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3 Tsuen Wan and the Islands, 1959-196 1 Tsuen Wan Tsuen Wan was over the hills and along the coast west of Kowloon. Whitewalled villages were hidden in valleys; huts and factories straggled up the hillsides; families lived on tiny sampans at anchor in the bay, and vegetables were grown anywher e no t immediatel y wante d fo r livin g and working . From 195 9 w e live d i n Tsue n Wa n fo r jus t unde r a year , whil e th e incumbent Distric t Officer, Ha l Miller (late r Sir Hal Miller, a Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Conservative Party), returned to England. The resettlement of urban squatters from Kowloon into seven-storey grey barrack s o f concret e ha d begun . Thes e block s wer e crampe d an d uncomfortable, bu t families were away, at last, from leak y roofs and saf e from fire and typhoon winds. Silk-weaving factories from Shanghai, with their tall wooden looms for weaving fine patterned brocades, were housed in a specia l bloc k wit h hig h ceilings . Industrialists , wit h thei r money , machines and men brought from Shanghai, were busy spinning, weaving and dyeing cloth for export to the West in such quantities that Britain, to protect the Lancashire industry, retaliated with import quota restrictions. Tin beaters, knitting machines, pressing machines making bright plasti c flowers wher e n o flower s grew , an y activit y tha t woul d mak e a living , were cramme d int o seven-store y factor y block s simila r t o thos e whic h housed th e people. In a nearby inlet from th e sea, the pale grey hulks of aircraft carriers , 3 Tsuen Wan and the Islands, 1959-1961 TsuenWan TsuenWan was over the hills and along the coast west ofKowloon. Whitewalled villages were hidden in valleys; huts and factories straggled up the hillsides; families lived on tiny sampans at anchor in the bay; and vegetables were grown anywhere not immediately wanted for living and working. From 1959 we lived in Tsuen Wan for just under a year, while the incumbent District Officer, Hal Miller (later Sir Hal Miller, a Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Conservative Party), returned to England. The resettlement of urban squatters from Kowloon into seven-storey grey barracks of concrete had begun. These blocks were cramped and uncomfortable, but families were away; at last, from leaky roofs and safe from fire and typhoon winds. Silk-weaving factories from Shanghai, with their tall wooden looms for weaving fine patterned brocades, were housed in a special block with high ceilings. Industrialists, with their money; machines and men brought from Shanghai, were busy spinning, weaving and dyeing cloth for export to the West in such quantities that Britain, to protect the Lancashire industry, retaliated with import quota restrictions. Tin beaters, knitting machines, pressing machines making bright plastic flowers where no flowers grew, any activity that would make a living, were crammed into seven-storey factory blocks similar to those which housed the people. In a nearby inlet from the sea, the pale grey hulks of aircraft carriers, the Stones relics o f th e Korea n War, wer e being broken fo r scra p t o be rolle d int o reinforcing rod s fo r th e building boom t o come, and acros s th e water a monstrous, rotting midden o f rubbish was slowly filling par t of the bay. In anothe r corne r o f th e growin g town , nigh t soil , collecte d i n 'honey buckets ' from tenements without lavatories, was stored in tanks to 'mature', later t o b e pumpe d int o tanker s an d distribute d t o vegetabl e farms . Cinemas were built an d bank s opened , an d churche s an d clinic s foun d space among the many shops. The ol d villages , whic h wer e slowl y bein g encircled , electe d thei r representative leader s and , collectively , forme d a so-calle d 'rura l committee'. The committee spoke for everyon e and everythin g that was taking place : custo m an d tradition , typhoo n damage , th e increasin g encroachment o n th e lives and possession s o f people, schoo l shortage s and medical facilities . There was no...

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