Remembering our Roots

As the end of a wonderful first year in the new 22A Kennedy Road approaches, it is time to remember the roots of our 180 year old history. Catriona Woodrow gave a talk on James Legge, our founder: a truly remarkable man. Arriving in 1843, he was to devote all his energies to the well being of Hong Kong and was an influential figure in the fledgling colony. Under the auspices of the London Missionary Society, he founded churches, organised translation work, introduced educational policy, served as the headmaster of Ying Wa College between 1840 to 1858; established the first public secondary school in Hong Kong in 1862 which was later renamed Queen's College and established health care, as well as setting up the finest printing press in the East. His ability in the Chinese language was outstanding : he undertook the immense task of translating the Chinese Classics into English, a work still held in high regard today. Upon retiral, he became the first Professor of Chinese at Oxford University. This is a chance for newer members of the congregation to discover the rich heritage of Union Church. Speaker: Catronia Woodrow, a passionate historian, and a member of Union Church, since 1993. A modern language teacher with extensive experience, she studied theology and gained a Masters of Divinity in 2020. If you know Catriona, you know she loves teaching about James Legge.

Missed the Talk on James Legge? Catch Up HERE!