1. From Social Outcast to Colonial Elite : The Rise of an Eurasian Entrepreneurial Family in Hong Kong
Louella CHENG & WONG Siu-lun
Centre of Asian Studies
Hong Kong Institute for the Humanities & Social Sciences
The University of Hong Kong
Rising Dragons, Soaring Bananas International Conference
Auckland, New Zealand, July 2009

2. 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 )
Walter Bosman (何啟佳 )

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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 : 2
Sex 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)

6. Two Brothers: Ho Tung & Walter Bosman
Father : Charles Henry Maurice Bosman ( )
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

7. Ho Tung’s mother, Sze, c. 1890
Source : Frances Tse Liu 2003:10.

8. 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

9. Ho Tung in Western Costume: Early 1900’s
Source : Irene Cheng 1976 : opposite p.1.

10. Ho Tung in Chinese Costume, 1924
Source : Frances Tse Liu 2003:19.

11. Robert Ho Tung
Source : Florence Yeo 1994:164.

12. The Defiant Fourth: Walter Bosman 何啟佳
Source : Frances Tse Liu 2003:13.

13. Walter Bosman 1940
Source : W. Bosman 1940 : cover page.

14. Brokerages and Innovation
Economic brokerage : compradores
Legal brokerage : British subjects
Socio-political brokerage : Central School
Institutional innovation : rhizomic family mother figures

15. Thank You