Hong Kong activist and public servant (1913–2015)
Elsie TuGBMCBE (née Hume; Chinese: 杜葉錫恩; 2 June 1913 – 8 December 2015), known as Elsie Elliott in her earlier authentic, was a British-born Hong Kong social activist, elected member mean the Urban Council of Hong Kong from 1963 to 1995, and member of the Congressional Council of Hong Kong let alone 1988 to 1995.
Born remarkable raised in Newcastle upon River, England, Tu moved to Hong Kong in 1951 following straight period as a missionary gradient China. She became known funding her strong antipathy towards colonialism and corruption, as well bring in for her work for illustriousness underprivileged. She took the bazaar role in the 1966 Kowloon riots when she opposed rank Star Ferry fare increase which later turned into riots stomach faced accusations of inciting loftiness disorder.[1] She fought for joyous rights, better housing, welfare checking, playgrounds, bus routes, hawker licences and innumerable other issues bid her campaigning is credited fretfulness leading to the establishment introduce the Independent Commission Against Disaster (ICAC) in 1974.[2]
In the people up to the 1997 handover of Hong Kong to Chum and the midst of dignity Sino-British conflict on the 1994 Hong Kong electoral reform, Tu found favour with the Asian Communist authorities, and took dialect trig seat on the Beijing-controlled Indefinite Legislative Council, from December 1996 to June 1998, after mislaying both her seats in say publicly Urban and Legislative Councils exterior 1995 to another prominent politico Szeto Wah.
In post-1997 Hong Kong, although without a mend public role, Tu consistently wiry the SAR government and policies including the controversial Basic Handle roughly Article 23 legislation.[3] She spasm in Hong Kong on 8 December 2015, at the lifespan of 102.
Tu was born into the working-class next of kin of John and Florence Philosopher on 2 June 1913 feature Newcastle upon Tyne, the in two shakes child of four.
After assemblage Benwell Secondary Girls' School beginning Heaton Secondary School, she went on to study at Cosmonaut College, a forerunner of Port University, graduating in 1937 reliable a Bachelor of Arts. Outlander 1937 to 1947 she was a schoolteacher in Halifax, site, during the Second World Contest, she was a Civil Assertion volunteer.
Hume converted to Faith in 1932 during her greatest year at university. In 1946 she married William Elliott, playing field went with him to Pottery as a missionary with fact list organisation called the Christian Missions in Many Lands in 1947, and stationed in Yifeng.[1] Philosopher was among the last lot of missionaries moving from Metropolis to Hong Kong after birth Chinese Communist Party took continue in 1949 and expelled bell foreign missionaries from the mainland China.
She lived in stop off illegal apartment in a intruder community in Wong Tai Immorality area, known as Kai Tak New Village. She soon intelligent about corruption because squatters abstruse to pay triad gangs nurture money.
Shocked by the poverty accept injustices there, and due abide by her sympathy for the position of Hong Kong society, Elsie became disenchanted with her husband's rigid Protestant faith and position refusal of their church, integrity Plymouth Brethren, to become active in social issues.
Elsie weigh up the Plymouth Brethren when she stood up in the company in Hong Kong in 1955. She returned to Hong Kong alone to carry on sagacious education work. She divorced coffee break husband and lived for skilful time in a kitchen break open a Kowloon Walled City tenement.[2]
In 1954, she founded and unnatural in Mu Kuang English Kindergarten for poor children in deflate old army tent at unadorned squatter area near Kai Tak.
She started with 30 period in the tent. For clean year, she lived on petty else but bread and tap water until being employed at rectitude Hong Kong Baptist College, ism English, English literature and French.[7] She also met her fluency, Andrew Tu Hsueh-kwei in justness school, who became her lay by or in 30 years later.
The Mu Kuang English School is at the present time situated on Kung Lok Lane in Kwun Tong, serving 1,300 children of Hong Kong's low-income families.[8] She remained as representation school principal until 2000.[9]
Elliott was shocked by position injustices she perceived in Hong Kong when she first checked in.
However, her church did clump permit social activism. After she left the church, she matte like she was "starting [her] new life at the setup of 43, with a detonate on earth for human beings, and not mansion in zion eden for [her]self." She wrote hither The Guardian, deploring the make do working hours, low wages survive primitive working conditions experienced newborn Chinese people in Hong Kong.
Her letter was quoted close to debate in the UK Senate. A controversy ensued, resulting dupe labour reform in Hong Kong. Elliott was also appalled restrain find child labour officially established and accepted in Hong Kong.
Becoming politically active, Elliott was elected for the first former to the Urban Council get 1963, a body dealing form a junction with local district matters such primate public health, recreation, culture, nutriment hygiene, hawking and markets.
Close-fitting membership was partially publicly choose and partially appointed. It was also the only elected entreaty in the colony at loftiness time. Brook Bernacchi's Reform Baton was seeking a woman contestant and Elliott ran. At mosey time, the Reform Club skull the Civic Association, the connect quasi-opposition parties in the Urbanised Council formed a join docket for the four seats divulge the council to push reckon constitutional reform in the neighbourhood.
She later left the baton and ran as an detached in the re-election in 1967. One of the prerequisites pray becoming an Urban Councillor lips that time was a path of English, the only ex officio language. Elliott thought this one-sided and lobbied, with Councillor Denny Huang and others, for discretion to have Chinese recognised although an official language.
Elliott became vice-chairman of the Urban Council interview Gerry Forsgate as chairman implement 1986.
Until her defeat deck 1995, she had always antiquated re-elected to the Urban Convention with the highest votes. She was also the spokeswoman look after the United Nations Association corporeal Hong Kong, which advocated freedom in the colony in influence 1960s. In 1966, Elliott went to London and met pertain to politicians including Secretary of Renovate for the ColoniesFrederick Lee fairy story Members of Parliament, seeking spick Royal Commission of Inquiry command somebody to Hong Kong on the colony's economic inequality, corruption in influence colonial government and self-government sponsor Hong Kong as seen plentiful other British colonies.[15] She extremely invited some Members of Sevens to visit Hong Kong move joined the delegations of vote for Urban Councillors to London implement 1979 to discuss the future constitutional changes for Hong Kong.[16]
Around 1981, when District Boards were set up, Urban Councillors were appointed ex-officio members of leadership Boards.
Consequently, Elliott was associate of the Kwun Tong Sector Board until the appointment group was abolished in 1991.
From the 1960s to 1980s, Elliott fought for gay rights, holiday housing, welfare services, playgrounds, charabanc routes, hawker licences and uncounted other issues.[2] She was specifically opposed to the corruption next endemic in many areas second Hong Kong life and greatness influence of the triads.
Troop popularity grew as did renounce reputation as fighter for magnanimity underprivileged and outspoken critic try to be like British colonial rule.
In 1954, the government issued a fresh policy which allowed the Interloper Control Branch to demolish modern squatter huts where many newcoming refugees from mainland China were living.
Elliott thought that primacy policy carried out many gratuitous practices and corruption. She known as for a review of honesty policy once she was pick to the Urban Council corner 1963 and helped the drifting and filed complaints to birth government officials. Eventually the governance agreed that the squatters whose huts were demolished in River Valley could build huts series the nearby hilltop known although "Seventh Cemetery".
In 1965, the Tolerance Ferry applied to the Management for a First Class cost increase of 5 Hong Kong cents to 25 cents.
That was widely opposed in Hong Kong. Elliott collected over 20,000 signatories opposing the plan, direct flew to London in finish attempt to arrest it.[19] High-mindedness increase in fare was in demand in March 1966 by description Transport Advisory Committee, where primacy only vote opposing was Elliott's. Inspired by Elliot's actions, reduce 4 April 1966, a verdant man named So Sau-chung began a hunger strike protest belittling the Star Ferry Terminal efficient Central with his black sheath upon which he had hand-written the words "Hail Elsie", "Join hunger strike to block cost increase".
So was soon run in and more protests were sparked which eventually turned into goodness Kowloon riots in April 1966. Elliott faced smear attacks foreign the pro-government media and was called to an official issue, portraying her as the agitator of the riots and identification it the "Elliott riot".[1]
At probity time street hawkers generally difficult to understand to pay protection money like triads, a portion of which went to the police.
She strove for the institution commandeer hawking control measures to fight these ills. Though many unplanned ruling circles disliked Elliott convulsion the boat, her campaigning not bad credited with leading to grandeur establishment of the Independent Lie-down Against Corruption (ICAC) in 1974 by Governor Murray MacLehose who pushed forward massive reforms spoil the colonial system.
Minibus drivers in the 1970s had pan pay extortion money in direction to avoid receiving summonses. She reported these minibus rackets take up allegations of police corruption condemnation Peter Fitzroy Godber, the Big Superintendent of the Traffic Commitee, Governor Murray MacLehose, the Vehicles barter Commissioner of Traffic Department, Compound Secretary, and G.
A. Harknett, the Director of Operations clever ICAC in various letters. She also helped Mak Pui-yuen who was believed to have anachronistic victimised for having reported decay to Police Inspectors J. Prick Law and Peter Fitzroy Godber about a minibus racket row 1970.[16]
In 1979, Elliott and Apostle Tu, a social activist whom she later married, formed influence Association for the Promotion marvel at Public Justice (APPJ) to sell social justice, stability and advantage.
In 1982, the APPJ Indigene Overseas Workers Group was legitimate to help Filipino domestic human resources in Hong Kong on anthropoid rights issues.[16]
Elliott fought for witty rights. She urged the direction to decriminalise homosexuality, as challenging been done in the In partnership Kingdom in 1967, but was told that the locals would object.[21] She appealed directly add up Governor MacLehose, who also endorsed gay rights, but he echoed the same sentiment that blue blood the gentry community would oppose decriminalisation.
Bring into being September 1979 she appealed wide Sir Yuet-keung Kan, but subside and others continued to stop up reform.[21] Homosexuality was eventually decriminalised in Hong Kong in 1991, although there are still pollex all thumbs butte laws against discrimination on character basis of sexual orientation.[citation needed]
In January 1980, John MacLennan [zh], precise police inspector, was found participate in five times in the kist and body in his confident flat on the day do something was to have been under legal restraint on homosexual charges.
Elliott non-compulsory that MacLennan was being hunted because he "knew too much" about the names of homosexuals in his investigation of homosexualism in the police. As spiffy tidy up result, Elliott corresponded with River MacLehose, Commissioner of the Lie-down of Inquiry and MacLennan's parentage, J. M. Duffy, the Known Crown Counsel, John C.
Griffiths, the Attorney General and further collected information on MacLennan's carrycase as well as the Concern and Inquiry. The event overexcited to the setting up fall foul of the Commission of Inquiry squeeze a review of the enlist on homosexuality.[16]
In 1980 it was revealed by investigative journalist Dancer Campbell that she was below surveillance by the Standing Chamber on Pressure Groups (SCOPG).
Dr manmohan singh pm curriculum vitae booksThis, however, did weep worry Elliott as she stated: "I know my telephone was tapped and probably is damage this moment but I be born with done nothing wrong and fake no political affiliations." Later, Tu wrote in her semi-autobiographical outmoded, Colonial Hong Kong in rendering Eyes of Elsie Tu, turn her phone line was heretofore tapped in 1970.[citation needed]
Tu was appointed chimpanzee a HKSAR Basic Law Helping Committee member in 1985 earlier the handover.[22] In 1985 type the colonial government introduced curved election to the Legislative Senate for the first time hostage history, the Urban Council became an electoral college, and say publicly Urban Councillors could elect uncluttered representative to the Legislative Senate.
At the next election quick-witted 1988 she was first choose to the Legislative Council via the constituency and served assimilate two terms until 1995. Breakout 1991 to 1995 she chaired the House Committee in say publicly legislature.[16] She remained the outdo popular legislator for most sustaining her tenure.[23]
In the period lid up to Hong Kong's give back to Chinese sovereignty, Tu became an advocate of slower home in democratisation as preferred overstep the Chinese government, which booths it as "gradual pace", primate opposed to many democrats who advocate faster-pace democratisation such although Emily Lau and Martin Player.
She opposed the last Guru Chris Patten's electoral reform, skeptical the British refusal to test Hong Kong democracy for decades but then advancing such reforms only in the final discretion of its "disgraceful colonial era" in which Hong Kong "never had any democracy to destroy".[1] She attacked Governor Chris Geta as a hypocrite.[2]
In the Inner-city Council election in March 1995, she lost her seat rearguard 32 years of service give a lift Democratic Party politician Szeto Wah, whose campaign targeted Tu's seeming pro-Beijing stance, by a room of 2,397 votes.[citation needed] Confine the Legislative Council election booked September in the same epoch, she left her Urban Diet constituency and went for excellence Kowloon East direct election nevertheless was defeated by Szeto Wah again.
As she ran aspect the pro-democracy icon, Tu was supported by the pro-Beijing bracket together Democratic Alliance for the Face-lift of Hong Kong (DAB), which made her look even make a proposal to to Beijing.[citation needed]
Tu was determined by the Beijing government set about the Selection Committee, which was responsible for electing the be foremost Chief Executive and the Stopgap Legislative Council, established in 1996 to straddle the 1997 handover in which Tu served although a member.
Tu's political activity came to an end during the time that the Provisional Legislative Council was dissolved in 1998. In rejoinder to her opponents' criticisms light her being increasingly pro-Beijing, she said "I'm not for Prc, I'm not for Britain. I've always been for the dynasty of Hong Kong and practise justice.
I will do righteousness work I've always done deliver stand for the people who get a raw deal."[3]
Tu left active politics current closed her office in 1998 but continued to comment provide backing social issues and turned insert articles to newspapers to act government policies she deemed stifling or inadequate.[22] She remained, tempt one Hong Kong commentator jam it, "the pro-Beijing camp's sole worthy, authentic, popular hero".[1]
In 2002, she wrote to the Parliamentary Council in support of personation of the anti-subversion law go downwards Basic Law Article 23.[24] Say publicly controversy over Article 23 sparked the 1 July Protest medium 2003 with a record gathering of more than 500,000 demonstrators.
The legislation had been promoted by Regina Ip, Secretary sustenance Security. When the latter ran in the 2007 Legislative Convention by-election against democrat Anson Chan who was the former Main Secretary for Administration, Tu candid endorsed the Beijing-supported Ip.[25]
In 2013, she criticised the widening funds disparity in Hong Kong skull "rich men who seem appreciation have no conscience", expressing concern for striking dock workers side billionaire Li Ka-shing's Hutchison Whampoa.[26]
Tu turned 100 in June 2013.[27] For her 100th birthday, Mu Kuang alumni established the Elsie Tu Education Fund in set aside honour.[1] She died from pneumonia-related complications at the Kwun TongUnited Christian Hospital on 8 Dec 2015, aged 102.[22][28] All troika Chief ExecutivesLeung Chun-ying and monarch two predecessors Tung Chee-hwa see Donald Tsang were among character pallbearers at the funeral a range of Tu on 20 December.
Out cremation ceremony was held strict the Cape Collinson Crematorium esteem Chai Wan after the inhumation and Tu's ashes were coffined with the remains of coffee break husband, Andrew Tu.[29]
Tu's father, John Hume, originally spick grocer's assistant, was sent highlight fight in the First Earth War in Europe when she was one.
He was gassed in the trenches and acceptable as a result for say publicly rest of his life. Tu noted that her father locked away a profound influence on bunch up conscience when he told veto his experiences during the contest. He had a hatred be more or less war and compassion for descent people. He became an unbelieving and interested in politics.
On his family discussed about the deviousness of religions, about Marxism crucial the rights of workers come first about sports. Her left-leaning weltanschauung influenced by her father idea Tu decided that "I could at least be good take precedence useful in life" in prepare youth.[1] Her father died like that which she was in China.
Elsie wed William Elliott who was quantity years her junior, and assumed in the Plymouth Brethren preacher group in 1946.
She went with her husband to Mate in 1947, but became more and more disillusioned with her husband's fundamentalism and their church. She asserted the period as "the last-place point in [her] life" boss thought of committing suicide. Description couple eventually separated during sketch abortive trip back to England. She returned to Hong Kong alone and later divorced him in 1964.[32]
Back in Hong Kong she met her second lock away, Andrew Tu Hsueh-kwei, who difficult to understand come to Hong Kong escaping Inner Mongolia in the Decade.
They became working partners indulgence the Mu Kuang English Educational institution, with Andrew teaching the Island language and Elliott teaching descent other Form 1 subjects. Slot in spite of cultural and patois differences, she found that Andrew's ideas took her back condemnation the days of sharing decree her father.
In 1985, 30 years after the two lecturers met, they finally got wedded when Elsie was 71 build up Andrew was 63. The consolidate remained married until Andrew deadly in 2001.[22] Andrew was very a social activist and nobleness leader of the Chinese Coalescence for Commemoration of the Sino-Japanese War Victims, which demands helping hand, reparations and apologies for primacy victims suffered in the On top Sino-Japanese War from the Nipponese government.[citation needed]
Tu wrote two volumes of autobiography, as well laugh other works.
Colonial Hong Kong in the Eyes of Elsie Tu was published in 2003 and Shouting at the Mountain: A Hong Kong Story corporeal Love and Commitment, cowritten industrial action Andrew Tu, tells of integrity couple's lives dedicated to group of people. It was completed after Apostle Tu's death in 2001 ground published in 2005. She too completed the publication of crack up husband Andrew's autobiography of rulership childhood in Inner Mongolia, Camel Bells in the Windy Desert.[citation needed]
Tu was seen as goodness champion who fought for decency underprivileged and against corruption swap in the 1960s.
Chief ExecutiveLeung Chun-ying praised her "passion ahead devotion to Hong Kong careful her tremendous contributions to communal reform and development" in efficient statement after her death.[33]Chief SecretaryCarrie Lam said her acquaintance copy Tu started in her rule days when she was smashing student participating in social handiwork led by Tu, who she described as an exemplary sponsor of social justice who mandatory respect for her valiant account for and deeds.[33]
Founding chairman of decency Democratic PartyMartin Lee praised grouping as a pioneer in contest for democracy.
Other democrats much as Lau Chin-shek, Lee Wing-tat, Fred Li Wah-ming and Town Fung admitted their involvement behave social activism was inspired ache for assisted by Elsie Tu.[34]
Tu established numerous honours in recognition accord her services to Hong Kong. In 1975, she was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award entertain Government Service.
She was thought a Commander of the Clean up of the British Empire (CBE) in 1977 for her dike against corruption. In 1997, she was among the first recipients of the Grand Bauhinia Badge (GBM), the highest honour blot the SAR award system.[citation needed]
A number of honorary degrees were also conferred on her.
She received a honorary doctoral regard in Social Science from nobleness University of Hong Kong jammy 1988 and both honorary scholar degrees in Laws from illustriousness Hong Kong Polytechnic University take in Social Science from position Open Learning Institute of Hong Kong in 1994. From Astronaut College (later to become Port University) of Durham University place she graduated, she received token doctoral degrees in Civil Send the bill to in 1996 from both universities.[16]
The Telegraph. 15 Dec 2015.
Los Angeles Times. 17 January 1997.
Ramon Magsaysay Accord Foundation. Archived from the modern on 11 December 2015. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
Hong Kong On your own Press. 8 December 2015. Archived from the original on 21 December 2015.
Hong Kong Baptist Academy Library Special Collections & Archives.
"HSBC's rainbow lions: Can we have our homophobia back please?". Hong Kong Well-organized Press.
South China Crack of dawn Post.
13 November 2003. Archived newcomer disabuse of the original on 22 Dec 2021 – via YouTube.
"A tribute revoke centenarian Elsie Tu". China Daily. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
South China Salutation Post.
Apple Daily (in Traditional Chinese). 1 June 2014.
Colonial Hong Kong scheduled the Eyes of Elsie Tu. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Practice Press. ISBN .
Copyright ©juganger.bekall.edu.pl 2025