James Cock inheritance They appear to be Chinese names ?

[majm]

Reckon you could be correct Sparrett  -  and I see JM agrees with you.   

Well, I don't know whether she does or not, but it was mentioned as seemingly open to question.

I just think when this document writer makes d, the circle is usually well closed.

Just a  thought really, but may make a difference in the search.
Sue

Wiggy,  please read back over this thread,  notice the chronological order of the posts, ....  how can I have been agreeing with Sue  ... my post came earlier than hers and I had made no comment between Sue's post and yours ...... I know I am pedantic at times,  but for me to be seen as agreeing with someone,  surely I should be seen to actually at least have commented on their post ...

However,  I am happy to confirm that I support Sue's observation re the closed 'd' yes, exactly.

Wiggy, I wonder if the document that you and I have both,  separately,  offered up partial transcriptions for, is perhaps a transcription of someone else's transcription of a court record,  and thus perhaps the best option for our OP would be to seek out the actual contemporary court record ...

JM

[seemex]

Well, after months of trying to figure this out, I found that the "DP" on line 1, stands for Hong Kong Daily Press. I posted the same .jpg on a Hong Kong Facebook group hoping someone may know of a newspaper archive for that publication. There is one, and it's accessed through the HK Public Records Office. One of the Facebook members found the listing and sent a screen capture which I am posting here. As you'll all see, the article is much longer than what was recorded on the Carl Smith Collection reference card. Thanks to all who made the attempt. I think we all did well.
Brian

[majm]

Thank you for that info about the source of the handwritten document and for posting that newspaper cutting. 

The British Empire's sphere of influence was extensive at that time and its legal system has continued to influence many  jurisdictions around the globe.

Now that you have the Anglicised spellings for their names you should be able to advance your quest. 

JM 

[seemex]

Yes it's good to have the complete article with Anglo spelling. One thing I did notice and something that didn't sound correct from the start, is the second line..."Yut Linship" After reading through a few times it seems evident that "Yut" should be "Yue" so I really think the plaintiff should be "Yue Ling Shi" or "Yue Lung Shi" I will see if I can find an earlier China Hong List than the one I have ( 1937 ) and maybe confirm these Anglo spellings. "Yue" is quite common but I don't think "Lingship" is correct. More likely it's two words "Ling Shi"

B

[seemex]

Just to add to what I've found; now I located two more news items in the North China Herald...one from about the same date in 1901 and a second one in June of 1905. In the latter case, as in the first one, no resolution seems to have been made by the courts. Alexander George Wood left Gibb Livingston & Co in 1908 to return to the UK ( I assume he retired ) I'll continue my search for a further outcome.
Thanks again to all.
Brian

[majm]

 

The cutting you posted notes it as 'sine die' .... so at the time, no date was actually set aside for any further hearing into the matter...

JM

[seemex]

Yes, that's right. That's the reason I looked further, and in 1905 it went to court again, but the outcome was no clearer really. It almost looks as if the judge told everyone to start over.
Here's the 1905 article. BTW, A.G. Wood left the firm of Gibb Livingston in 1908 so I guess maybe he retired. Sorry about the zig-zag article

[majm]

  

Between those two newspaper reports you have now gathered together the names and relationships of those seeking to establish their legal entitlement to that particular parcel of land in the Shanghai district in China in the 1900s.  It seems unlikely you would even need to seek out any further newspaper reports to be able to add these people to your family tree, using those spellings and their stated relationships, which would be taking you back several generations.   What a great outcome, well done.   

JM

   

[seemex]

While there's certainly lots of clarification of who's who with the many Chinese parties involved, I don't really know what their relationship was to the Cock family. As was stated, land was often held by foreigners in trust for Chinese, which seems the reverse f how things should have been. Why Chinese weren't allowed to hold property in China and had to have a foreigner onboard, is odd by today's norms, but it was a different time and Britannica did rule!
My relationship is indirect, through my GF's sister, May Hunter ( my great aunt ) marrying into the Cock family in 1903 in Hong Kong. They moved back to Shanghai and my GF, and my family followed them about 1919. My great grandmother was at least half Chinese and I've yet to trace her roots, so all these little bits help as they may eventually fit into my own puzzle.