Lugard in Hong Kong

Sir Frederick Lugard ranks as one of Britain’s most distinguished colonial administrators, although he remains a controversial figure. During his five years as Governor of Hong Kong—a brief spell in the middle of a long and dramatic career in Africa—Lugard found in educational reform the scope he needed to make a lasting impression and give play to his imperialist theories and instincts. The University of Hong Kong owes its existence to the initiative and tenacity of Lugard. His purpose in founding the University was to produce a new, highly educated middle class trained in Western technology and the English language: a vanguard of increased British influence in the east. This book paints a very human picture of Lugard as a working governor in the relative stability of Hong Kong against a backdrop of the Chinese empire being torn apart by revolution.