introduce some of the people who helped it all to happen.
The Speaker
Stephen Davies has been associated with Hong Kong for three-quarters of a century. His fascination with seafaring and its history can be traced to growing up in a Royal Naval family, service in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. and a lifetime of yachting. He has researched Hong Kong’s maritime past for nearly 40 years as an HKU teacher, a freelance journalist, a research fellow at HKU’s HK Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences, and a maritime museum worker.
His definitive history of the voyage of the junk Keying from Hong Kong to Britain (East Sails West: The Voyage of the Keying, 1846-1855) was published by Hong Kong University Press in 2014, and in a Chinese edition by Zhejiang University Press in 2021. His history of seafarers’ welfare in Hong Kong, Strong to Save, Maritime mission in Hong Kong from Whampoa Reach to the Mariners’ Club, was published by City University of Hong Kong Press in 2017. His most recent book, Transport to another world: HMS Tamar and the sinews of empire was published by City University of Hong Kong Press in spring 2022.
After many years of his contributions to RASHK, working as our Honorary Editor, Council member and Trustee of the Ride Fund, Stephen Davies and his partner Elaine Morgan departed Hong Kong and moved back to England in 2022.
Programme
Time 7.00 - 8.00pm HKT (11.00am-12pm UK time)
Venue: Online talk by Zoom
Admission: HK$50 for members, $60 for guests/non-members
Registration: Please email <membership@royalasiaticsociety.org.hk> and provide your membership number, if applicable, at the time of registration. Please kindly complete your registration by advance payment via Stripe'spayment links below (using your Credit Card):
Members ($50):
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Non-members / Guests ($60):
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Please contact us if an alternative means of payment is required. Upon receipt of payment, your registration will be confirmed by email. Registration will be closed at 12 noon on 11 December. Zoom inks will be sent before or by 11 December 2024.