HONG KONG.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

Rotary Club of Kowloon: Programme of the Tenth Annual Ball. A charming souvenir of the Rotary Club of Kowloon's annual fundraising bash for 1957, now hard to find in commerce and unrecorded in institutional collections. In the 1950s, the club's balls were lavish affairs, attracting everyone from the British governor downwards and garnering significant attention in the local press. The many adverts and messages from its commercial sponsors showcase a bygone era of Hong Kong business.Formed in 1948 in the wake of the Japanese occupation, the club raised $350,000 in its first ten years to fund community projects and scholarships. According to the menu printed in this programme, this year members tucked into fruit cocktail, consomme royale, fillet of sole caprice, Spanish-style roast chicken, and pear belle Helene, while the entertainment included dances, impressions, and bongo drumming.

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