Who is Goot Choy?

[seemex]

Help! Who is Goot Choy, Kot Choy? Despite all that is written in this newspaper item, that ran in the Hong Kong Daily Press, Feb 20,1937, and the fact that she appears to be my grandfather Tobias Hunter's mother, I have no idea who she was, or where she came from. She was Eurasian and probably 50% Asian or more. She's buried at St Michael's Catholic Cemetery at Happy Valley, Hong Kong. I have found no records other than her burial listing and this and one other obituary, although it does not look like something that was put in the paper by her family. It's more of a news item. On my GFs death certificate, his mother is listed as Catherine Coutes ( information supplied by his daughter at the time of his death ) There must have been many British and other European men who had families in China during the 1800s and 1900s. Somewhere, records must exist? BTW she owned several properties in Hong Kong starting in 1887. Any ideas or suggestions would be most welcomed. Thanks!

[mckha489]

I know NOTHING” but

Perhaps the death cert would be informative?

https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/birth-death/Application_for_Search_of_Death_Records_and_Certified_Copy_of_Death_Entry.html

[seemex]

Thanks. I tried HK records a couple of years ago and nothing. It's very frustrating to not even have a group anywhere that fits the situation. There's groups for just about every category you can imagine except the Europeans who had families in Asia, India etc. then left them behind when they went back home.

[avm228]

Her husband? was William Leyland Hunter I think (China merchant) - he seems to have had a family in London as well.  He is with wife Ellen and children Evelyn E 3 and William L 7wks in London in 1891, having married her (Ellen Johnston) in 1887.

Was he ever married to Anna/Goot Choy?

[avm228]

I see that you have an old thread on William:

www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=707907.0

[bitzar]

Do you know if there is a headstone.  I’ll be in HK next week and would be more than happy to take a pic if you need.

Bitzar.

[avm228]

There’s an online tree saying that Anna Hunter’s headstone is in St Michael’s Catholic Cemetery, section 3, grave 6399, showing her as born 8 September 1854 & died 31 January 1937.

[seemex]

Sorry I wasn't clear in my earlier post. I've exhausted the obvious and also found what's available, date of birth is on her grave, and I have photos of it as well as copies of the record book entries. I have her husband's ( legal or otherwise ) marriage in the UK to the second woman and the details of the subsequent two children. I discovered William Leyland Hunter's grave in Tooting about 20 years ago. I also discovered that his earlier children, including my grandfather, were aware of and even knew the second batch. The son, born in UK worked for Hong Kong Shanghai Bank and was based in Hongkew near Shanghai. What I find most frustrating is the fact that she was left with four Hunter children in her early to mid 30s ( not an easy road ahead ) in Hong Kong and yet managed to acquire three or four properties in central Hong Kong. Her death warranted an item in the paper, and yet there's not a single other mention of her in 83 years? She was buried as Anna Hunter, a British widow, but never once in my life was she ever mentioned in our family. Her name was changed on my GFs death certificate ( his mother's name) That information was given by my mother ( her granddaughter ) despite the fact that she'd have known her personally. My mother was 26 years old and married at the time Anna Hunter died and they all shared her estate, so why did they bury her as Anna Hunter, yet change her name to Catherine Coutes on my GFs death certificate? She had another granddaughter, Ellen Hunter, who died at the same address (11 Shelley Street ) in 1944. Ellen also had a Chinese alias and was not interned at Stanley during the war so she may have looked Asian although none of the other children did. Ellen is also buried at St Michael's as is her mother Emma Hunter and their graves are cross-referenced to each other. As mentioned, some of this has been on before, but there's always a chance someone will know something new. I'm getting desperate as I'm in my 70s and my health is an issue. I just don't want to leave any stone unturned! If I don't find the answer, I'm afraid it will be lost forever. Maybe it already is? BTW, even the names Goot and Kot don't seems like normal Chinese names. Thanks everyone

[bitzar]

The Chinese names could be Anglicised versions of the real thing, like ‘sounds like’.  It’s a been a real issue for me when trying to work out Chinese Migration in Australian Goldfields in the 1850’s.

Can you obtain their marriage certificate if they were actually married.

Bitzar.