Sir Sik-nin Chau (; 13 April 1903 – 30 November 1985) was a prominent Hong Kong doctor, politician and businessman during the first decades after the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. He was the Senior Unofficial Member of the Executive and

Legislative A legislature (, ) is a deliberative assembly with the legal authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country, nation or city on behalf of the people therein. They are often contrasted with the executive and judicial powers ...

Councils of Hong Kong from 1959 to 1962 and from 1953 to 1959 respectively.

Biography

Chau was born in April 1903 in Hong Kong. He was educated at the St. Stephen's College and entered the

University of Hong Kong The University of Hong Kong (HKU) is a public research university in Pokfulam, Hong Kong. It was founded in 1887 as the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese by the London Missionary Society and formally established as the University of ...

in 1918. After he graduated in medicine in 1924, he went abroad for further study in Vienna and London, where he obtained the Diploma in Ophthalmic Medicine and Surgery and Diploma in Laryngology and Otology. He returned to Hong Kong to practise with those specialist qualifications. He was well-versed in healing eye, ear, and throat. Chau joined the Department of Surgery at the

for three years as lecturer in ophthalmology. He was also member of the Interim Committee which operated for the first few months after the British restoration of Hong Kong from the Japanese from 1946 to 1947. He was subsequently appointed by the Chancellor to succeed Sir Man-kam Lo on the University Council in 1956. He was also the vice-president of the Alumni Association of the university. He received the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws by the university in 1961. Chau became a member of the

Urban Council The Urban Council (UrbCo) was a municipal council in Hong Kong responsible for municipal services on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon (including New Kowloon). These services were provided by the council's executive arm, the Urban Services ...

from 1936 to 1941 and served on Government Medical Board and the Board of Education before the war. After the war, he was appointed an

unofficial member Unofficial Member is the name given to individuals who are members of the Executive Council of Hong Kong and Legislative Council of Hong Kong but who are not members of the Hong Kong Government. The terms "Unofficial" (or "non-official") and ...

of the

Legislative Council of Hong Kong The Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, colloquially known as LegCo, is the Unicameralism, unicameral legislature of Hong Kong. It sits under People's Republic of China, China's "one country, two systems" c ...

from 1946 to 1959 and was appointed to the Executive Council in 1948. He was the Senior Unofficial Member of the two councils between 1953 and 1959 and between 1959 and 1962 respectively. Furthermore, he was elected deputy chairman of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association in Hong Kong from 1953 to 1959. Chau was honoured with the

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

in 1950 and was knighted in 1960. In business, he was chairman and director of numerous public companies, including the

Dairy Farm Dairy farming is a class of agriculture for the long-term production of milk, which is processed (either on the farm or at a dairy plant, either of which may be called a dairy) for the eventual sale of a dairy product. Dairy farming has a h ...

. He founded the Hongkong Chinese Bank and became the first chairman. He served as the chairman of the Working Party on the formation of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries in 1960 and was the first chairman of the Federation from 1961 to 1966. He was also founding chairman the Hong Kong Management Association from 1960 and 1969, as well as honorary president of a number of unions or associations of manufacturers. He was appointed the first chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council when it was first established in 1966. In 1967, he established the Sir Sik-nin Chau Foundation for Industrial Development to support the promotion of industrial quality standards, industrial research and surveys and technical education. Chau served as chairman on some community institutions such as the Hong Kong Settlers Housing Corporation, a builder of low-cost residential cottages and flats, the Hong Kong Model Housing Society, as well as services at the Hong Kong Anti-Tuberculosis Association, the Ruttonjee Sanatorium, and the Grantham Hospital. Chau was the first Chinese steward of the Hong Kong Jockey Club in 1935 and was elected as member of the Board of Stewards in November 1946. Chau died in Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital on 30 November 1985 at the age of 83. His cousin Sir Tsun-nin Chau was also member of the Executive and Legislative Councils. His son Chau Kai-bong was a famous socialite in Hong Kong.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chau, Sik-nin 1903 births 1985 deaths Alumni of the University of Hong Kong Alumni of St. John's Hall, University of Hong Kong Academic staff of the University of Hong Kong Members of the Executive Council of Hong Kong Members of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong Members of the Urban Council of Hong Kong Hong Kong bankers Hong Kong medical doctors Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Knights Bachelor