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A pre-war family portrait
Lee Foo and his father, mother, elder sister and younger brother pose for a group photo in a studio during the 1930s-Provided by Lee Foo
A pre-war family portrait
Lee Foo and his father, mother, elder sister and younger brother pose for a group photo in a studio during the 1930s-Provided by Lee Foo
Working in the Fire Services Department
Between 1958 and 1987, Lee Foo worked in the Fire Services Department and was a Principal Fireman before retirement. This photo dates back to the 1980s-Provided by Lee Foo
Working in the Fire Services Department
Between 1958 and 1987, Lee Foo worked in the Fire Services Department and was a Principal Fireman before retirement. This photo dates back to the 1980s-Provided by Lee Foo
Feeling chronically ill because of serious food shortages during the Japanese occupation
During the Japanese Occupation of Hong Kong, Lee Foo's family moved to Model Village. Lee’s mother raised chicken when his father took up work at the Blue Bird Dockyardin Aberdeen. The father stayed with relatives in Aberdeen on weekdays and only returned to Model Village in the weekend. The Lees were given three acres of land in Model Village. They allocated one acre for vegetable farming and another acre for growing sweet potatoes. The sweet potatoes yielded three crops, with harvest periods of 30 days, 60 days and 90 days respectively. They also planted a breed of sweet potato from Japan (with harvest period of 60 days) which contained higher nutritional value. Apart from using sweet potatoes as their own food, the Lees sold the surplus or used it as a kind of currency. Each load could be exchanged for over 100 dollars worth of military yen. Lee Foo, who was infected with malaria, would go to see Dr Yu Chiu Kwong in Kowloon City Market. He paid the consultation fee each time with a load of sweet potatoes. Eventually, Lee was healed by applying mugwort and taking ginger soup.
