internationalsettlement Archives

Shanghai Telephone Company

Introduced to Shanghai in 1882, phone services were ubiquitous in the 1930s. Just like today, phone was used to communicate to other people, but also to order services such a taxi, or grocery to be delivered.

Availability and usage of the telephone greatly increased after the purchase of the Shanghai Telephone Company by American company International Telegraph and Telephone (ITT) in 1930. The company oversaw the phone service in the city. Below is a share for Shanghai telephone. It was listed on the Shanghai stock exchange at the time.

Just like today, the company was issuing monthly bills to customers. Below is a real phone bill from 1937. ITT is mentioned in the logo.

The cost for local phone was fixed for businesses (10$ / month for a wall type phone, and 10.50$ / month for a desk type like the one in picture below). For private residence, it was 6.50$ and 7$ respectively). This was only for renting the line, local calls, Intercommunication and Long distance calles were billed separately. The company also offered phone answering service and even “Burglar alarm service”.

Besides phones in private residences and offices, public phones were available. They were stand alone or often part of shop. People could make local calls from those locations, paying with a phone call token like the one below. As mentioned on the token itself, one token was good for one (local) call: “可打一次: good for one call”

Phones in 1930s Shanghai phones typically included a rotary dial, Bakelite casings as well as separate handset and base unit. I recently acquired one which looks just like the one represented on the phone token above.

The types of black phones have become one of the symbols of Old Shanghai. They often appear as artefact in movies and TV series. The original one are from the mid 1930’s. They were locally manufactured, inspired by US Western Electric models 102 and 202 from the same period. As many technology items of the time in China and other communist countries, they continued to be produced nearly unchanged for many years. Many can be found with labels showing they were built well into the 1970s.

This one is definitely of a really old one, probably from the late 1930s. Its handset and casing is engraved with S.T.C , standing for Shanghai Telephone Company. After 1949, later ones were engraved with 上海, Shanghai in Chinese characters. Further on, there was no more engraving, and the handset design was changed.

This kind of phone became the standard for phones in China, as phone coverage spread in the country after the 1950s. They are now mostly used as decorative items, nice reminder of the Old Shanghai modernity at the time.

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Her Lotus year, by Paul French

I have never found any interest in the life of British Royals. As Paul French looked into Wallis Simpson stay in Shanghai in his new book: “Her Lotus year”, this attracted my attention into this episode of Royal history.

Having spent years living in Shanghai, Paul French is no new comer to Old Shanghai and author of several deeply researched books on the topic. Those included “The Old Shanghai A-Z“, Carl Crow’s biography “A tough Old China hand” and “City of devils, a Shanghai noir”. He then turned on to Beijing, investigation a 1937 crime in “Midnight in Peking“. This made him the perfect candidate to investigate Wallis Simpson stay in China, a part that was mostly overlooked from other biographers.

Wallis Simpson arrived in Hong Kong in September 1924, rejoining her husband, an american navy officer, in an attempt to revive their marriage. The reunification failed and she embarked on daring trips to Canton, Shanghai and Beijing. China political situation at the time was chaotic at best, as the country was nearly in civil war. Several armies were fighting for controlling the country, in what became known as the warlord period. The complete chaos of China at the time is well described by journalist Albert Londres who travelled to China at the same time and related his trip in book “La Chine en folie“. Travelling as a single women, Wallis Simpson was probably on missions carrying important documents for the US army or administration, shown by the monetary and logistics support she received.

Arriving in Shanghai in November 1924 on Canadian ship “Empress of Russia”, she stayed at the high end Palace Hotel on the Bund, close to the American consulate. Wallis Simpson quickly integrated the top of Shanghai foreign society, with the help of “Robbie” an English architect who later designed the new Shanghai Race Club building in 1934. He took her to the Majestic Hotel, to the horse races, and among the powerful people of city. In December 1924 she departed to Beijing. She only spent a few weeks in Shanghai, and none of the rumors seem true, apart from Wallis Simpson easily befriending people in the higher tier of society.

The Shanghai Bund in the 1920’s, looking at the Palace Hotel

One of the recurring theme about Wallis Simpson is the “China dossier” compiled by the British secret services, showing how scandalous she was. She was rumored to have had affairs with multiple men, even selling sexual services and using the exotic skills learned in Asia to capture her preys. The “Shanghai grip” was particularly talked about, “The ability to make a match stick feel like a cigar”. Paul French rigorous inquiry shows that most of those rumors where unfounded, but cleverly crafted so as to be made easily believable. A number of the stories were actually true, referring to other women living in China in the same period. Confusion was easily spread, supported by the Western fascination for the exotic East.

Paul French conclusion is that the whole China Dossier was falsely created to destroy the reputation of Wallis Simpson and discourage her marriage with future King Edward the VIII. In the end, the King abdicated a few days after his coronation, to be able to marry her. In retrospect, this was a perfect outcome as Edward VIII seems to have had a lack of judgment if not strong sympathies for Nazi Germany, even visiting Adolf Hitler in October 1937.

With little actual facts, Paul French is great at filling the gaps of the story and gives a lot of background information thanks to his in-depth knowledge of Shanghai and Beijing at the time. The books make an entertaining and easy read, while being supported by in-depth research. Besides the Wallis angle, it is also a great introduction to foreigners life in Beijing in the 1920s, where Wallis Simpson spent most of her China time.

For more books by Paul French, follow this link.

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City of lost souls by Martin Petersen

As a lover of crime novels and Old Shanghai, new book “City of lost souls” by Martin Petersen just fits the bill perfectly.

1930s and 40s crime movies are often called “Film noir” (black movies in French). This comes from the original “Roman noir” (“black novel” in French), a particular type of crime novel also called hardboiled crime fiction. Characters of this kind of stories are often disappointed with life, having a cynical attitude. Besides classics like Raymond Chandler, the best modern author of the genre is probably James Elroy (See post “Perfidia” for more details). One of the best film noir is “Casablanca” with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman that is some clear parallels with Old Shanghai.

A number of authors have tried to recreate Old Shanghai in crime novels. Some of the best attempts at Shanghai noir so far were Tom Brady’s “The master of rain” and MJ Lee “Death in Shanghai“. French readers can also enjoy Bruno Birolli’s “Le music-hall des espions“. “City of lots souls” is a great new addition with many of the genre’s cliches including a private detective, a femme fatale, a mystery and gun fights. The story keeps the reader turning the pages and the book is highly entertaining.

Author Martin Petersen has long been studying Old Shanghai history, and it shows in the book. Events fit right, characters are realistic and the author includes many smell, taste and noise that make the book feels like real. The book includes a large number of secondary characters that really existed, including media man Carl Crow, French jesuit Robert Jacquinot de Besange and Du YueSheng that are well played. It also reflects rightly the feelings of foreigners living in Shanghai at that time, including the attitude to Chinese people and drinking habits. Sometimes description of buildings and places are a little too long, but never boring.

There are few mistakes in Shanghai geography, with distances being sometimes underestimated compared to reality. For example, it is clearly not possible to see the French Park from Black stone apartments as mentioned in the book. Another point is the New Asia hotel, being mentioned as the headquarters of the Japanese in 1932… when it was actually built in 1933 on the ruins of the attack. A final point is about the Canidrome, that was not build by Henry Morris. Although located on a part of the former Morris estate, it was built by a group of French investors and run by French man Felix Bouvier. Still the author knows Old Shanghai well and errors are only minors, mostly on the French side.

The plot is interesting without being too complex, while taking the readers to various places in the city and beyond. Martin Petersen definitely got some inspiration from one of my favorite book, “Foreign devils on the Silk road” by Peter Hopkirk. The story is built around historical facts and feels right. The action is well paced making it a real page turner after having understood the weird and sometimes annoying page ordering. As a collector of Old Shanghai items and lover of film noir I recommend this book. Hopefully there will be some more episodes.

Les terres du mal

After “Le music-hall des espions“, Bruno Birolli published the second book of the Shanghai suite, “Les terres du mal”. Taking place a few years later than the first book of the series, this episode takes us again in 1930s Shanghai between gangsters and Shanghai inhabitants, both foreign and Chinese.

Main characters René Desfossés comes back, not in the French police anymore, but working for a large company. Archibald Swindon is also back, now in the role of heading the British secret service in Shanghai, mainly looking for communists agents. They find themselves tackling crime again, playing between the International Settlement and the French concession. A new character is introduced with communist agent “Hannah”. The book focuses a lot on movie studios and actress in Old Shanghai, with several characters inspired real characters like star “Lingyu” from Old Shanghai actress Ruan Lingyu / 阮玲玉 and aspiring actress Lan Ping who ends up leaving Shanghai to join communists rebels in Yan’An, inspired by Mao Zedong’s wife Jiang Qing / 江青.

Just like the first one, Birolli’s book includes a lot of details about Old Shanghai proving is in-depth knowledge of the topic. The story is very well documented, with characters inspired by real life people of the time. However, it is less interesting than in the first book, and a little too predictable. It is a fair read for all Shanghai lovers, but may not be so interesting for people unfamiliar with the topic. “Les terres du mal” is published in French only.

“Death in Shanghai” by MJ Lee

I have read a number of novels taking place in Old Shanghai, but for some reason I missed MJ Lee’s “Death in Shanghai” until now. It is amazing I did not get to read it before, having been interested in both crime novels and Old Shanghai for a long time.

Piotr Danilov is the only foreign inspector in the Shanghai International Settlement’s Police Dept. Being Russian, he spent time in Scotland Yard, hence his excellent command of English. He also speaks French although where or how he learned is not clear. This conveniently helps him being sent to discuss with the French concession police when required. As a hard working cop, he is very much isolated among his moslty lazy, violent and corrupt British colleagues. Danilov also has his dark past that will be uncovered through the novel. Danilov’s sidekick, Strachan, is also an outsider being born of a British father and a Chinese mother and not being part of any of those communities.

The book starts with a corp discovered in the Suzhou Creek with inspector Danilov being put in charge of the investigation. The police hierarchy wants a quick found convict, but soon more murders will be linked to this one, both in the International Settlement and the French Concession. The books plot is complex but not overly so, making it a fluid read.

The main character of the book is not a person, but a city. MJ Lee has lived in Shanghai and definitely used historical documentation to write his novel. The city description is not limited to its buildings but also includes scents, food tastes and sounds giving a lot of atmosphere to the story. It is mostly accurate in its geography of the city giving a lot of credibility to it from an Old Shanghai enthusiast point of view. One of the twists of the story actualy comes from the Garden Bridge on the Suzhou Creek and the Shanghai Morgue, inside the Shanghai General Hospital, being located close to each other. Although the book has been historicaly researched, the novel does not become a show of the author’s knowledge of Old Shanghai like other ones I have read before. The story reads easily even if the reader knows nothing about Old Shanghai.

As an Old Shanghai researcher I could not avoid picking a few anachronisms. As an exemple, the author mentions “Art Deco” buildings and jewelery in 1928, when the term “Art Deco” was only coined in the 1950s or 1960s (see post “1925 when art deco dazzled the World“) . Another point is the mention of the “Shanghai Badlands” in 1928, an area that became known under this name only after 1937 Japanese occupation. I also noticed a small mistake in the French dialogs when a gard at the French police was called a “fonctionnaire”, meaning civil servant which sounds pretty weird in the story. The author surely meant a “factionnaire”, meaning a “soldier on duty”. This also shows that the author probably speaks French himself, as the French dialogues are very good in the book.

With its historical accuracy, its interesting plot and good writing style, “Death in Shanghai” is definitely a great read and a good introduction to Old Shanghai. I am looking forward to read the three other novels in the series. Having lived in the Shanghai at the same time as the author, I can only regret that we did not meet then as we would have had a number of common interests.

For those mosty interested in crime novel in new Shanghai, I can only recommend the famous Inspector Chen series from author Qiu Xiaolong (See post Red Mandarin dress for more details).

Hugh Martin’s signature

This is the 5th post about Hugh Martin in Shanghai. The first post of the thread is “Hugh Martin’s grave in Shanghai“.

After having published latest post on Hugh Martin, “Letter from Hugh Martin“, a lawyer friend in Hong Kong offered to find the corporate registration file of “Noel, Murray & Co Ltd” in Hong Kong, 瑞和有限公司 in Chinese. This prove to be a very valuable source of information about the company and Hugh Martin, including a copy of his actual signature.

Article of association of Noel, Murray & Co Ltd

In the incorporation documents from 1938, it is very clearly stated that the new company in Hong Kong will take over the activity and business of Noel, Murray and Company carried on in Shanghai. This was only a change in the legal set up, as “The Registered Office of the Company will be situated in Shanghai”. The change took place in 1938, about 1 year after the invasion of Shanghai by the Japanese forces. At that time, the International Settlement where Noel, Murray & Co operated was surrounded by the Japanses forces with part of the International Settlement actually occupied by the Japanese forces. The French Concession, where Hugh Martin lived was under the same circumstances. The situation in Shanghai was extremely tensed and would become even worse in the years later. Moving the business to the British colony of Hong Kong was surely a protective move.

Although, the new company was registered in Hong Kong, Hugh Martin and his partners did not have to go in person. The incorporation process was conducted by their law firm, Platt, White-Cooper & Co, 83 Peking Road, Shanghai. The actual sollicitor was Header Harris, a British lawyet at this firm. Documents where submitted at the British Consulate for certification on 21st April 1938.

The directors were among the shareholders. Hugh Martin, AP Nazer and John Lanson a Chinese person who was probably the comprador of the company at that time. Hugh Martin and AP Nazer list their adress as 160 Canton Road, the registered office of Noel Murray & Co Ltd.

There were 5 shareholders, Hugh Martin and John Lanson held 24% each, with AP Nazer holding 2%. 2 other Chinese people held 40% and 10%, no information is available about them.

Since Hugh Martin was the managing director of the company, he signed the incorporation documents so I could get a real picture of his signature. The incoporation files also contained a copy of the company letter head paper, which is exactly like the one in post “Letter from Hugh Martin“, so these papers must be from 1938.

The company was closed down in 1952 by Hong Kong authorities as they did not receive answer on several legal requests. It probably had not more activity by then, as Hugh Martin had gone back to the UK in 1947. In 1949, the Chinese Communist party took control of China and foreign companies started to disappear quickly. Noel, Murray and Co had surely no more business in Shanghai by then and they did not not seem to have started an actual business in Hong Kong to replace it.

This is the 5th post about Hugh Martin and Noel, Murray & Co in Shanghai. To read the thread from the beginning, go to post “Hugh Martin grave in Shanghai“.

Letter from Hugh Martin

Hugh Martin was a noticeable character of Old Shanghai. I heard about him by random and have been fascinated by him partly due to our similar names. This is the 4th post about him. If you have not read the thread before, first go to starting post “Hugh Martin’s grave in Shanghai“.

Over the years, I have accumulated many artefacts from or about Old Shanghai. I was recently reviewing some documents I did not look at for many years. I recently realized that long before writing the first post about Hugh Martin, our paths already crossed. Many years ago I bought some original stationary from the company “Noel, Murray and Co”, with Hugh Martin listed as a director (see below). I did not remember it before running into those papers recently, but motivation for purchase was surely the name Hugh Martin listed on the paper.

Full length letterhead paper for Noel, Murray & Co

Noel, Murray & Co Ltd, was the company where Hugh Martin worked most of his time in Shanghai. It was founded in 1881 by GW Noel, who in 1889 partnered with former Jardine & Matheson employee, WC Murray. The general Chinese name is 瑞和 / Tsay Wo in Cantonese as traditionally written in the Shanghai Hong List (Rui-he in modern Chinese), sometimes written as 瑞和洋行. After incorporation into a public company aroung 1906, the official Chinese name became 瑞和有限公司 (Tsay Wo public limited company). To show that it was a Brithish firm, the mention 英商 (Ying Shang = English Shop) is added on the above document. The comprador for 瑞和was 叶琢堂, a gentleman from Ningbo was also a banker and became one of the founders of the International Saving Society.

A few sheets of the shorter letter head paper for Noel, Murray & Co

The address written for the company is 160 Canton Road. Same adress was found in 1941 Hong List. I am not sure exactly when the company moved at this location, but surely a few years beforehand. Like many companies operating in Old Shanghai, it was actually incorporated in Hong Kong, not in Shanghai. Another director was listed, A. P. Nazer, whose own company also appears separately in the business directories.

The company activity was mentioned as “Auctioneers, shares and general broker and commission agents”. Its most public activity was to run auctions. The location on 160 Guang Dong Road was their office but also the place where the auctions took place. I only got one insert in the press about an auction from the company, but they must have been organised very regularly and widely publicised.

Advertising an auction by Noel, Murray & Co Ltd in the North China Daily News 1948

As the items are normally shown during and sometimes before an auction, the main salesroom must have been quite large to accomodate all thoses items. The company also had specific paper sheets given out to people when they had purchased items at auctions. Some of those papers were also with this piece of stationary (picture below).

The above auction announcement in from May 1948, with Hugh Martin still mentioned as Managing Director although he went back to England in May 1947. The current Hong Kong business register lists a company incorporated as “Noel, Murray & Co Ltd” in 1938 in Hong Kong and dissolved in 1952. There must have been an earlier incorporation but probably under different provisions.

This post is the 4th post about Hugh Martin in Shanghai. The beginning of this thread is post “Hugh Martin’s grave in Shanghai“.

1929 Flower Show at the Majestic Hotel

The Majestic Hotel in Shanghai (1924-1931) was a legendary hotel in Old Shanghai. I wrote a post several years ago about it, that is regularly toping the most read article list (See post “The rise and fall of the Majestic hotel” for more info). Since the building was destroyed in 1932, there are only few pictures of the hotel available. Going through my own collection, I recently realised that I have a few of them taken during a special occasion.

According to Nenad Djordjvic “Old Shanghai Clubs & Associations”, The Shanghai Horticultural Society was founded in the 1860’s. It had a yearly Autumn Flower Show, the last one taking place on 20-21 November 1940. It was certainly an important association as it received financial support from the Shanghai Municipal Council and was presided for many years by Horace Kadoorie, whose family owne the Hong Kong & Shanghai Hotels company owner of the Majestic Hotel. The above picture also appeared in the North-China Sunday News Magazine Supplement on 24 Nov 1929 (Thanks Katya Kniazeva for finding it!). So these pictures must be from the 1929 Autumn Flower Show.

The reception room also appears in the original post “The rise and fall of the Majestic Hotel” but looks really different with all the flowers.

Imperial Chemical Industries was a major British chemical firm with strong presence in Old Shanghai. One of their products was fertiliser, a great product to advertise at a flower show. Our friends at Mofba did a post on ICI in Old Shanghai, follow the link to read it.

This picture is taken from the hotel, looking toward the winter garden. The Italian garden of the Majestic hotel where the event takes place was designed by Abelardo Lafuente, a spanish architect in Shanghai.

One of the few pictures of the beautiful iron work inside the hotel.

For more views and history of the Majestic Hotel, go to post “The rise and fall of the Majestic hotel“

ABC News Company

Library and bookstore were the place to get news and culture in Old Shanghai. There was quite a number of official libraries including the Royal Asiatic Society library on Yuan Min Yuan lu, the Ziaccawei Bibliotheca Sinica near the Xu Jia Hui cathedral and the Shanghai library (located in Jiangwan district). There were also a number of private libraries, including Hung Ying Library located on Avenue Joffre (today Huai Hai Lu), and Hezhong library on Rue Bourgeat (today Changle lu).

Foreign bookstores were the place to buy books and newspapers in English and other foreign language stores. The biggest and most well known was the World Book Co building, today’s Foreign language bookstore on 390 Fuzhou lu, as well as Kelly & Walsh (that is still active in Hong Kong nowadays). Another famous one that I recently discovered was ABC News Company.

Located on 391 Szechuen Road, the ABC News Company opened its store 1 August 1936, as mentioned in a China Press article. It was located at the corner of Szechuen Road and Nanjing Road. The article mentioned the location as “opposite Whiteaway, Laidlaw and opposite Hall and Holtz Man’s Shop”, both department stores being very famous in Shanghai, the location was excellent.

Whiteaway & Laidlaw building. ABC news was on the building on the left

ABC News Company had “a large assortment of British and American magazines and newspapers” and could offer subscription. It also offered “Code books, dictionaries, language studies, radio books, works on photography, cook books”. It also stored books from well known American mass publishers like “Everyman’s library and Modern Library”, “as well as current novels and popular cheap editions issued by leading publishers abroad”.

ABC News Company also had a large section of Children books, as well as games and puzzle, crayons and painting boxes. It also carried a large range of stationaries, including account books, “check writers, pencil sharpeners, punches, staple machines, ink and pencils”. Well known brands of pen like Parker and Waterman were also available. They also sold maps of the city, like the one below.

Being one of the leading book, newspapers and stationary store in the Shanghai business district, ABC News Company was surely one of the first places to visit for newcomers. This particular one is from 1945, with the publishing year written below the ABC News company label. It was not published by ABC News, but sold in the store. The map was sold in the above envelop with a Art Deco / modernist pattern. It is not surprising to have the Bund’s HSBC building and the customs building on the cover as they were the symbol of Shanghai.

Arriving in Shanghai in the late 1930’s, a map was pretty necessary to go around the very large city. I am sure this map was sold along books like the “All about Shanghai Guide“, the “Shanghai Dollar Directory” or Carl’s Crow books including “400 million customers” and “Hand book for China”.

Park Hotel accounting part 2

This post is a follow-up from post “Park Hotel accounting“, analyzing accounts Shanghai Park hotel for 22nd October 1938. The original post was looking into the purchase side of the hotel accounts, this post is looking into the revenue side. In October 1938, the international settlement had been surrounded by the Japanese army since Aug 1937, travelling to the rest of China was difficult and only few ships came from abroad to Shanghai. It is then not surprising that the room part of the revenue is low, nearly the same as the F&B, as tourists and businessmen travelling were very few.

The above picture is the daily earnings report for the date of 22nd Octobre 1938, summarizing all the earnings of the hotel including rooms, restaurants and other guest services. Besides Park Hotel had four restaurants as well as room service, details of which can be found on the Park Hotel leaflet that was show in post “Advertising Park Hotel“.

For F&B, on the list is “sustentation”. This large post (44% of revenue on that day) probably covered breakfast and maybe some more small snacks along the day. It must have been reserved for the residents and their guests, as no revenue is booked from outside.

The grill room was located on 14th floor, overlooking the race course. Numbers show that it was the most popular restaurant of the hotel by revenue, with more than 70% of restaurant revenue on that day. Notably, wine revenu was higher than the food showing that it was popular to drink alcohol while eating grilled meat, as it is today. The restaurant attracted many customers from the outside, as the least part of the revenue comes from residents (about 15%). The largest part (56%) was city, i.e. external regular customers with accounts at the hotel who did not need to pay cash, but where sent the “sheet”, meaning the tab, for collection at the end of the month. Finally, about 27% was cash, meaning external customers that did not have a credit line.

The dining room French cuisine on 2nd floor was much less popular (representing 6% of revenue), with most customers being residents of the hotel. The Chinese restaurant had little more success (about 10% of the revenue).

The hotel also had a lounge and a bar that was massively selling drinks, amounting to 30% of total F&B revenue. The place must have been popular in town, as residents only accounted for a third of the revenue, while city and cash accounting for a third each. The main feature of Park Hotel lounge was a full view of the race course, this made the lounge and bar particularly popular during the racing season. The races were organized in a Spring and Autumn season. The Autumn season would start in October with races on weekends culminating on Champion’s day in November. 22nd October 1938 was a Saturday, it was probably a day of races, explaining the strong attendance of the bar and the grill room which both had view on the race course.

A substantial amount was also spent on cigars, probably mostly in the bar. Telephone was also a source of additional revenue as Park Hotel was one of the places where people could make international phone calls. It was the location for the first international call with the USA attended by Soong Mei-Ling, wife of the Chang Kai Shek in 1935 after AT&T started transpacific telephone service. With the international settlement surrounded, international phone calls were surely of high demand at that time.

For more information on the accounts of Park Hotel, please go to post Park Hotel accounting.