2nd September 2009
CHATER GENEALOGY
Liz Chater: Researching Armenian Family History in India and the far
east from 1700 to Present Day
17 Chaffinch Close
Totton
Southampton
Hampshire SO40 8UQ
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Liz Chater Helps to Unveil new Bust and Wall Plaque of Sir Catchick
Paul Chater in Hong Kong
Liz Chater, an enthusiastic and dedicated researcher of Armenians in India
and the Far East attended the unveiling of a bust and wall plaque of Sir
Catchick Paul Chater in Hong Kong on the 1st September 2009. Liz was
invited by the directors of Hongkong Land to unveil these unique tributes
as part of their 120 years celebration. The bust and plaque were
commissioned by Hongkong Land because they felt that such a tribute and
acknowledgement to Sir Paul who co-founded the company in 1899 was
something that until now had been overlooked. Created by the renowned
famous sculptor, Mr Chu Tat Shing, Mr Chu has completed many sculptural
works including Dr. Sun Yat-sen statue at the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Museum and
the Anti-SARS Heroes statues. His works are well recognised by the public
and the Hong Kong Government and he was awarded the "Medal of Honour" in
2008.
The sculptures will be permanently displayed in Chater House, on Chater Road
to enable visitors to learn about this remarkable man.
The ceremony was followed by the opening of the Time and Evolution
exhibition of Central at the Rotunda, Exchange Square, where Liz was
again asked to help open this retrospective view of Hong Kong.
It is widely considered that Sir Paul Chater was the man that firmly placed
the footprint of Hong Kong down allowing it to become one of the leading
economies of the world today. He was a great man of industry with an
amiable disposition. His vision for Hong Kong in the late 1890’s and early
1900’s was breathtaking, exciting and vibrant. He built with flare and
architectural elegance; formed and developed companies with longevity in
mind. It is no shy fact that his hard work and devotion to the colony’s
commerce earned him wealth beyond his imagination but that wealth also
brought responsibility. He erected St. Andrew’s Church in Kowloon entirely
out of his own personal income, a few years later he erected the Chaplain’s
house and later on the Church hall. He gave generously to the Union Church
in Hong Kong, even though he did not attend, and there were an extraordinary
amount of charitable donations made by him during his lifetime that were
never made public. He was an Armenian from Calcutta with an impressive
family pedigree of extremely outstanding pious and dutiful Armenians in
India. Paul Chater upon his passing, left generous bequests to some family
members and nephews and the remainder of his considerable personal wealth
was left entirely to the Armenian Holy Church of Nazareth, Kolkata, whose
own strong and substantial financial buoyancy today is because of Sir Paul
Chater’s exemplary generous legacy to them.
Whilst in Hong Kong Liz brought with her from the UK her private family
album full of unseen family and historical photographs from Sir Paul
Chater’s life. It is a companion pictorial record to her manuscript
biography of Sir Paul Chater. She said: "I hope one day that I can generate
enough interest for this research that I have carried out on Sir Paul to be
published into a book, as remarkably there is no biography on him." Vaudine
England author of The Quest of Noel Croucher, Hong Kong’s Quiet
Philanthropist said: "when I was writing my book on Noel Croucher I learned
of Sir Paul Chater, as he was the ‘big man’ who gave Noel his first leg-up
in business. I thought I would just check the details in the Chater
biography – and was amazed to find that there wasn’t one! Liz has done a
remarkable job, researching the life of Sir Paul Chater. It’s a real shame
that none of the major Hong Kong companies he started, or indeed the
Armenian Church in Kolkata who received his estate after he died, have yet
chosen to help Liz get this untold story published. It’s a great
rags-to-riches story – he’s the most famous Armenian from India who became a
pivotal figure in early Hong Kong – and it would be fascinating to bring it
all together." Liz pointed out that she had extended discussions with the
Armenian Church committee and wardens in Kolkata a couple of years ago and
although they admired her efforts they did not feel they could help her
conclude her research and publish a book on him. Liz continues to look for a
serious sponsor.
The exhibition on CENTRAL runs until 30th September 2009. The bust and
plaque are permanently displayed in Chater House, Chater Road, Hong Kong.
PIX CAPTION: L-R: Anthony Nightingale, Managing Director, Hongkong Land;
Mr. Chu Tat Shing, sculptor; Liz Chater and Adam Keswick Director at
Jardine Matheson Hong Kong.
PIX CAPTION : Adam Keswick and Liz Chater at the CENTRAL Exhibition. 120
years since the formation of Hongkong Land between Sir Paul Chater and
James Johnstone Keswick, family representatives Adam and Liz are happy
to once again stand side by side to celebrate their ancestors’ unique
partnership.Liz’s family ties and her commitment to researching Sir
Paul have made her a leading authority on his life and achievements and
she was delighted to attend and lend her support to Hongkong Land. She
said: "It is truly a wonderful day today, I feel privileged to be
included to share this occasion. For as long as I have been
researching Sir Paul Chater, I have wondered why there was no real
tribute or memorial in Hong Kong to him. Hongkong Land has achieved a
first because this is the first time Sir Paul has been cast in any kind
of statue. I am delighted to have been part of this unique ceremony
where, at last Hong Kong can gaze at someone who made a difference
here."
PIX CAPTION: L-R: Vaudine England BBC News correspondent; Helen Swinnerton
Archivist HSBC Hong Kong; Paul Harrison Archivist and Conservator; Liz
and Campbell Maclean from Macao.P1120198-a
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