From Social Outcast to Colonial Elite : The Rise of an Eurasian Entrepreneurial Family in Hong Kong

Louella CHENG & WONG Siu-lunCentre of Asian Studies

Hong Kong Institute for the Humanities & Social SciencesThe University of Hong Kong

Rising Dragons, Soaring Bananas International ConferenceAuckland, New Zealand, 17-19 July 2009

INTRODUCTION

Hong Kong as British colony 1842-1997 A new social group: the Eurasians Dubious origins and doubtful prospects Success story of two brothers Sir Robert Ho Tung ( 何東 1862-1957) Walter Bosman ( 何啟佳 1867-1946)

Theoretical Ideas

Ronald Burt : social network analysis

Structural hole : buffer between two clusters

Social Brokerage : linkage between disconnected subjects

Social innovation : Vision of options otherwise unseen

Individual brokerage : middlemen and compradores

Institutional brokerage : entrepôts and regional hubs

Historical Background

China, Britain and Hong Kong : a profitable triangle

Hong Kong as regional broker Special status of Hong Kong Independent trading unit : Chinese Maritime

Customs Hong Kong dollar : unique economic role China’s gateway to world markets

Eurasians in Hong Kong

Demographic landscape in 1845 :Chinese inhabitants 95.7%Expatriate community 2.9%British Indian troops 1.4%

Gender imbalance in 1872 :Sex ratio for Chinese 7 : 2Sex ratio for expatriates 5 : 1

Sexual liaison across racial divide :Tabooed but inevitable

Emergence of Eurasians as separate social category in 1850s :“a dangerous element out of the dunghill of neglect”(Endacott 1958)

Two Brothers: Ho Tung & Walter Bosman

Father : Charles Henry Maurice Bosman (1839-1892)

Mother : Madame Sze Ho Tung : initiated a “compradorial” family

leading figure of Chinese community twice knighted

Walter Bosman : trained as engineer in England

served as captain in Boer War

Director of Public Works in Zululand

Ho Tung’s mother, Sze, c. 1890

Source : Frances Tse Liu 2003:10.

Compradores in Ho Tung Family

何東 Ho Tung Jardine, Matheson & Co.何福 Ho Fook Jardine, Matheson & Co.何甘棠 Ho Kom Tong Jardine, Matheson & Co.何世亮 Ho Sai Leung Jardine, Matheson & Co.何世耀 Ho Sai Iu Jardine, Matheson & Co.何世榮 Ho Sai Wing Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank何世儉 Ho Sai Kim Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank何世光 Ho Sai Kwong E.D. Sasson & Co.何世奇 Ho Sai Ki E.D. Sasson & Co.何世卓 Ho Sai Cheuk Merchantile Bank何世華 Ho Sai Wah Merchantile Bank

Ho Tung in Western Costume: Early 1900’s

Source : Irene Cheng 1976 : opposite p.1.

Ho Tung in Chinese Costume, 1924

Source : Frances Tse Liu 2003:19.

Robert Ho Tung

Source : Florence Yeo 1994:164.

The Defiant Fourth: Walter Bosman 何啟佳

Source : Frances Tse Liu 2003:13.

Walter Bosman 1940

Source : W. Bosman 1940 : cover page.

Brokerages and Innovation

Economic brokerage : compradores Legal brokerage : British subjects Socio-political brokerage : Central

School Institutional innovation : rhizomic family

mother figures

Thank You