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| Chater died in 1926, and bequeathed Marble Hall and its entire contents, including his unique collection of porcelain and paintings, to Hong Kong. | Chater died in 1926, and bequeathed Marble Hall and its entire contents, including his unique collection of porcelain and paintings, to Hong Kong. The remainder of his estate went to the Armenian Holy Nazareth Church in Calcutta, which runs a home for Armenians<ref name=who/> | ||
| The ''Chater Collection'' was dispersed and largely destroyed during ], and only 94 pieces (now an important part of the collection of the ]) are known to have survived. These include oil paintings, watercolours, sketches, prints and photographs, most of which are based on landscape scenes of the South China ] in the 18th and 19th centuries, and of British activities in China.<ref>Press Release (23 March 2007). "", Hong Kong Museum of Art</ref> | The ''Chater Collection'' was dispersed and largely destroyed during the ], and only 94 pieces (now an important part of the collection of the ]) are known to have survived. These include oil paintings, watercolours, sketches, prints and photographs, most of which are based on landscape scenes of the South China ] in the 18th and 19th centuries, and of British activities in China.<ref>Press Release (23 March 2007). "", Hong Kong Museum of Art</ref> | ||
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Revision as of 13:33, 27 January 2011
| Sir Catchick Paul Chater | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Senior Unofficial Member of the Executive Council | |
| In office 1896-1926 | |
| Appointed by | William Robinson |
| Governor | William Robinson Henry Arthur Blake Matthew Nathan Frederick Lugard Francis Henry May Reginald Edward Stubbs Cecil Clementi |
| Succeeded by | Sir Henry Pollock |
| Senior Unofficial Member of the Legislative Council | |
| In office 1900-1906 | |
| Appointed by | Henry Arthur Blake |
| Governor | Henry Arthur Blake Matthew Nathan |
| Preceded by | Emanuel Raphael Belilios |
| Succeeded by | Sir Kai Ho |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 8 September 1846 Calcutta, India |
| Died | 27 May 1926(1926-05-27) (aged 79) British Hong Kong |
| Spouse | Maria Christine Pearson |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Website | biography |
Sir Catchick Paul Chater, CMG (Chinese: 遮打; 8 September 1846 – 27 May 1926), was a prominent businessman in colonial Hong Kong.
Biography
Early life
He was born in Calcutta, India, one of thirteen offspring of Armenian parents Miriam and Chater Paul Chater. His father was a member of the Indian Civil Service.
Sir Paul was orphaned at the age of seven, and he gained entry into the La Martiniere College in Calcutta on a scholarship. He later became a benefactor of the school when, in the early 1910s he made the single biggest donation to any institution or organisation whilst still alive, donating eleven lakhs Rupees to the desperately struggling school, thus allowing it to avoid certain closure. To honour his contribution to the school, Sir Paul Chater's name was included in the school prayer. In the 1860s, at the age of eighteen, he moved to Hong Kong from Calcutta and lived with the family of his sister Anna and sister's husband Jordan Paul Jordan.
Career
In the early days in Hong Kong, he was an assistant at the Bank of Hindustan, China and Japan. Later, with the aid of the Sassoon family, he set up business as an exchange broker, resigned from the bank, and traded gold bullion and land on his own account. He took sea-bed soundings at night in a sampan and was thus instrumental in plotting the reclamation of Victoria Harbour.
In 1868, he and Sir Hormusjee Naorojee Mody formed Chater & Mody, a largely successful business partnership in Hong Kong, although the firm's Hong Kong Milling Company (aka Rennie's Mill) failed in 1908 and resulted in the suicide of Albert Rennie.
He helped Patrick Manson establish Dairy Farm, and he established Hongkong Land with James Johnstone Keswick, the taipan of Jardine Matheson. Hong Kong Land commenced the land reclamation project under the Praya Reclamation Scheme in 1890.
In 1890 the Hongkong Electric company went into production with his help as an informal member of the Executive Council.
Sir Paul was enthusiastic in two sports. He played for the Hong Kong Cricket Club first eleven, and was a thoroughbred horse racing enthusiast and set up the Chater Stable in Hong Kong in 1872 that won many races at Happy Valley Racecourse. The Hong Kong Champions & Chater Cup, the Group One third leg of the Hong Kong Triple Crown, is named in his honor.
Chater became hugely wealthy from his business ventures, and was elected to the Legislative Council, in 1887, Chater was knighted in 1902. He built a large baronial mansion, which he named Marble Hall. Therein, he housed his collection of fine porcelain.
Other titles and positions held by Chater:
- Chair of the Perseverance Lodge 1873
- Steward at the Hong Kong Jockey Club
- Senior Justice of the Peace in Hong Kong
- Chairman of the Board of Stewards of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
- District Grand Master of Hong Kong and South China
- Director of Dairy Farm Co. Ltd set up by Patrick Manson 1886
- Consul for Siam in Hong Kong
- Treasurer and Chairman of the Queen Victoria Jubilee Committee 1887
- Member of the Légion d'honneur by the French Government at Tonkin 1892
- Member of the Public Lighting Committee 1896
- Member of the Governor’s Executive Council 1896
- Chairman of the Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee Committee 1897
- Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George 1897
- Honorary degree of LL.D. by the University of Hong Kong for services as the Honorary Treasurer 1923
Legacy
Chater died in 1926, and bequeathed Marble Hall and its entire contents, including his unique collection of porcelain and paintings, to Hong Kong. The remainder of his estate went to the Armenian Holy Nazareth Church in Calcutta, which runs a home for Armenians
The Chater Collection was dispersed and largely destroyed during the Japanese occupation, and only 94 pieces (now an important part of the collection of the Hong Kong Museum of Art) are known to have survived. These include oil paintings, watercolours, sketches, prints and photographs, most of which are based on landscape scenes of the South China trading ports in the 18th and 19th centuries, and of British activities in China.
See also
References
- ^ England, Vaudine (16 December 2007) "Who was this man Chater?", Page 11, South China Morning Post
- ^ Jason Wordie, Land-grabbing titans who changed HK's profit for good, 18 April 1999
- Wiltshire, Trea. (republished & reduced 2003). Old Hong Kong - Volume Two. Central, Hong Kong: Text Form Asia books Ltd. Page 11. ISBN Volume One 962-7283-60-6
- Press Release (23 March 2007). "Chater art collection goes on show", Hong Kong Museum of Art
External links
- Article about Hormusjee Naorojee Mody with Chater & Mody
- Catchick Paul Chater - ongoing family history research by distant relative Liz Chater}
- documentary on Sir Paul Chater, Henrik Terchonian (2005) Armenian Holy Church of Nazareth, Kolkota