A century of distinction

“Long life: a hundred years!” is the standard Chinese birthday wish, yet few people ever attain the milestone.

One remarkable woman who has is Elsie Tu, who celebrates her centenary today.

Born Elsie Hume in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, northern England, on June 2, 1913, as the second of four children, Tu’s personal story encompasses many of the past century’s most significant events, in Britain, the mainland and Hong Kong, where she has made her home – and numerous contributions to public life – since 1951.

Tu’s involvement in social activism started early, and from positive example.

“My father was a major influence on my life,” she says, sitting in the living room of her Kwun Tong home, a space filled with photographs and other reminders of her long service to the people of Hong Kong. “He had only six years of education; then he became an orphan and had to work, when he was doing well at school. It was a pity.

“He was gassed in the first world war and died [a premature death] in his 60s; my brother died as a result of [wounds inflicted during] the second world war. I’m not fond of war, as you can imagine. He brought me up to respect everybody, whoever they were. He had always wanted me to stay in England and become a member of parliament, to help working people.”

When she met and married William Elliott, however, she set out on a different path.