A Boxing Day Hunt and a Christmas Carol with Peter Hibbard

RAS WEEKENDER

Sunday 26^th December, 2010 at 10.00am

Meet point will be emailed on confirmation of your booking.

A Boxing Day Hunt and a Christmas Carol with Peter Hibbard

We begin with a hunt for the past in the historic Jing’an Villa estate, and the neighbouring former Zhang

Gardens, which were both developed as residential districts in the late 1920s. We will also be hunting out some local residents who might be content to open their doors and ears to us while we bring some festive spirit and recite a few festive carols.

Travelling on metro line 2 to

East Nanjing Road

we will make a stop outside the former Holy Trinity Cathedral for the full story on the hunt to discover how the tombstone of Charles Cathcart, Britain’s little recognised first ambassador to China, who died en route in 1788, ended up in the church’s wall. The hunt will continue with a trot to the nearby Shanghai Natural History Museum to identify some specimens that once formed part of the RASShanghaiMuseum collection. Then, perhaps a carol or two later, we will finish our hunt at the Long Bar of The Waldorf Astoria Hotel, where former RAS museum curator and president Arthur de Carle Sowerby installed a collection of animal heads and horns in the 1920s.

The hunt will last around 2½ hours, with lunch on offer at the Long Bar afterwards.

Peter Hibbard is an independent researcher/writer and President of the Royal Asiatic Society China in Shanghai

DONATION: RMB 100 for members RMB 200 for guests.

Strictly limited to a maximum number of 15 participants. RAS members will be given priority. Membership applications and renewals will be available on the morning. Those unable to make the donation but wishing to attend may contact us for exemption.

RSVP: to RAS Enquiry desk enquiry@royalasiaticsociety.org.cn

SIGN UP by email putting “Boxing Day Walk” in the subject box.  Your reservation will be confirmed by email and the Meeting Point will be advised – starting promptly at 10am.  Please indicate if you wish to join for the lunch. Please do not just turn up for the walk as numbers are limited and we usually have a waiting list. 

N.B. Owing to ‘no shows’ at previous limited participation events there will be a charge for ‘no shows’ without 24 hours notice to our enquiry desk.