A stormy petrel : the life and times of John Pope Hennessy   

• Product Details

  Product #

  2574766B

  Author(s)

  Mackeown, P. Kevin

  City

  Hong Kong 

  Country

  China 

  Language

  English 

  ISBN

  9789629373771 

  Date of Publication

  2020 

  Publisher

  Xianggang cheng shi da xue chu ban she  

  Cover Type

  Soft cover 

  Pages

  473 

  Series

  Royal Asiatic society Hong Kong studies series 

  Subject

  Biography / Memoirs

  Subject

  History, 19th Century and Earlier

  Subject

  Religion

   

• Product Details in Original Language

  Author

  Mackeown, P. Kevin

  Publisher

  香港城市大學出版社  

• Description

  Many words have been used to describe John Pope Hennessy, the former governor of Hong Kong. “Controversial” is perhaps the briefest way to outline his character. Yet we may be guilty of ascribing modern ideas to our understanding of characters of the past. An Irish Catholic raised during the age of empire and rising nationalism, a devout Tory and Disraeli follower, a believer in both the benefits of empire and a patron of local talent in his postings, it is easy to view Pope Hennessy as a man of contradictions. This volume traces Pope Hennessy’s history from his early beginnings in famine Ireland to his attempts to rise through the ranks in London. It goes on to cover his early postings to Labuan, West Africa, and, of course, Hong Kong, as well as his final days with his family. His actions and his personality are laid bare for readers to form their own opinions of one of Hong Kong’s most enigmatic governors. “As to Sir J. P. Hennessy, the less said the better. His acts speak powerfully enough. The centre of his world was he himself. But with all the crowd of dark and bright powers that were wrestling within him, he could not help doing some good…”