In the well-tended Jewish Cemetery in Hong Kong there stands an imposing
stone, decorated with wreaths, ribbons and garlands, dedicated to James Henry
OXBERRY [ID:I2579], born in Blaydon, Newcastle upon Tyne, 6 March
1871, died 19 December 1925.
The Hebrew inscription on the stone reads:
“the memorial stone of the tomb of a perfect and upright man who feared
God and avoided evil ... Isaac Oxberry, who departed for his eternal home
on the 3rd day of Tevet and his days were ... years”9
An obituary in the Hong Kong Telegraph10, dated Monday, 21 February 1925,
describes him as the Proprietor of the Palace Hotel, Kowloon. It goes on to
relate that Mr. OXBERRY was a native of Yorkshire and, as a young man, had
been a member of the services. He later joined the staff of the Hong Kong
Hotel and had been proprietor of the Palace Hotel for the past eight years. He
was a very keen “Buffalo”11 - he had attained the highest rank - and also a
Freemason. He was also an active supporter of many sporting organisations
on the island. The funeral at the Jewish Cemetery was conducted by R.I.
ELIAS, assisted by Mr. D.S. GUBBAY, and, among the chief mourners, were
Messrs I.L. and H. GOLDENBURG, E. ABRAHAMS and N. MOSES. They
may well have been surprised by the departure from Jewish ritual that followed
its conclusion, when, we are told, a Mr. G. SHERRIF conducted a Royal
Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes service, with the members lined up round the
grave. We have found a probable birth certificate in March Quarter, 1872:
OXBERRY, James, Gateshead, 10a 826, a year later than the date given on the
stone. The following look the most promising matches in the 1881 and 1891
censuses:
1881
OXBERRY, Thomas, Head, Married, 41, Glass Bottle Blower, Harwent Hill,
Durham
OXBERRY, Hannah, Wife, Married, 42, York
OXBERRY, Mary Ann, Daughter, Single, 16, Dressmaker, York
OXBERRY, George, Son, Single, 13, Scholar, Blaydon, Durham
OXBERRY, Thomas, Son, Single, 11, Scholar Blaydon
OXBERRY, James, Son, Single, 9, Scholar, Blaydon
RG number: RG11 Piece: 4967 Folio: 143 Page: 109
35 Adolphus St, Dawdon, County: Durham
1891
OXBERRY, Thomas, Head, Married, 51, Glass Bottle Maker, Durham,
Harvent Hill
OXBERRY, Hannah, Wife, Married, 52, York, Yorkshire
OXBERRY, James, Son, Single, 19, Glass Bottle Maker, Durham,
Blaydon On Tyne
OXBERRY, Thos Wm, Grandson, 8, Scholar, Whitwood, Yorkshire
RG number: RG12 Piece: 3763 Folio: 110 Page: 20
Address: 50, Cambridge Street, Castleford, County: Yorkshire (West Riding)
We have not located him in the returns of 1901, by which time he may have
already been in Hong Kong.
