RAS EVENING
Join us for a glass of wine, and tales of old Shanghai.
Thursday 16th May 2013
7pm for 7.30pm start
The RAS Library at SBC
1195 Fuxing Zhong Lu
AN EVENING with LIZ BARRON
Sharing notes from her Grandfather’s diary, her Grandmother’s letters and a film from their time in Shanghai.
My Grandfather W.A.L Pardoe, left Barry in Wales, when he was about 21, to travel to Shanghai where he had a job as second surveyor with the Shanghai Municipal Council. He went by train and I have a copy of the diary he kept on his trip through Europe, Russia and Siberia.
Grandpa met and married Granny in Shanghai and my Dad and his brothers and sister were born there. The boys came back to England to school when they were about 11 and Granny came back in 1936 with my Aunt Jane leaving Grandpa to follow in 1940
Since I was a very little girl I had wanted to go to Shanghai and used to love to look at the Chinese things which Granny had in their house in Somerset
I have always been greedy for information about Dad and Grandpa’s time in Shanghai and used to say that when I finally received a promised inheritance from my Granny's estate, I would go to Barry Station in Wales and ask for two single tickets to Shanghai!
Deciding to spend some of our children's inheritance brought the chance of a “big trip” nearer and once I noticed the date Grandpa left Wales there was no doubt about when and where we would go!
Grandpa left Barry on the 15.40 train on April 20th 1913 and we will leave Barry on the 15.40 train exactly 100 years later. We will travel the same route by train and ferry and hope to replicate some of the photos I have of Grandpas trip and of the first months he was in Shanghai.
On his first day in Shanghai he went to the races and he stayed at “The Club”, Ravenscourt, both of which I have some lovely pictures of.
I will share notes from his diary and mine. I have a film he took of their life in Shanghai and I have letters Granny wrote home in 1927 which I will quote from and which I hope will amuse you.
Being in Shanghai will be a life's ambition met and I look forward to it very much
RSVP: to RAS Bookings at: bookings@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn
ENTRANCE: Members 30 rmb - Guests 80 rmb
Includes a glass of wine or soft drink
Priority for RAS members. Those unable to make the donation but wishing to attend may contact us for exemption.
MEMBERSHIP applications and membership renewals will be available at this event.
RAS MONOGRAPHS - Series 1 & 2 will be available for sale at this event. 100 rmb each (cash sale only)