Sad news. I worked a lot with Tony and we had many discussions on where to stay/go upon retirement. He and I are remembered on Tap Mun (Grass Island) in Loi Lam’s restaurant on the pier where our photo hangs, taken on a site inspection! – Allan Hay
Very sad to hear about Tony. I worked with him in the LDC (Land Development Corporation) office, and knew him before that in social gatherings and hiking. He was a very good man, fair and friendly. RIP Tony. – Simon Cheng
Very sad news about Tony.
One abiding memory about Tony is that he was the guy who made the ‘Blue House’ blue. The house was owned by the Hong Kong Government.
When he was Senior in the Property Management section, the Building Surveyor dealing with the renovation of the house came to see him and asked what colour he wanted the external walls painted. Tony looked at the colour chart the Surveyor had brought and decided blue and so the ‘Blue House’ was born.
RIP Tony
– Dick Baram
Sad to hear the news. I worked under Tony in the new DLO HKE (District Land Office, Hong Kong East) in the mid-1980s. May he rest in peace. – Patrick Fan
I distinctly remember “Osty” arriving as DLO/SK (District Land Officer, Sai Kung) in the San Po Kong office and recall he was a fan of Gary Glitter (before he was found out?) and a very ‘chilled’ sort of guy!
Something that will always be in my mind was the fact that Tony came into my office one day in March 1981 to tell me that word had been received from HQ in Murray Building that the police in Scotland had contacted them to advise that my father had died. Not a message you forget!
I got him involved in football at HKFC (Hong Kong Football Club) and can assure you the laidback image disappeared when he was on the pitch.
I can painfully recall in one practice match I received a badly bruised rib from one of his elbows. And, given that he was comfortably over six feet tall he didn’t lose many balls in the air to Chinese players! – Iain MacNaughton
I came to know Tony as a close friend through playing golf at Kai Sai Chau and his time at the GPA (Government Property Agency). A more friendly man more you could not meet. When I returned to Norwich in 2009 we visited each other. He became a Christian in Hong Kong at St Andrew’s Church in Kowloon. Rest in peace Tony. – John Aldridge
Very sad to hear about Tony. I recall he and I were asked to comment on the military estates agreement just before the handover in 1997.
At a meeting of the great and good Tony asked how the sites would actually be handed over at midnight on the 31st of June. The blank looks around the table showed that this detail had not occurred to the diplomats, AOs (Administrative Officers) and senior military types present.
Arrangements were hastily made for keys to be handed over to gentlemen with guns. – T N Keen
Really sad to hear the news. I qualified as a surveyor at about the time when Tony came to Hong Kong. We worked together in different offices on and off.
I remember him as a gentle and humorous person, a good colleague at work and a good friend after office hours. Sorry that he passed away so soon.
My condolences to his family. May he rest in peace! – Johannes Ho
I worked with Tony on the handover of the military sites at the stage when the UK Government and PLA (People’s Liberation Army) discussions were on. The SMO (Survey and Mapping Office) was involved in preparing new maps overnight for the discussions the next morning.
I saw quite a bit of Tony over about one month. Over a drink one night I surprised Tony by saying I would soon be retiring at 60. He said that he would be 45 at that time – so he was 15 years younger than me.
When that particular exercise was completed, Chief Secretary Anson Chan gave a press conference to reveal all, and Governor Chris Patten invited all of us who had been working on the deal to a barbecue at Government House.
That was held outside, near to the door to the Governor’s wine cellar, and we were told we were free to enter and sample. Tony led the group of tipplers into the cellar – and chose an excellent red!
A good man gone – well before his time. – Gordon A.
