Lo Man-wai

CBE 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 ...

(1895 – 5 April 1985) was a prominent lawyer and politician in Hong Kong who served as a member of the Executive Council and

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 ...

Biography

Lo Man-wai was born in 1895 in Hong Kong. His father was the wealthy Hong Kong merchant and

compradore A comprador or compradore () is a "person who acts as an agent for foreign organizations engaged in investment, trade, or economic or political exploitation." An example of a comprador would be a native manager for a European business house in Eas ...

of Jardine, Matheson & Co.,

Lo Cheung-shiu Lo Cheung-shiu () (1867–1934) was a prominent Hong Kong businessman and the founder of the Lo family, an influential family in Hong Kong. He was also George She's brother-in-law. Biography Lo Cheung-shiu was a first generation Hong Kong E ...

. His brother,

Lo Man-kam Sir Man-kam Lo, CBE (; 21 July 1893 – 7 March 1959) was an Eurasian lawyer in Hong Kong and unofficial member of the Executive Council and the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. Early life and education Man-kam Lo was born into a prominent Eu ...

, was also a prominent lawyer who served on the Executive and Legislative Councils of Hong Kong prior to the 1950s. Man-wai was educated at Queen's College. After graduating, he went to England to study law along with his brother. In 1916, they returned to Hong Kong and founded the law firm Lo and Lo. He had three sons and a daughter. His second son, Kenneth Lo Tak-cheung, later joined Lo and Lo and 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 ...

. During the

Canton–Hong Kong strike The Canton–Hong Kong strike was a strike and boycott that took place in British Hong Kong and Guangzhou (Canton), Republic of China, from June 1925 to October 1926.Jens Bangsbo, Thomas Reilly, Mike Hughes. 995(1995). Science and Football III: ...

, Lo and his brother

joined the

Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps The Royal Hong Kong Regiment (The Volunteers) (RHKR(V)) (), formed in May 1854, was a local auxiliary militia force funded and administered by the colonial Government of Hong Kong. Its powers and duties were mandated by the Royal Hong Kong R ...

, and more Hong Kong Chinese followed. Man-wai was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1926 and a member of the Urban Council in 1940. After the war, he succeeded Lo Man-kam's seat on the Legislative Council in 1950 and the Executive Council in 1959. For his services, he was named an Officer and 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 1955, respectively. He was a director of many large public companies, including Hongkong Tramways,

Star Ferry The Star Ferry () is a passenger ferry service operator and tourist attraction in Hong Kong. Its principal routes carry passengers across Victoria Harbour, between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. The service is operated by the Star Ferry Com ...

China Light and Power Company CLP Group () and its holding company, CLP Holdings Ltd (), also known as China Light and Power Company, Limited (now CLP Power Hong Kong Ltd., ), is an electricity company in Hong Kong. Incorporated in 1901 as China Light & Power Company Syndi ...

, Hongkong and Kowloon Wharf and Godown Company, and

Commercial Radio Hong Kong Commercial Radio Hong Kong (CRHK, , also known as Hong Kong Commercial Broadcasting Company Limited, is one of the two commercial radio broadcasting companies in Hong Kong, alongside Metro Radio Hong Kong. CRHK offers a variety of radio prog ...

. A skilled tennis player, he was known as the "Grand Old Man of Hong Kong Tennis." With his brother Lo Man-kam, he won the Men's Doubles title at the 1920 Hong Kong National Grass Court Championships, as well as the singles title in 1929. From 1920 to 1922, he was runner-up to Ng Sze-kwong three years in a row in Men's Singles at the Hong Kong National Grass Court Championships. With his sister Enid, he won the Mixed Doubles title at the Hong Kong Hardcourt Championships in 1928, 1930 and 1932, thus becoming the only player in Hong Kong to have won a local doubles title with both his brother and sister. Lo Man-wai died on 5 April 1985. His funeral took place at the Hong Kong Funeral Home and his body was cremated at Cape Collinson Crematorium on 11 April.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lo, Man-wai 1895 births 1985 deaths Hong Kong solicitors Hong Kong businesspeople Hong Kong male tennis players Members of the Executive Council of Hong Kong Members of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong Members of the Urban Council of Hong Kong Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Star Ferry The Wharf (Holdings) Hong Kong justices of the peace

Biography

See also

References