Consul in Paradise

Fülszöveg

I was born at Blundell Sands, Liverpool in 1878. My father was a partner in the old firm of BarfT and Company, with an office at Patras, Greece-where he was born. I was the sixth of eight children- and the only boy among the lot! My father decided to open a branch office in Belgium, so we migrated to Bruges, where I took lessons in a convent, and picked up a knowledge of Belgian French. At twelve, my parents having returned to England, I entered Dulwich College as a day-boy. My three years at that great school were very happy ones. In 1893 I was sent to Switzerland and exchanged my Belgian version of French for the Swiss variety, and then went on to Germany, where I became completely teutonized. In 1895 I returned to England and started preparing for the examination of Consular Student Interpreters in the Far East. I was the youngest of fifty-four entrants, but managed to take a good place. I was appointed a Student Interpreter in Siam and arrived in Bangkok in June 1896, being then... Tovább

Fülszöveg

I was born at Blundell Sands, Liverpool in 1878. My father was a partner in the old firm of BarfT and Company, with an office at Patras, Greece-where he was born. I was the sixth of eight children- and the only boy among the lot! My father decided to open a branch office in Belgium, so we migrated to Bruges, where I took lessons in a convent, and picked up a knowledge of Belgian French. At twelve, my parents having returned to England, I entered Dulwich College as a day-boy. My three years at that great school were very happy ones. In 1893 I was sent to Switzerland and exchanged my Belgian version of French for the Swiss variety, and then went on to Germany, where I became completely teutonized. In 1895 I returned to England and started preparing for the examination of Consular Student Interpreters in the Far East. I was the youngest of fifty-four entrants, but managed to take a good place. I was appointed a Student Interpreter in Siam and arrived in Bangkok in June 1896, being then eighteen years of age. During my 35 years of service in Siam, I was at various times stationed at Bangkok, Chiengmai, Chiengrai, Nan, Lampang and Songkhla, and rose by stages to be Consular Assistant, ViceConsul, Consul and Consul-General. I was also at one time Registrar of the Consular Court, Assistant Judge, and Travelling District Judge. When I was Vice-Consul at Chiengrai in 1906 I met my wife, Boon Chitpricha. She is of Shan origin, both her parents being descended from the family of the hereditary Princes of Kengtung in the Shan States. We were married in 1906, and have two daughters. I was made a C.I.E. in 1919, and a C.M.G. in 1935. Vissza