Alison Mary Spencer Bell Fok, JP (Chinese: 鍾愛理遜; 28 January 1925 – 8 April 2021) was a Scottish-born Hong Kong doctor and politician. She was the first woman to be elected to the Urban Council of Hong Kong.
Bell was born in Glasgow, Scotland in January 1925. She was the daughter of John Bell, Senior Partner of James Spencer & Company of Glasgow. She was educated at Rothesay House School, Edinburgh, where she was head girl and captain of games.[1]
Professional careerEdit
Bell graduated from the University of Edinburgh with the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery in 1948. She then took up the post of Canadian Red Cross Memorial Hospital till she married Dr. Peter Hin-tak Fok in 1949. She moved to Hong Kong in 1949. She was an anaesthetist at Kowloon Hospital and after that in private practice until 1951 when she started her private practice.[2]
Bell first ran for the Urban Council in the 1956 election as a candidate of Brook Bernacchi's Reform Club of Hong Kong, in which she received 4,122 votes, becoming the first woman to be elected to the council. She was re-elected and served on the council for eight years until she retired from the office in 1963, citing the pressure of work in her profession and household. She returned to politics in 1965 when she ran in the Urban Council election as a Reform candidate again. In 1969, Bell decided not to seek re-election in protest at the lack of executive power of the Urban Council.[3]
During her tenure, she was also member of the Society for the Aid and Rehabilitation of Drug Addicts, Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation, Medical Committee of the Family Planning Association of Hong Kong, Christ Church Council, vice chairman of the Reform Club. She was appointed unofficial Justice of the Peace in 1964.
Personal life and deathEdit
Peter Fok
Bell married Dr. Peter Hin-tak Fok in 1949, son of architect Fok Nai-hang, with whom she had five children. She was able to speak fluent Cantonese.[4] Her son Joseph Fok is a Permanent Judge of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal.
She died in Hong Kong on 8 April 2021, at the age of 96.[5]
alison, bell, politician, alison, mary, spencer, bell, chinese, 鍾愛理遜, january, 1925, april, 2021, scottish, born, hong, kong, doctor, politician, first, woman, elected, urban, council, hong, kong, alison, belljpbell, circa, 1960smember, urban, councilin, offic. Alison Mary Spencer Bell Fok JP Chinese 鍾愛理遜 28 January 1925 8 April 2021 was a Scottish born Hong Kong doctor and politician She was the first woman to be elected to the Urban Council of Hong Kong Alison BellJPBell in circa 1960sMember of the Urban CouncilIn office 1 April 1956 31 March 1963Preceded byNew seatSucceeded byElsie ElliottIn office 1 April 1965 31 March 1969Preceded byNew seatSucceeded byRaymond KanPersonal detailsBorn 1925 01 28 28 January 1925Glasgow ScotlandDied8 April 2021 2021 04 08 aged 96 CanadaPolitical partyReform Club of Hong KongSpousePeter Hin tak Fok m 1949 wbr Alma materRothesay House SchoolUniversity of EdinburghOccupationDoctor and politician Contents 1 Early life 2 Professional career 3 Political career 4 Personal life and death 5 References 6 External linksEarly life EditBell was born in Glasgow Scotland in January 1925 She was the daughter of John Bell Senior Partner of James Spencer amp Company of Glasgow She was educated at Rothesay House School Edinburgh where she was head girl and captain of games 1 Professional career EditBell graduated from the University of Edinburgh with the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery in 1948 She then took up the post of Canadian Red Cross Memorial Hospital till she married Dr Peter Hin tak Fok in 1949 She moved to Hong Kong in 1949 She was an anaesthetist at Kowloon Hospital and after that in private practice until 1951 when she started her private practice 2 Political career Edit Bell was the vice chairwoman of the Reform ClubBell first ran for the Urban Council in the 1956 election as a candidate of Brook Bernacchi s Reform Club of Hong Kong in which she received 4 122 votes becoming the first woman to be elected to the council She was re elected and served on the council for eight years until she retired from the office in 1963 citing the pressure of work in her profession and household She returned to politics in 1965 when she ran in the Urban Council election as a Reform candidate again In 1969 Bell decided not to seek re election in protest at the lack of executive power of the Urban Council 3 During her tenure she was also member of the Society for the Aid and Rehabilitation of Drug Addicts Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation Medical Committee of the Family Planning Association of Hong Kong Christ Church Council vice chairman of the Reform Club She was appointed unofficial Justice of the Peace in 1964 Personal life and death Edit Peter FokBell married Dr Peter Hin tak Fok in 1949 son of architect Fok Nai hang with whom she had five children She was able to speak fluent Cantonese 4 Her son Joseph Fok is a Permanent Judge of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal She died in Hong Kong on 8 April 2021 at the age of 96 5 References Edit South China Morning Post 8 February 1956 p4 South China Morning Post 8 February 1956 p4 鍾愛理遜不再競選以示抗議市局無權 The Kung Sheung Evening News 1 February 1969 p 1 市政局議員競選人訪問之五鍾愛理遜談婦女參政 Wah Kiu Yat Po 24 February 1956 p 6 Dr Alison Bell Fok Arbor Memorial Retrieved 30 January 2022 External links EditOral History Interview Summary Fok Alison Hong Kong Heritage Project February 2010 Political officesNew seat Member of the Urban Council1956 1963 Succeeded byElsie ElliottMember of the Urban Council1965 1969 Succeeded byRaymond Kan Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alison Bell politician amp oldid 1119587656, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
