This week’s find is a cache of late 19th century / early 20th century directories for the “China trade”: people doing business in Canada, the USA, England, France, and Germany with all the countries of Asia. (BTW: a “hong” is a company.)
19 English-language directories for Asia, for the 19th cent.
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | HongKong Almanack and Directory, General Directory for Canton, Shanghai, Amoy, Ningpo, Fuh-Chau-Fu, Macao and Manila | 112 pages; European residents only of Hong Kong; PDF pgs. 45-58; Canton/Whampoa 59-67; Amoy/Fuh-chau-fu and Ningpo 68-69; Macao 70-76; Manila 77-79. |
| 1856, 1857 | Shanghae Almanac | Two almanacs in one scan, 1856 first: 541 pages; “Shanghai”; pg. 60 List of Foreign residents, Aug 1855; PDF pg. 64 for Ningpo; a number of essays on expat life. 1857 begins on page 290. Foreign residents in Shanghai pg 348; Ningpo 353. |
| 1874 | The China Directory | See notes below. |
| 1879 | Chronicle and Directory for China, Japan, and the Phillippines | See notes below. |
| 1882 | The Hong List for Shanghai and the Northern and River Ports | See notes below. |
| 1884 | Desk Hong List for Shanghai | 74 pages; “hong” is a company |
| 1889 | Chronicle and Directory for China, Corea, Japan, The Phillipines, Cochin-China, Annam, Tonquin, Siam, Borneo, Straits Settlements, Malay States, & c. | 1266 pages |
| 1892 | Chronicle and Directory for China, Corea, Japan, The Phillipines, Cochin-China, Annam, Tonquin, Siam, Borneo, Straits Settlements, Malay States, & c. | 1189 pages |
| 1894 | Chronicle and Directory for China, Corea, Japan, The Phillipines, Indo-China, Straits Settlements, Siam, Borneo, Malay States, & c. | 1197 pages |
| 1899 | Chronicle and Directory for China, Japan, Corea, Indo-China, Siam, Settlements, Malay States, Siam, Netherlands India, Borneo, The Phillippines, & c. | 1382 pages |
| 1905 | Chronicle and Directory for China, Japan, Corea, Indo-China, Siam, Settlements, Malay States, Siam, Netherlands India, Borneo, The Phillippines, & c. | 1810 pages |
| 1905 | Educational Directory for China, an account of the various schools and colleges connected with Protestant Missions | 226 pages |
| 1908 | Directory & Chronicle for China, Japan, Corea, Indo-China, Siam, Settlements, Malay States, Siam, Netherlands India, Borneo, The Phillippines, & c. | 1918 pages; left hand side damaged |
| 1917 | Chronicle and Directory for China, Japan, Corea, Indo-China, Siam, Settlements, Malay States, Siam, Netherlands India, Borneo, The Phillippines, & c. | 1855 pages |
| 1919 | North China Hong List | 369 pages “hong” = company |
| 1920 | Directory of Protestant Missions in China | 412 pages |
| 1920 | Directory & Chronicle for China, Japan, Corea, Indo-China, Siam, Settlements, Malay States, Siam, Netherlands India, Borneo, The Phillippines, & c. | 1725 pages |
| 1922 | Peking Who’s who, by A. Ramsay | 146 pages |
| 1922 | China Who’s Who, a biographical dictionary by Carroll Lunt | 323 pages |
| 1985 | China Report, Science and Techology | 189 pages; names and institutions in China in the science and technology education field |
| 2004 | Doing business in Beijing | book, 422 pages |
Notes about the directories
Spellings below are taken from the original guides. All guides are in English. Some include information on treaties and tariffs.
| Title | Notes |
|---|---|
| Shanghae Almanac | PDF pg. 58: Rates of labor in San Francisco, Mar 1855; example: Blacksmiths $5-6 per diem. |
| The China Directory | Year: 1874 Published by the China Mail, Hong Kong and sold for $2. Here is a breakdown of this directory: 402 pages; list of streets in Hong Kong including names in Chinese, pgs. 21-28; foreign residents in China, Japan and the Phillipines pg 29-129; gov’t and hongs for Hong Kong pgs. 131-175; HK compradores pg 177; Native hong list pg 179-193; Macao pg. 195-201; Whampoa pg. 203; Canton 205-210; Swatow 211-212; Amoy 213-216; Formosa 217-219; Foochow 221-226; Ningpo 227-229; Shanghai street names pg. 231; Shanghai hongs pg. 232-262; Japan pg. 287; Phillipines pg. 327; Saigon pg. 335; Bangkok pg. 343; Straits pg. 347; Borneo pg. 355. Schedule of Mail steamers, English and French, PDF pg 7. |
| Chronicle and Directory for China, Japan, and the Phillippines | Year: 1879. There are 9 editions in this list. Published at the Daily Press, Wyndham Street, Hong Kong. Here is a breakdown of this directory format (China, then Japan and the other countries): 966 pages; maps of Shanting, Fokien, Formosa pg 52-53; foreign residents pg. 55-198; Hong Kong pg. 200-239; names of military in China pg. 240-248; Principal Chinese hongs incl. Chinese and addresses, pg. 249-260; map of Hong Kong pg 262; Macao pg. 277; Pakhoi Port pg 285; Hoihow Port pg. 286; Whampoa pg. 289; Canton pg. 289-294; Swatow pg. 295; Amoy pg. 298; Takao Port and Taiwan-fu pg. 304; Tamsui pg. 306; Keelung pg. 207; Foochow pg. 308; Wenchow pg. 315; Ningpo pg. 316; Shanghai pg. 320; Chinkiang Port pg. 363; Wuhu Port pg. 364; Kiukiang pg. 366; Hankow pg. 368; Ichang Port pg. 372; Chefoo pg. 373; Taku pg. 377; Tientsin pg. 378; Peking pg. 381; Newchang Port pg. 384; Japan pg. 387; Phillipines pg. 423; Saigon pg. 446; Cambodia pg. 454; Bangkok pg. 459; Singapore pg. 466; laws & regulation for all territories. Chinese Passsenger’s Act, 1855; An Act for the Regulation of Chinese Passenger Ships, pg. 817. |
| The Hong List for Shanghai and the Northern and River Ports | Year: 1882 Published by the North China Herald, Shanghai. Here is a breakdown of the format of this type of directory: 68 pages; lists hongs and residents of Shanghai, then hongs only for Chefoo, Chinkiang, Foochow, Hankow, Ichang, Kiukiang, Newchang, Ningpo, Peking, Tientsin, Wenchow, Wuhu. Who’s who list of names pgs. 35-49; Ladies list of names pgs. 50-54; Shanghai; lists of names of military stationed in China; major events in China. |
How to find more like these
All of these directories are on the Internet Archive. I had some trouble getting a usable number of hits: it was either not enough or far too many. Try this search: “subject: “Directories” AND “China””.
Thank yous
Thanks to Elda and Marisa, both members of my Facebook group Genealogy for Asian Canadians, for intriguing questions about 19th century China.
Coming this Saturday!
Saskatchewan Genealogical Society
SGS and the Moose Jaw Branch are hosting two virtual presentations by Linda Yip on September 19, 2020. Pre-registration is required. There is no registration fee for members.
10:30 – 11:30 a.m. CST – Beyond BMDs and the Censuses Part 1 – Searching for your family in SK directories.
1:00 – 2:00 p.m. CST – Beyond BMDs and the Censuses Part 2 – Searching for your family in SK newspapers.
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