Thread: Growing Up in a Strategic British Colony

Looking back, I had unusual experience being born and brought up in the 1940s and 50s in the British colony of Hong Kong, a strategic outpost and trading port of the British Empire.

I need to explain the political background here. The years that I grew up was just after World War II. I was five when this nasty War ended. To the British, two strong winds of dangerous political changes were sweeping around Hong Kong. The first was the wind of independence sweeping across the colonies of the then weakened British Empire. Among the first significant country that got independence was the Asian giant India in 1947. One by one, many other British colonies followed. A second political wind was the spread of the dreaded Marxist Communist revolutions from Europe to Asia. A significant Communist victory was that of the other Asian giant China in 1949. Chairman Mao's People Liberation Army swept across China but for some reason it stopped at the Hong Kong border.

As a small child, I would of course not understand all these earth-shaking events. This was before the age of TV, and very much before the age of the Internet news. The only small 'world' that I knew was around my family, my schools and the Hong Kong middle-class society. Even as a teenager, I was very naïve about political and racial matters.

The adults in my family did not talk about politics and race. The primary and secondary schools I attended were Anglican mission schools with British Principals. To them, race and contemporary political events were very sensitive topics. Teachers did not teach them, and they were very probably told not to mention and discuss them with pupils inside and outside the classrooms.

In Hong Kong, the British were the ruler. They were in control of the government, the public sector, and large business corporations. The British government has a 'Special Branch' that looked after intelligence and internal security matters. This unit must have been very active and careful because the above two winds of dangerous changes were serious threats to a continual British rule. And Hong Kong was a strategic colony in the Far East.

My secondary school St Paul's taught all the academic subjects in English, except two. These two, 'Chinese Language' and 'Chinese History', were both taught in Cantonese, a local Chinese dialect, and not Mandarin the official dialect in China. I understand all other schools in Hong Kong did the same. It means this was a government policy decision.

In our class, in the English 'History' lessons, we learnt general World History and British Commonwealth History focusing on European History in the past 200 years. In 'Chinese History' we learnt about the many Chinese dynasties. This abruptly stopped at 1911 when the last dynasty fell and China became a republic. There was no mention of the many important events after 1911.

Our school had for a few years a lesson in Music which really meant group singing. The teacher and pupils were all Chinese yet we were not taught any Chinese songs. What we learnt was English language songs from a book called 'Community Song Book'. It has a mixture of folk and camp-fire songs from Britain and America. We would sing songs like 'Loch Lomond', 'Danny Boy', 'Foggy Dew', 'Galway Bay', 'Home on the Range', 'Oh Shenandoah', 'Old Man River', 'Red River Valley', etc. Many of these places and events were completely alien to us. Looking back, I find it ridiculous.

In terms of social culture, I did grow up with the naïve image that the British were all rich, established and superior. I am not overstating. My guess is that the British in Hong Kong, even teachers and missionaries, had an unwritten code to preserve this image.

British men in government, business and education would nearly all wear full suits or at least jacket and tie when they were at work or at meetings. This was so even on hot humid summer days. They would go around in private cars or taxis, rarely public transport.

These naiveties did not bother me then. I just went on with my studies and daily life. After all, ignorance is bliss.

But there were a few episodes at my secondary school days that looking back seems strange. One of them was in my class in secondary school.

Our Headmaster, an Irishmen with a hot temper was teaching 'History'. He asked around if we knew the meaning of the word 'foreigner'. When nobody answered, he got annoyed. Raising his voice he pointed at us one by one asking repeatedly "Are you a foreigner?" After a while, I couldn't stand it any more, and I answered, "You are a foreigner."

The class was a bit surprised that I answered him back as I was normally an obedient pupil, not a rebel. I forgot how this episode ended. Perhaps he went on to talk about other things as he and all other teachers were not supposed to talk about race and politics.

This episode may need explanation as it is complex. Our class did not respond as we were not sure whether this English word 'foreigner' meant a person from a different country or from a different race. And being from a colony made the confusion worse.

I couldn't stand it at that time as I was not happy he kept scolding us for not knowing this English word. You see, we rarely spoke English outside the classroom. Nearly all the English words that we knew had to be taught in the school. If we didn't know the word, it would mean we were not taught. So why were we scolded?

After I graduated, I left to do training and further studies in England. One of my culture shock was to see an Englishman sweeping leaves off the pavements when I walked on the street. It was to me unthinkable.

Growing Up in a Strategic British Colony
Looking back, I had an unusual experience I think the comma here rather than before ‘I’. being born and brought up in the 1940s and 50s in the British colony of Hong Kong, a strategic outpost and trading port of the British Empire.

I need to explain the political background here. The years that I grew up was just after World War II. This does not work, try, “I grew up in the years after World War II” as a simple construction , or if you wish to stay with that style “The years that I grew up in were those just after World War II”. I was five when this nasty War ended. To the British, two strong winds of dangerous political changes were sweeping around Hong Kong. ‘To the British’ is insufficient, consider “Two winds were sweeping to the British”, to be clear make it something like “It appeared to the British”. The first was the wind of independence sweeping across the colonies of the then weakened British Empire. Among Why ‘among’? the first significant country that got independence was the Asian giant India in 1947. One by one, many other British colonies followed. A ‘The’ first ‘a’ second second political wind was the spread of the dreaded Marxist Communist revolutions from Europe to Asia. A significant Communist victory was that of the other Asian giant China in 1949. Chairman Mao's People’s Liberation Army swept across China but for some reason it un-needed stopped at the Hong Kong border.

As a small child, I would of course ‘did’ would be better not understand all these earth-shaking events give your readers credit for being able to guess what you didn’t understand. This was before the age of TV, and very much before the age of the Internet news ? . The only small 'world' that I knew was around my family, my schools and the Hong Kong middle-class society. The only world I knew was my family, school and Hong Kong middle class society, sometimes less is more, you are talking of simple things so keep it simple in harmony with this Even as teenager, I was very naïve about political and racial matters.

The adults in my family did not talk about politics and race. The primary and secondary schools I attended were Anglican mission schools with British Principals. To them, race and contemporary political events were very sensitive topics. Teachers did not teach them, and they were very probably told not to mention and I think ‘or ‘ rather than ‘and’ discuss them with pupils inside and here too outside the classrooms. I think “the classroom” used like this should remain singular. almost like a collective noun.

In Hong Kong, the British were the ruler Well, it is wrong because ‘were’ is plural and ‘the ruler’ singular, but I would make it “The British Ruled”, it’s more clench fisted, final, ruling if you see what I mean . They were in control of the government, the public sector, and large business corporations. Repetition at the start of a clause is an effective rhetorical device but either carry the ‘the’ through to “the large business corporations” or leave it off “..of government, public sector and” The British government has I know they still have it , but you are talking about there and then , so “had” a 'Special Branch' that looked after intelligence and internal security matters. This unit must have been very active and careful because the above two winds of dangerous changes were serious threats to a continual British rule. And Hong Kong was a strategic colony in the Far East.

My secondary school comma St Paul's comma taught all the academic subjects in English, except two. These two, 'Chinese Language' and 'Chinese History', were both taught in Cantonese, a local Chinese dialect, and not Mandarin the official dialect in China. I understand all other schools in Hong Kong did the same. It means this was a government policy decision. Not necessarily from the evidence you present, it might have been the decision of an ill informed educationalist who thought that was what the boys would understand best, for example.

In our class, in the English 'History' lessons, Confused, I am guessing “In history lessons given in English we learned ... “, if ‘we’ learned it ‘our class’ is superfluous we learnt general World History and British Commonwealth History focusing on European History in the past 200 years. In 'Chinese History' we learnt about the many Chinese dynasties. This abruptly stopped at 1911 when the last dynasty fell and China became a republic. There was no mention of the many important events after 1911.

Our school had comma for a few years comma a lesson in Music That was a very long lesson! I think ‘music lessons’ which really meant group singing. The teacher and pupils were all Chinese yet we were not taught any Chinese songs. What we learnt was English language songs from a book called 'Community Song Book'. Same experience, same book, but in North London It has a mixture of folk and camp-fire songs from Britain and America. We would sing songs like 'Loch Lomond', 'Danny Boy', 'Foggy Dew', 'Galway Bay', 'Home on the Range', 'Oh Shenandoah', 'Old Man River', 'Red River Valley', etc. Many of these places and events were completely alien to us. Looking back, I find it ridiculous.

In terms of social culture, I did grow up with the naïve image that the British were all rich, established and superior. I am not overstating. My guess is that the British in Hong Kong, even teachers and missionaries, had an unwritten code to preserve this image. Me too.

British men in government, business and education would nearly all wear full suits or at least jacket and tie when they were at work or at meetings. This was so even on hot comma humid summer days. They would go around in private cars or taxis, rarely public transport.

These naiveties It was you that was naive, these were not naiveties, affectations of a ruling class rather did not bother me then. I just went on with my studies and daily life. After all, ignorance is bliss.

But there were a few episodes at my secondary school days that looking back seems strange. One of them was in my class in secondary school. Lose this, it repeats the line above.

Our Headmaster, an Irishmen with a hot temper was teaching 'History'. He asked around if we knew the meaning of the word 'foreigner'. When nobody answered, he got annoyed. Raising his voice he pointed at us one by one asking repeatedly "Are you a foreigner?" After a while, I couldn't stand it any more, and I answered, "You are a foreigner."

The class was a bit surprised that I answered him back as I was normally an obedient pupil, not a rebel. I forgot forget, forgot implies you remembered again how this episode ended. Perhaps he went on to talk about other things as he and all other lose this and you don’t change the sense one iota teachers were not supposed to talk about race and another and/or politics.

This episode may need explanation as it is complex. Our class did not respond as we were not sure whether this English word 'foreigner' meant a person from a different country or from a different race. And being from a colony made the confusion worse.

I couldn't stand it at that time as I was not happy he kept scolding us for not knowing this English word. Oh so complicated, try “I spoke out because he was scolding us for not knowing an English word”, You see, we rarely spoke English outside the classroom. Nearly all the English words that that, is very often a redundant word we knew had to be taught in the school. Were taught in class; school if you like but not “the” school, it’s a bit like classroom earlier, it defines what goes on there rather than the physical structure If we didn't know the word, it would mean we was because we ... were not taught. So why were we scolded?

After I graduated, I left to do training and further studies in England. One of my culture shock Plural, one of, must be one of many was to see an Englishman sweeping leaves off the pavements when I walked on the street. It was to me unthinkable.


What appears mundane to us is sometimes most interesting to others, it would be interesting to me if you could juxtapose more of your home life against this, all I really know is that you did not speak English there, it still made an excellent read, thank you.

Very interesting story, John. I just returned from 6 months in Tianjin, my wife's hometown. For 6 months I was a foreigner in a land where Han people are very homogeneous. It has taken me 12 years of marriage to a Chinese woman and time spent in her native country to realize just how basically different Chinese culture is from the West. This is what makes stories from people (like Jung Chang) who lived during the Bamboo curtain days so interesting. Hong Kong would certainly have its own story. Do you plan on posting some excerpts from your novels here?

Many thanks Olly for the grammar corrections and the detailed improvements with explanation.

Thanks Wron. I can try to post more.