Hong Kong's First: Photos in a Shoebox

Featured Photo

Ella Zoyara (b.1840-d.1879) was the star trick-rider of the Great World Circus, the first circus to ever come to town in Hong Kong. Six shows were given by the circus from March 27, 1868 before it left for its next destination - Manila. Unbeknown to the circus-goers in Hong Kong, the St. Louis born Zoyara was in fact a man named Omar Kingsley and that he was even married - to a woman named Sallie Stickney. Zoyara's "true" gender was discovered in Manila and as a result both she (he) and the circus master Adolf Gonsalez were thrown into jail.

This is one of the over 600 fun facts about Hong Kong, as far as the first of its kind events go, that are included in the Welcome page under Who's Who and What's What.

This is a collection of special photos that may or may not be directly related to the blog topic, but nonetheless interesting

1922 – the visit of a prince who would be king: Prince of Wales of Britain (later King Edward VIII and after abdication the Duke of Windsor) riding the sedan chair (八人大轎) with banners bearing his heraldic badge on two sides of the chair. Walking beside him, is Reginald Edward Stubbs (司徒拔) – the 16th governor.

Undated photo of rickshaw in Hong Kong. The woman posted by the rickshaw is Baroness Baden-Powell of England – Chief Guide for Britain in 1918, World Chief Guide in 1930. She visited Hong Kong in 1958.

1870 – The appearance of rickshaw. The rickshaw was first imported from Japan in that year by an American businessman. They were a popular form of transport for many years, peaking at more than 7,000 in the early part of the 20th century. These two modes vied for customers depending on their budget, haste, or terrain to be negotiated.