Sir Shiu-kin Tang

CBE, KStJ, JP
Born(1901-03-21)21 March 1901
British Hong Kong
Died19 June 1986(1986-06-19) (aged 85)
Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, Happy Valley, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
OccupationPhilanthropist
Tang Shiu-kin
Traditional Chinese鄧肇堅

Sir Shiu-kin Tang CBE, KStJ, JP (Chinese: 鄧肇堅; 21 March 1901 – 19 June 1986) was a Hong Kong entrepreneur and philanthropist. In 1933, he co-founded Kowloon Motor Bus and is known through the public service institutions he funded and founded in Hong Kong, many of which bear his name.

He served as chairman of both Tung Wah Group of Hospitals and Po Leung Kuk.

Early life and the Battle of Hong Kong

Tang was born in Hong Kong into a wealthy family. His father was Tang Chi Ngong JP, a banker. His mother 章順婉 was fourth wife and he was the second of four brothers. He attended Queen's College and St. Stephen's College.[1][2][3][4][5]

During the Battle of Hong Kong, Tang Shiu-kin was almost killed by Japanese forces in Happy Valley on 23 December 1941, two days before the fall of the territory. He, along with two other businessmen, was drafted to serve on the Hong Kong reserve police force and found in possession of helmets and trench coats. Along with other civilians and Nationalist Chinese officials, he was bayonetted by the soldiers and dumped into a drainage ditch.[6]

Philanthropy

It is estimated that in his lifetime Tang contributed at least HK$100 million (amounts at that time) for worthy causes.[7][8][9]

Family

Tang's eldest grandson, born to the only son of his 'first concubine', was David Tang, founder of the Shanghai Tang fashion chain, though Tang Shui Kin early on ejected the whole family with very little financial support, according to David Tang.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ 〈鄧肇堅昨病逝醫院〉，《大公報》第一張第四版，1986年6月20日。
  2. ^ Who's Who, A & C Black, 1986.
  3. ^ 〈鄧肇堅爵士昨逝世〉，《華僑日報》第二張第一頁，1986年6月20日。
  4. ^ Eric Caveliero, "The Humble Millionaire", The HK Standard, 20 June 1986.
  5. ^ 蔡嘉亮，〈鄧肇堅吃乳豬必過熱水〉，《大公報》第一張第四版，1986年6月20日。
  6. ^ Kwong, C.M., The Battle of Hong Kong 1941: A Spatial History Project > War Crimes > Blue Pool Road, Retrieved October 11, 2021
  7. ^ Mike Davis, The Buses of Kowloon Motor Bus, Surrey: DTS Publishing, 1995.
  8. ^ 〈九巴四大家族拆檔恩怨情仇〉，《壹週刊》，2001年8月30日。
  9. ^ "I've Got So Much, I Want to Share", South China Morning Post, 20 June 1986.
  10. ^ David Tang: the colourful life of the man behind Hong Kong’s fashion brand with a Shanghai twist, SCMP, 30 August 2017


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