Note On Date Of Arrival In Stanley And Images of Places of Internment

I’d previously though that Thomas and Evelina were sent to Stanley Camp in late April, 1943, perhaps in preparation for the arrest of Dr. Selwyn-Clarke on May 2.

My evidence was the first communication they sent to Thomas’s parents in Windsor:

 However, I’ve just noticed this passage in shipyard worker George Gerrard’s diary:

We have been told {some time in the first week of May) that we can write a 200 word letter which will be dated 30 April and it is expected that we will be able to write monthly and by backdating the letter we’ll be able to send one for May.

Gerrard himself gave his letter in to the Camp Secretary’s Office on May 4.

This makes it highly likely that Thomas and Evelina were sent to Stanley as part of the group of 18 whose arrival Gerrard noted as taking place on Friday, May 7. He says that they were allowed to enter Stanley with ‘all their clothes and goods and chattels’ and that they are ‘feeding with our block’ (either 8 or 9).

Gerrard was correct: Thomas and Evelina were able to send another card in May.

 

Below are images of each of their three places of internment, Exchange House (Thomas only), the old wing of the French Hospital and Bungalow D in Stanley Camp:

http://www.stpaul.org.hk/en/tls/main/overview

http://www.ssc.edu.hk/ssctrail/eng/buildings.html#building5